Thailand

“The important thing for the survival of the Thai society is that the majority of those who work, both in the government and the private sector, still strive to work in the same direction; this is why the Thai nation still stands.” — Bhumibol Adulyadej

Food Guide: Bangkok Street Food

Nicholas Ng
Bangkok Street Food | Ultimate Food Guide | Food For Thought

Thailand is renown throughout the world for its unique cuisine which needs no introduction. From the simple pad thai to the flaming tom yum goong, Thai cuisine has spread throughout the world. Thai cuisine can be generally divided into 4 regional cuisines, Lanna cuisine to the north, Isan cuisine to the northeast, southern Thai cuisine which is heavily influenced by Malay cooking and Central Thai cuisine which borrows from Chinese food, where Bangkok cuisine is an amalgamation of some of the best Thailand has to offer. Continue reading →

Food Guide: Chiang Mai Street Food

Nicholas Ng
Chiang Mai Street Food | A Food Guide | Food For Thought

Chiang Mai is home to the ancient kingdom of Lanna, and is situated in Northern Thailand. With its very distinct culture, comfortable climate, unbelievably mountainous scenery and exotic food, you can see why it is known as the Rose of the North. The food in Chiang Mai is known as Lanna Cuisine, a type of food which is very distinctively different from the rest of Thailand. Because of its bordering of Myanmar and China, you see a very distinctive food culture which borrows from its northern neighbours and how all these amalgamate and produce what we know as Lanna cuisine. Continue reading →

RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort, Chiang Mai

Nicholas Ng
Entrance | RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort

Hidden in plain sight in the Wat Ket district of Chiang Mai lies a 140-year-old Thai teak wood home which has been repurposed into one of the most splendorous boutique hotels in the heart of Chiang Mai, the RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort. The picturesque spa hotel takes its name from the Thai language and means “Jewel on the Water”, and is located on the riverbanks of the Ping River overlooking the Doi Suthep Mountain. It is with these factors that make it one of the most idyllic places to pamper yourself. Continue reading →

Kamala Beach Estate Phuket

Nicholas Ng
Aerial | Kamala Beach Estate Hotel | Food For Thought

Situated in the utmost south end of Kamala Beach in Phuket lies an isolated and rustic home away from home, the aptly named Kamala Beach Estate. This mostly privately owned hotel offers a limited number of villas, but its best asset is actually its privacy as the hotel is built on its own promontory, a raised land mass surrounded by the Andaman Sea, essentially forming a private beach. Continue reading →

Cooking Class: 137 Pillars House, Chiang Mai

Nicholas Ng
Pad Thai Result | Cooking Class | 137 Pillars House | Food For Thought

People today seek uncommon experiences when they travel, and what better way to explore a foreign culture by learning their food. Thai cuisine has become internationally recognised as one of the best cuisines, and what better way than to immerse yourself in the Thai culinary world. 137 Pillars House Chiang Mai is one such boutique hotels that offer this experience as part of their offerings, simply named The Kitchen. This however, is not just a cooking class where you are simply taught a dish, but actually take you to a local market where you explore yourself. Continue reading →

137 Pillars House, Chiang Mai

Nicholas Ng
Hotel Foyer | 137 Pillars House | Food For Thought

Located in the Wat Thanon Gate area of Chiang Mai sits a beautifully unique establishment laden with painted white wooden pillars and auburn teak wood which brings you back to the colonial history of Asia, the heritage hotel known as 137 Pillars House. This place is iconic not only for its Anglo-Thai architecture, but also being the former home of Louis Leonowens, the son of Anna Leonowens, famed English teacher to King Chulalongkorn, son of King Mongkut from the fabled story of Anna and the King of Siam, or more famously known from the musical that is The King and I. Continue reading →

Travel Guide: Things To Do In Chiang Mai

Nicholas Ng
Travel Guide- Chiang mai Title Card

Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่), also styled Chiangmai, is proverbially known as the spiritual capital of Thailand, with its calming pace of life and mountainous atmosphere. When compared to its other gems such as Bangkok or one of their many beautiful islands such as Phuket or Koh Phangan, Chiang Mai serves to deliver an entirely different experience. Not as famous to foreigners as a holiday destination, Chiang Mai is known to locals as a must visit for its pristine clean air and local vacation spot. Poetically known the rose of the north, Chiang Mai falls under the northern region of Thailand, and home seat to the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Lanna, famed for its distinctive Lanna culture and home to Lanna Cuisine. Here, we shall explore some things to do in Chiang Mai for first time visitors. Continue reading →

Travel, Wonder and Wanderlust

Nicholas Ng
Mountain | Travel | Food For Thought

We always look forward to travelling yet, when we are clearly asked why we do so, we tend to give superficial answers. Superficial in the sense that we want to get away from our work stress or see the world. These are the most common answers when asked why we travel. But as Alain de Botton puts it in his book The Art of Travel, we don’t seem to ask ourselves the deeper reasons we travel. We say we do it for pleasure, yet know that it takes out of of quite a lot, from money to energy, but yet we do it. It really is a way for us to get away and think while we are away, when we are not in our comfort zones. It is this that gives us a better objective view of our life plans and situation. It is through this we can be better people. Continue reading →