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A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
Was at this Nakhon restaurant in Holland Village last night for some Thai food.



No reservation allowed, just go and queue and the line can be very long is go at a later time. I arrived there at 6.20pm and the the line was short just 3 groups in from of me so 5 mins later was already our turn. A feeling that this place is very popular.



A few staff are Thais and heard that cooks are Thais as well so I expect a really good authentic Thai meal. Ordered a few typical Thai dishes

Tom Yam Taleh (seafood) Nam-Sai (clear soup)


Tam Thai (Somtam most basic as easy to eat for foreigners because its without fermented fish sauce and other things Thai will put inside)


Phak Bong Faidaeng (Kangkok stir fried)


Gai thod (deep fried chicken)


Pla daeng (sweet and sour tilapia


Kra-pow moo-saab (most popular and fav Thai dish)


For the virdict I only have one polite term that Thais always use in order to sound politically correct and not to offen anyone "Geen Dai". Geen = Eat ; Dai = Can so it means "can eat lah". Not that it is not nice, on the contrary everything taste pretty good and fresh however have to say this is a watered down Thai taste not 100%, all look great but as fat as taste is concern can be more authentic lah. I've asked for a very typical Thai sauce jeem-jiao they don't have so was a little disappointed. I guess other than Golden Mile this is probably the next best thing.

Fully packed restaurant


Look at the queue at 7.30pm
 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
After dinner went for drinks at Cafe Siem Reap (by IndoChine). Ordered some bites to go with the drinks, Vietnamese Spring Roll, deep fried chicken and fish and Mango Sticky Rice dessert. Was told that chef were Thais







Everything tasted very good and very authentic however the dessert is a little too heavy on the coconut milk

I went into the kitchen and spoke to the chefs to request for that jeem-jiao sauce that I could not get from my dinner at Nakhon Kitchen restaurant and the chef said no problem.



Fantastic and original, friends said it went very well witht he fried stuff. By the way this is a very basic Isaan sauce consists of - fish sauce, Thai lime, dry chilli grounded, grounded roasted uncooked sticky rice, some chopped parsley.

I finally thought that if one wants really authentic Thai you may be better off here than Nakhon. Bon appetit.
 

yinyang

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Looks like a great place in Patts to check out this. Perhaps froggy here has better odds :p

Glasshouse. Chanced upon this in Nation newspaper today Lifestyle





Glass House owners Attapol and Sukumarn Itthirattanakomol bring Japanese and Italian cusine to Wongamat

HUSBAND-AND-WIFE team Attapol and Sukumarn Itthirattanakomol are certainly not lacking in energy. Having succeeded in turning their beachfront restaurant Glass House into one of Pattaya's hippest hangouts, they've now turned their attention to another wonderful seaside destination - the Silver Lining - on the resort's secluded Wongamat Beach.

While the Glass House boasts a vintage marine decor and offers a variety of seafood dishes, the Silver Lining has a contemporary feel and serves an unusual mix of Japanese and Italian cuisine.

Chef Thaninthorn "Noom" Chantrawan, one of the successful contestants in the Thai version of "Iron Chef", is in charge of the kitchen and introduces diners to some interesting and creative fusion dishes in addition to the classics of both countries.

Located in the compound of the new residential property Zire Wongamat, the air-conditioned area is home to a bar-cum-restaurant with a good stock of wines and sakes. A spacious airy outdoor terrace with steps leading down to the beach is furnished with comfy sofas and divans that face the sea, making it a popular spot to enjoy the fresh air.

And you don't even need to worry about the weather if you prefer to sit outside, as Attapol and Sukumarn have designed the restaurant with mobile walls and a glass roof that can be moved to cover and uncover parts of the dining area.

Powered by hidden electric motors, the sliding iron structure that fits over the main building moves along rails set into the ground to enclose the outdoor area.

"Pattaya is full of restaurants and bars yet no one is offering Japanese cuisine with top quality imported fresh raw seafood," says Sukumarn, a Chon Buri native who trained in hotel management in France.

"Local seafood may be the first choice for tourists to Pattaya, but they can't eat it at every meal. We have the Glass House to provide them with seafood dishes and the Silver Lining gives them, as well as residents, another choice if they want something different," she says.

Open for just a month, Silver Lining is currently looking for a resident band to entertain in the air-conditioned bar, which will stay open until 2am.

"I want the place to be suitable both for families and customers who want to relax with after dinner drinks and good music. Apart from our signature aroma-infused cocktails, we're joining with an Australian winery to blend our own red and white wines," adds Attapol.

Noom brings his Japanese and Western cooking experience from London's Zuma and the Fat Duck to Silver Lining and offers customers an interesting integration of flavours and spices.

Seafood fans can sample a selection of five kinds of sashimi (Bt550) with ultra-fresh cuts of salmon, maguro (tuna), hamachi (yellowtail), hotate (scallop) and hokkigai (surf clam), or opt for a selection of nine pieces of nigirizushi (Bt980) with ebi (prawn), saba (mackerel), uni (sea urchin) and tako (octopus).

Noom also serves a variation of rolls with a twist, among them the Salmon Dynamite (Bt320) consisting of sushi rice stuffed with avocado and wrapped around salmon belly that is garnished with a spicy sauce made from chilli sauce, mayonnaise, paprika, mustard, mirin and soya sauce.

Rock Shrimp Tempura (Bt250) - crispy batter-fried shrimps sprinkled with wasabi powder, crushed pea and togarachi (Japanese hot spiced seasoning) - is served with tobiko (flying fish roe) mayo. Equally tempting is the Sake Steamed Chicken (Bt290), chicken thigh cooked sous-vide with sake for 45 minutes.

Seared Tuna Salad (Bt320) combines the best of Italian and Japanese, with the seared tuna coated with black pepper and topped with apple mustard, ginger, mirin, sake and togarachi seasoning.

Soft Shell Crab (Bt420) features crispy batter-fried crabs with crushed potato mixed with avocado salsa and chilli mayo.

Another east-meets-west dish is Kochujang Lamb Cutlet (Bt750) - lamb chops marinated overnight with Kochujang (Korean fermented red pepper paste), mirin, sake and ground garlic before being charcoal grilled.

Spaghetti Bolognese Wagyu (Bt350) has an intense flavour guaranteed to please the Thai palate. The sauce contains off-cuts of wagyu beef with tomato paste, mushroom ketchup, onions, herbs and mirin that is flame burnt with whisky for a smoky kick.

One of the more complex dishes is Baby Back Rib (Bt550). Noom marinates the meat overnight in sake, soy and sweet sauce then cooks it sous-vide in a stock of herbs and spices. The crunchy texture is achieved by topping the grilled baby back rib with crushed peanut and cashew nuts.
 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
Koh Lan Ta Restaurant is located just beside the Suvarnabhumbi Airport, literally beside the runway. If you are in a car towards the terminal at the turn into the airport from the highway the restaurant is on the right after the runway. If you are leaving the airport just when your car is turning left into the highway towards Bangkok the restaurant is on the left after the runway. It so big this restaurant that you cannot miss.

This restaurant is huge, I really mean HUGE, my estimate is on a land at least 60 acres. As I read their website (http://www.kohlantarestaurant.com/history/) the owner is an artist, a sculptor, this explains this entire restaurant has many sculptures especially horses with wings. And you may think the restaurant is messy with decorated without a theme but I guess this is artistic no?

A resort is under construction now in the property, they also have a huge section like a big pub but I think its more like Thai country songs performed inside.

Night time the restaurant is dark for photos and videos so don't mind the poor vid and pic here but do visit their website to see more clearer photos of the place.



 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
A horse totem pole at the carpark area



The entrance



Entering the sheltered part of the restaurant



The sheltered part of the restaurant


Dining area beside the lake





 

yinyang

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Koh Lan Ta Restaurant is located just beside the Suvarnabhumbi Airport, literally beside the runway.
This restaurant is huge, I really mean HUGE, my estimate is on a land at least 60 acres. ..huge section like a big pub but I think its more like Thai country songs performed inside.
Recall I did this KLT place in 2009 (2X). Good alfresco seating next to some big pond and open stage. Did half of a scotch bottle, and adjourned to next door, a busy local thai pub joint (to justice 2nd half). :biggrin:
 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
Cat fish minced


Butter and lemon baked scallops


Garlic lime river prawns


Thai herb fried chicken


Tang-hoon crab (this is a very good dish)


Saffron grouper
 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
Here's the vid taken last night, do apologize if its dark



[video=youtube;Ve6Uy6A169Y]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve6Uy6A169Y[/video]
 

Jah_rastafar_I

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
pattaya at 5am and later in the day

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a bar around 5am and yes still celebrating songkran

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outside my hotel

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before my ride back to bkk i had lunch at a nearby restaurant. Not bad

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onwards to my hotel in bkk. One bedroom suite

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Later it's dinner at MBK the 5th floor food court.

fried oyster with beansprouts

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nachos with green sauce

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The next day visited fashion island mall. It has 2 different sections and this is the more arty farty section.

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Fountain still not fully complete

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spicy half spring chicken for dinner at MBK the 5th

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Jah_rastafar_I

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
On the right in a plastic bag, is that your weapon of choice for songkran?

yup. Not much to choose actually. Most of the guns look like that some much smaller but the one in pattaya that cannot be found in bkk is some type of blue color pump weapon that really sprays water in strong gushes got hit by that in soi 6.
 

yinyang

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Thai mango in a technical recession, after 2 quarters negative growth?

ECONOMY
Economy may have shrunk over last 2 quarters

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Economy-may-have-shrunk-over-last-2-quarters-30258441.html

The Nation April 22, 2015 1:00 am

There is a chance that Thailand's quarterly economic expansion will be in negative territory if year-on-year growth in gross domestic product comes in at just 3 per cent for the first three months of the year, Don Nakornthab, director of the Bank of Thailand's Macroeconomic Policy Office, said yesterday.

His comment followed a statement by the secretary-general of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), Akom Termpitayapaisit, who said the economy's year-on-year expansion would most likely be around 3 per cent in the first quarter.

With seasonally adjusted economic expansion between the final two quarters of 2014 now recorded at 1.7 per cent, the NESDB is expected to release this year's official first-quarter GDP data on May 18.

"The quarter-on-quarter growth at around 2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014 is quite aggressive when compared to normalcy in the past, so a slowdown of quarter-on-quarter expansion from the fourth quarter of 2014 to the first quarter of 2015 is expected.

"However, the fact that the numbers for consumption and exports did not look so good in the first two months of this year means the quarter-on-quarter size of the economy might actually have contracted," said the central bank's macroeconomic chief.

"Nevertheless, I believe quarter-on-quarter performance in the second quarter will most likely be better than in the first quarter, because of somewhat of a recovery in the export sector and an increase in government spending," he added.

The central bank said the baht had strengthened by around 1 per cent since the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting on March 11, which is generally in line with the movement of other currencies in the region.

"The latest strengthening of the baht is due to the capital flow into the Kingdom's bond and stock markets. Nevertheless, the strengthening of the currency is in line with other currencies in the region, and the rate of appreciation is also less than other currencies," said Don.

The currencies of China, India, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea have appreciated by 1, 1.2, 1.6, 1.6, 2.8 and 3.5 per cent respectively, he added.

Don said US$492 million (Bt15.92 billion) had flowed into the Thai bond market between April 1 and April 16, while $204 million had flowed into the stock market from April 1 to April 20.

The surge of capital inflow into Thailand's stock markets in the past month is most likely a temporary effect as a result of reduced market fears over a US interest-rate hike, while more capital is expected to come this way once the economic recovery and government mega-projects become more tangible in the second half, securities houses said.

Therdsak Thaveeteeratham, executive vice president for the research department at Asia Plus Securities, said the influx of capital was most likely a temporary phenomenon due to the high level of capital-flow fluctuation following US rate-hike speculation this year.

CLSA Securities country head Prinn Panitchpakdi held a similar view, adding that the inflow in the past two weeks had mostly gone to the energy sector.
 

yinyang

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
More signs of anaemic growth, with lowered +1% on exports (instead of trumpeted 4%)

EXPORT CUT
Export growth forecast cut to 1%

Amid stubborn sluggishness in global trading, the Commerce Ministry has bit the bullet and now projects export expansion at only about 1 per cent this year, not 4 per cent.

"Thai exports this year are expected to grow more than 1 per cent, but may not reach the previous goal of 4 per cent.

"The slowdown in shipments has increased in line with other countries, while the Thai government in cooperation with private enterprises will try to draw up a new strategy to push exports as much as possible," Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya said yesterday.

After the ministry's meeting with government agencies and private sector organisations, including the Board of Trade of Thailand and the Thai Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Thai Industries, Thai National Shippers Council and other trade associations, Chatchai said that despite the downtrend in global commerce, the ministry will work closely with companies to boost sales of each product category to promising overseas markets.

According to a survey by Global Trade Atlas among 40 countries, only four, including China, Chile and Switzerland, have enjoyed increased trade during the past years.

Other countries, including Thailand, Asean countries, European Union countries and the United States, have faced a dip in export growth along with the slowing global economy.

The ministry has divided export categories into 10 clusters so that it can brainstorm with the players in each segment to increase orders from various markets.

Ten clusters

The 10 clusters are agriculture and foods, electric appliances and parts, automobiles and parts, garments, jewellery and ornaments, construction materials, healthcare products, lifestyle products, logistics and various products to the Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam markets.

Shipments should return to the growth path in the second half of the year, he added.

Vallop Vitanakorn, vice president of the Thai National Shippers Council, said shipments are expected to show an upsurge of 3 per cent in the remaining two quarters after flattening out this quarter.

The council has called on the government to establish distribution centres in neighbouring countries to support Thai trade in Asean. It has also urged for a cut in freight fees as they impose a high cost burden on traders.

Supant Mongkolsuthree, chairman of the Federation of Thai Industries, said the ministry should continue providing financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises under the SME Proactive project.

It should promote local products with the "Product of Thailand" logo to increase recognition of the quality of Thai goods, he said.

It should solve the problem of the baht since Thailand's unit has strengthened by 1 per cent against other currencies, which have depreciated by 2-10 per cent. The baht's advance against other currencies has eroded the country's export edge, he said.

Kalin Sarasin, vice chairman of the Board of Trade, encouraged the government to call for a meeting to address and solve export problems, which have been raised by many trade associations.

It also supports the establishment of distribution centres in many target markets such as India, the Middle East and Asean.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Export-growth-forecast-cut-to-1-30258438.html
 

yinyang

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
EU pressure on Thai fishing industry, accounting for Eur7bil exports

EU threatens Thailand with trade ban over illegal fishing

World’s third-largest seafood exporter given six months to clean up its industry where ‘illegal fishing is almost totally allowed’
The European Union is to give Thailand six months to drastically change its policies on illegal and unregulated fishing or face an EU fish import ban.

Tuesday 21 April 2015 15.10 BST Last modified on Tuesday 21 April 2015 16.17 BST
http://www.theguardian.com/environm...-thailand-with-trade-ban-over-illegal-fishing

The EU has given Thailand, the world’s third-largest seafood exporter, six months to crack down on illegal fishing or face a trade ban on its fish imports.

South Korea and the Philippines though have escaped the commission’s net after bringing in legal reforms and improved control and inspection systems.

“The commission has put Thailand on formal notice, after identifying serious shortcoming in its fish monitoring, control and sanctioning systems,” the environment and fisheries commissioner, Karmenu Vella told a press conference in Brussels.

“There are no controls whatsoever and no efforts being made whatsoever and illegal fishing is almost totally allowed.”

Unless Thailand now cleans up its fishing industry, it risks an embargo on its fish exports in October. EU vessels could also be prevented from fishing in Thai waters.

To avert sanctions, “as a minimum we would expect that control and monitoring measures and enforcements should come into place,” Vella told the Guardian.

Thailand’s agriculture ministry has announced a six-point plan for combatting illegal fishing. But meeting the EU benchmarks by October is considered unlikely, as Thailand’s legal and regulatory framework for fishing has not been changed since it was drawn up in 1947.

A high percentage of the Thai fishing fleet is unregistered and outside government control. Even registered vessels often sail without strong catch documentation and operation certificates.

“They have a long way to go,” an EU source told the Guardian. “But we are not looking for trade sanctions so it is really up to them to decide.”

The EU’s ‘yellow card’ to Thailand is the most high profile action taken against illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, under a 2010 regulation against such practises.

“Yellow-carding has been proved to be a strong incentive for states to combat illegal fishing,” said Tony Long, director of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ Ending Illegal Fishing project. “Commissioner Vella has shown global leadership in implementing the EU’s tough illegal fishing regulation against such a significant fishing state.”

Thailand’s global fish exports were valued at €7bn (£5bn) in 2013. Last year, €642m of that catch – weighing 145,907 tonnes – was destined for European dishes, where it made up over 3% of the continent’s overall fish imports.

According to Eurostat, the UK has the largest appetite for Thai fish, consuming over €153.4m of it a year, closely followed by Italy, Germany, France and the Netherlands. Much of that will have been caught by pirates.

Illegal fishing in the Asia-Pacific region killed between 3.8-8.1m tonnes of fish in 2014, according to one report. In Thailand, up to 39% of wild-caught seafood entering the US market last year is estimated to have been unlawfully caught.

Illegal fishing trawlers have also been accused of using Thais as slave labour on fishing expeditions, with their catches entering the global food supply chain via Thai ports.

After the de-listing of South Korea, the Philippines and Belize, Cambodia, Guinea and Sri Lanka are the only countries affected by the ‘red card’ from Brussels for illegal fishing. While welcoming news that Thailand could soon be joining it, some conservationists protested that the de-listing had been premature and partial.

“Serious concerns remain about the South Korean fishing fleet and the role of the Korean authorities in clamping down on illegal fishing,” said the Swedish Green Party’s fisheries spokesperson, Linnéa Engström. “South Korea has introduced new legislation but this has been criticised as insufficient and cosmetic, while implementation remains open to question.”

The Greens argue that European trading interests with Korea have been allowed to trump marine conservation, even as the threat of EU sanctions has led other countries to revise their fishing laws.

Fish catches measured per unit of effort in the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea have already plunged by more than 86% since 1966 and boats now catch just 14% of what they caught in the mid-1960s, according to the Environment Justice Foundation.

Depleted fish stocks have spurred a ‘ghost fleet’ of unregistered pirate ships that plunder the waters of other countries, often under assumed identities, the group says.

An estimated 11-26m tonnes – or 15% - of the world’s fish are caught illegally each year.
 

Froggy

Alfrescian (InfP) + Mod
Moderator
Generous Asset
Thai mango in a technical recession, after 2 quarters negative growth?

ECONOMY
Economy may have shrunk over last 2 quarters

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Economy-may-have-shrunk-over-last-2-quarters-30258441.html

More signs of anaemic growth, with lowered +1% on exports (instead of trumpeted 4%)

EXPORT CUT
Export growth forecast cut to 1%


EU pressure on Thai fishing industry, accounting for Eur7bil exports

EU threatens Thailand with trade ban over illegal fishing

As you can see fromt eh above and from amny economic indicators, the economy under this regime had gone to the dogs, simply compare with neighbouring countries like Indonesia, The Philippines and Vietnam, Thailand is a gonner. However the stock market had been breaking new grounds and this make everyone even more worried.
 
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