‘Amazing Luxperience’ in Thailand

MANILA, Philippines — The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) invited media and bloggers to experience what it’s like to travel like an A-lister in Thailand. 

Following the gathering of international celebrities including Korean star So-Hyun Kim, Indian actress Tanya Sharma and former Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach during the launch of the tourism campaign Women’s Journey Thailand, TAT treated some of its guests to a four-day familiarization tour of the cities of Bangkok and Pattaya.

The STAR joined the select group that included musician Saab Magalona and actress Lauren Young, who are also celebrity bloggers.

Thailand has been positioning itself as one of the most female-friendly destinations in the world. So, the itinerary dubbed as Amazing Luxperience was designed for women tourists willing to go all-out for a luxurious and at the same time, authentic Thai travel experience.

From what The STAR experienced, it was a little bit of everything, not enough to cover the whole nine yards, but enough to tell you of different ways to experience the country. It covered heritage, food, shopping, beauty and wellbeing, and entertainment. And the fam tour wasn’t just about destinations or activities, it was also about meeting people — both experts and emerging leaders in the industry and related fields.

“Just open your eyes,” urged Thailand-based French journalist and heritage expert Luc Citrinot, who added that there’s more to Thailand than the sprawling Wat (temple) complexes, the river/canal tours, or the hit elephant shows. 

For one, he recommended a museum tour because there are over 120 museums and 80 galleries in Thailand, the bulk of which can be found in Bangkok. There’s the Grand Palace’s Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, the internationally-awarded Museum Siam Discovery Museum and Bangkok Dolls & Museum, or the Madame Tussauds Museum at Siam Discovery (a must-visit mall, by the way, for its “exploratorium concept” wherein brands are organized according to a shopper’s interest; for example, there are separate areas for trends, everyday products, sustainable goods and Made in Thailand stuff.)

Now, if you’re into beauty and wellness, TAT presented homegrown brands like Divana, which started out as a spa center in 2001. More than 15 years and several branches after, it has earned recognitions, namely, Asia’s Best Day Spa from World Spa Awards, Best Luxury Medical Spa from World Luxury Spa Awards and Thailand’s Best Day Spa by Lonely Planet, among others. Owned by former flight attendant Pattanapong Ranuraksa, Divana has also created its own product line and signature services combining Thai wisdom and ingredients such as Thai silk threads for its spa treatments.

Another proud Thai talent is jewelry designer Sarran Youkongdee whose “art-to-wear” collections, including the latest Siam Rattikarn, take inspiration from Thai heritage. Siam Rattikarn, he said, is a tribute to his mother and to the “elegance of the legendary Princess Dara Rasamee, a favored Royal Consort of King Chulalongkorn” in the 1880s. A unique element of his collection is that it’s scented with floral potpourri.

Meanwhile, there’s no empty stomach in Thailand as TAT treated its guests to some of the most patronized dining spots, plus an encounter with fast-rising Chef Tam. If you want Thai cooking that’s influenced by street food and Royal Court-style cuisine, there’s Bo.lan restaurant in Bangkok. On the other hand, fresh, strong Thai flavors are featured in COMO Metropolitan Hotel’s Nahm, voted as one of “Asia’s Top 5 Restaurants” at the San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna awards.

The group also met Chef Tam (complete name is Chudaree Debhakam) who whipped up a sit-down lunch menu at the century-old Nai Lert Park Heritage Home in Bangkok. The 24-year-old chef is the winner of the just-concluded Season 1 of Top Chef Thailand.

Interestingly, she didn’t expect she’d become a chef. She was a budding athlete who was sent off to the UK to further hone her sporting skills, before shifting pursuits to study nutrition then cooking, which also afforded her the thrill and discipline similar to sports.

Chef Tam advocates farm-driven cuisine that connects chefs and farmers and encourages them to prepare and produce “regional, seasonal and responsibly grown food.”

Expect TAT to step up efforts to promote the Thai culinary scene with its partnership with Michelin Travel Partner. A Bangkok edition of the prestigious Michelin Guide will be released before the end of the year.

In Pattaya, a roughly two-hour drive from Bangkok, the group checked out the cluster of F&B outlets and list of activities at A La Campagne Farm and Village. Also in this coastal destination, the group took an early morning cruise around the Khram Yai and Khram Noi islands in the Gulf of Thailand on a private yacht with Blue Voyage. The tour sailed off from one of Asia’s largest marinas, the Ocean Marina, which has five yachts for charter, including the Siamese Twin that can carry 25 passengers.

Pattaya has long been a famous resort city, and there’s been conscious effort to counter some negative press and improve the city’s profile among world travelers. According to top travel guidebook Lonely Planet: “Pattaya does perennially try to lose its sex tag and many of its 10 million annual visitors instead come for the mega shopping centers and amenities.”

“We’ve always been trying to change (Pattaya’s) image. It’s an ongoing process, but it’s commendable,” said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, TAT deputy governor for marketing communications. “The image has improved. After all, it’s a tourist destination and you can’t just rely on one sector. You can get families, pensioners and women travelers.”

Part of these efforts is introducing KAAN, a family-oriented, hybrid show (fusing elements of live theater, animation and technology) at the Singha D’Luck Cinematic Theater. (More on this in a separate article).

To complete the stay, the group was billeted at topnotch hotels: COMO Metropolitan in Bangkok, and Mövenpick Siam and the Hilton in Pattaya. Special mention goes to the hotel staff of Mövenpick Siam, who were quick to address this Pinoy visitor’s concerns after enjoying too much sun and seawater.

Speaking of visitors, TAT reported that the Filipino market has been “stagnant” for a while now. “It hasn’t grown… (about 100,000 tourists per year) which is not a lot for an ASEAN neighbor,” said Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhyas. 

The TAT official said they hope to see more Filipino visitors this year and onwards, as Thailand continues to post strong numbers in revenue and arrivals from ASEAN, which jumped to seven percent this third quarter of 2017 with about 2.5 million tourists. North East Asia continues to be the “top inbound source market” with the two-percent increase at 3.7 million. 

(For details on how to plan a trip to Thailand, you can visit www.tourismthailand.org.)