In writing about Bangkok, a very prominent image comes to mind – that of the bee keeper, lifting the lid on a hive, to reveal the buzzy droning of countless bees busy with producing their own brand of luscious nectar. With a combination of dexterity, experience and patience, the exceedingly daunting task of extracting honey from the worker bees may not be easy, but it is not impossible either - and the rewards are immeasurable.

That’s how we’d like to best describe Bangkok as a Design City. At first glance, it’s easy to get caught up in the ceaseless traffic, the whirlwind shopping, the gawdy lights of the seedy districts, the shiny-gold temples, the hot, spicy cuisine and the throngs of people, people everywhere – but underneath the steamy, sultry surface of what has always been one of the most exciting Asian destinations in our time, lies a hugely progressive creative culture that’s just straining at its seams to be unleashed upon the unsuspecting world.

And the world’s starting to sit up and take notice, too. With Thailand being one of the few countries in the world never to have been colonized by a foreign nation, it comes as no surprise that its crown jewel Bangkok has evolved to become a fascinating melting pot of cultures, combining traditional art, design and architecture which in itself is an exquisite blend of the old and new. With modernization dating back all the way to the reign of King Mongkut (more famous to the rest of the Western world as the sovereign ruler in “The King and I”), this Asian city prides itself for being able to combine the best of foreign influences to create a cutting edge culture that it can unabashedly call its own.

Local Buzz

In a place where a Fine Arts degree from acclaimed institutions such as Silpakorn or Chulalongkorn University is highly coveted and widely acknowledged by a discerning society, it’s easy to see how the thriving creative community maintains its buzz, upon which the local scene feeds upon. For many years, Bangkok’s creative talents have been relatively insulated from the rest of the world, but this, too, has rapidly been eroded in recent years.

“A lot of designers enjoy massive popularity only here in Thailand”, says Ananya ‘Nan’ Santasombat, a graphic designer who also sells her own t-shirt creations at the popular weekend Chatuchak Market. “We’re happy to stay that way”. Not for lack of talent though – Nan is only an example of one of many young, enterprising designers who wear many hats. Her close friend Duangsuda "Oil" Kitivattananon is a photographer who also doubles up as an illustrator, with her most recent and visible artwork being that of painting an entire room in funky boutique hotel “Reflections Rooms”. Opened only relatively recently, this hip joint boasts a stable of unique suites individually designed and painted by hand-picked designers, ranging from the up-and-coming to the wildly successful.

Creative Playground

Design in Bangkok is a serious business. Founded in 2003, the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC) was, in its own words, established to change the preconception that design and innovation was considered “an avoidable luxury”, with the “sole purpose of provoking and inspiring people to dream, imagine and believe that similar successes can be achieved”. It is a comprehensive one-stop portal for the design community, housed on the top floor of the swanky Gaysorn Plaza and equipped with an exhibition hall featuring exhibitions such as “What is Design”, a permanent exhibition featuring classic designs from 10 countries with distinctive design styles, such as the UK, France, Italy, the U.S. and Japan. Its Resource Center has an impressive collection of over 15,000 design-related books and journals, and its Material ConneXion is a showroom of hundreds of different fabrics and materials dedicated to students and budding designers alike – previously only available in New York, London and Milan.

A little further down from Ekkamai, you’ll find the posh, upmarket Soi Thonglor which is the creative hub of Bangkok. At one end, you’ll find J Avenue, a strip mall where the local creatives congregate. Professionals flush with money are flocking towards the high end condominiums that pepper the avenue, so inevitably numerous design showrooms advertising brands like Flos, Cappellini and Kartell have sprung up to meet the new demand. Concept stores such as About café, a two-storey high cafeteria, internet station, wine shop and design gallery, and the now-dormant Playground, which is a three-storey boutique retailing quirky design pieces, books, clothing and furniture, are just a few of the gems that can be found along this stretch. Come evening, Bed Supperclub looms nearby, eclipsing all surrounding architecture with its ultra-cool and futuristic pure white exterior.

On the other end of the spectrum from the sleek veneers of Soi Thonglor and the nearby Soi Sukhumvit, where some of the poshest retail outlets are found, are Siam Square and the weekend Chatuchak Market, where virtually hundreds of original, wildly cool designer clothing, accessories and furniture can be purchased or simply gawked at as these serve as creative and easily accessible outlets for the countless talented individuals that make up this exciting community. It’s easy to set up shop here – but competition is so stiff the stalls change hands all the time.

Beyond the Shores

While the local creative community is large and varied, there has also been a slew of Thai designers and creatives making the headlines in the international scene. Most notable are fashion labels Greyhound, with its stable of award-winning designers (of which include the prestigious Mercedes-Benz award), Sretsis, the brainchild of designer Pim Sukhahuta, that has been making waves in New York and Los Angeles, Issue, and Play Now. All these labels have their own flagship stores, and can also be found at the Thai Designer Gallery at the Zen Center – a fashionista’s veritable wet dream come true.

On the whimsical front, there is the Propaganda line of playful, tongue-in-cheek home and personal accessories which won major international awards such as Good Design, G-Mark and Red Dot, and is now available in more than 30 countries spanning the U.S., Europe, Hong Kong and Japan. Bangkok is also home to the only Asian Wallpaper* franchise, along with another half dozen design magazines and annuals available only in Thai.

Future Forecast

With the new generation of Thai designers being educated, tech-savvy and extremely resourceful, the scene looks set to burgeon rapidly. Traditional problems such as language barriers are rapidly being eroded, but certain infrastructural difficulties nevertheless remain present. “We want to organise things like exhibitions and seminars, but the problem is everybody is just scattered everywhere, and we don’t have the resources to pull everyone together”, says Chutivat “Chu” Cherdchoo, Creative Director of highly successful creative agency Visionary, which produces an impressive portfolio of work for reputable clients such as MTV and has garnered numerous accolades including the prestigious Cannes Lions award for Media. “We have a lot of talent here, it’ll just take some time to bring everyone together”, agrees Fishfins, a graphic designer in his own right who customises surfboards under his own label.

Lack of support seems to be a very real concern in the community. While design has been a major part of the Thai lifestyle for many years, it is only recently that it is being recognised as a major revenue draw. Even now, outside of the creative community, there still remains a lingering antipathy towards the creatives – some of which stems from the relative political instability which the country is facing at the moment. Due to the change in government, TCDC has been made to move out of its location and downsize into a smaller area. Similarly, Playground has been made to vacate its premises because of leasing issues and a general lack of funding. Hopefully with a little more understanding, patience and a generous dose of support from the new government, Bangkok as a Design City can finally find its rightful place at the forefront of the international creative community – where it deserves to be.


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TRAVEL ALBUM: DESIGN CITY publishes the essential photography subjects of a city. As they say, architecture landmarks denote the progressing development of a city. Design in each and every city speaks in different languages and dances to different cultures. A lot of cities are growing in the design realm but no one would know about this development but the travelers and the locals themselves. Only. The exciting quirks and electrifying eccentricity of Everyday Product, Design Schools, Designers, Resources, Hotels/Buildings, Design Studios/Personalities, Local Galleries, Museums, etc, are found in both secret and obvious places of the city.

We miss out on these simple things during travel or simply during our busy lifestyle in our own city. So the next time you travel, think of TRAVEL ALBUM: DESIGN CITY.

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