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BULLETIN
MILLION BAHT MEAL
News of February’s Epicurean Masters of the World II food and wine experience is causing quite a stir among the city’s food-lovers, with the Gala Dinner’s 1 million baht (US$25,000) price tag rating as one of the most expensive meal tickets known to Bangkok.
The five-day gastronomic extravaganza will see the great folk of the culinary world gather at the restaurants within The Dome at State Tower. Seven renowned chefs, including Italian Annie Feolde – the first female chef to be awarded three Michelin stars – will prepare individually designed menus, with wines matched by world-renowned wine merchants Berry Bros & Rudd of London, England.
Gold dust is probably cheaper than joining the climactic Gala Dinner at Mezzaluna on 10 February, although the sky-high price does include overnight accommodation at the all-suite lebua at State Tower (www.lebua.com), as well as a luxury goodie bag filled with high-end gifts. 6-10 February 2007, tel +66 (0)2 624-9555, www.thedomebkk.com, www.epicureanmasters.com
TAKE A SPIN
Making a 60m-high addition to Bangkok’s bustling skyline, “La Roue de Paris” has been wowing crowds at Suan Lum Night Bazaar and will continue to do so until the end of the year.
The giant transportable Ferris wheel, originally installed in France for the 2000 Millennium celebrations, uses water tanks to provide a stable base and thus needs no permanent foundations.
The wheel – the biggest in Thailand – will overlook the famed night market during its final days. From April 2007, Suan Lum Night Bazaar will be closed to make way for a new commercial development, consisting of office and residential buildings as well as a retail and entertainment complex.
ONWARD AND UPWARD
Following the success of the first phase of Bangkok’s mass transit project, the government has announced that the long-awaited skytrain (BTS) extension will finally proceed at the start of next year in January 2007.
Aiming to alleviate its backlog of traffic, work on one of three planned extensions – a 5.25km stretch from On Nut station on the Sukhumvit line to Samrong in Soi 107 – will see five stations added to the line at a cost of 3.8 billion baht. The route is expected to open for service by 2010.
IN WITH THE NEW
Join the revellers heading to Bangkok’s Central World Plaza on New Year’s Eve for festivities that will include concerts and live performances by Thailand’s top artists and performers, not to mention a post-countdown jolly. The event will be broadcast live on Thai TV Channel 3 for those elsewhere in the country.
For more dignified proceedings, make a beeline to Sanam Luang, near the Grand Palace. Observers will enjoy traditional cultural celebrations, including classical Thai dance as well as speeches from political and religious leaders.
THE KING LIVES
It may have been of cold comfort to pop fans disappointed by the cancellation of Robbie Williams’s Bangkok gig in November, but no less than Elvis Aaron Presley recently graced concert-goers in the city.
The Elvis Presley in Concert phenomenon was on a final leg of its popular world tour. Classic footage of “The King” performing – complete with vocals, but minus the music – was projected onto a gigantic screen at Impact Arena, while Elvis’s former band members played along.
ALL THAT JAZZ
The fourth annual Bangkok Jazz Festival will run at Sanam Sua Pa (Dusit Palace) from 16-18 December and is set to be even bigger and better than those of previous years. We spoke to Vanida Vanasirikul, managing director of Terminal Xtra Entertainment and the promoter of this year’s event.
What is the history of the festival?
Jazz musicians’ schedules usually depend on the Japanese and Korean markets, because fees aren’t that great in Southeast Asia and there are not that many dates – maybe one in Bangkok, one in Singapore and one in Hong Kong.
But we decided to create our own jazz festival, because jazz musicians are the easiest artists to work with. It’s too problematic working with pop artists. We have to coordinate multiple acts, which isn’t easy if they have their individual egoistic demands.
We started the Bangkok Jazz Festival in 2003 with six or seven international bands. As our main sponsor is a beer company, we had to find an outdoor venue – like Lumpini Park or Sanam Silipa – to create a picnic-like atmosphere. Fortunately, this is something that Bangkok people really appreciate in the cool – I mean, not too hot – season. We had such a huge response; jazz fans were already looking forward to the next year’s event.
How does it compare to the Hua Hin Jazz Festival?
I would say Hua Hin was a very Thai event, at least in its earlier stages; although last year, they included quite a lot of European jazz. The big difference is that Hua Hin promotes itself by being absolutely free. Our festival is more international and world-class.
What’s on offer this year?
We are featuring 12 international bands and one Thai band, Jirapan Angsawanon, who has released an album exclusively for the event. This year’s line-up includes Dakusim, who has never toured Thailand; Tower of Power, who have also never played here; Lee Ritenour, who came to Jazz Fest 2003 and was a hit with the fans; and previous performers, The Yellowjackets, who are now very popular in America. We’re also bringing in some new faces, such as a Japanese bossa nova singer called Hiromi, with two or three more acts to come.
For details of this year’s event, visit www.bangkokjazzfestival.com. Tickets are 900 baht for one day or 2,000 baht for all three days, available from www.thaiticketmaster.com
BRIDGING BANGKOK
The city’s as-yet-unnamed 2.6km ring road cable-suspension “Mega Bridge” has already hosted more than just a couple of eye-catching pre-opening events over the Chao Phraya river. A walkathon, puppet show, and a spectacular fireworks display have all been sited here even before its official opening in December.
A regional design slant can be seen in the four diamond-shaped towers – styled after Thai headdress, the Chada – which symbolise His 
Majesty’s pervasive influence on the Kingdom. King Bhumibol Adulyadej originally suggested the bridge be built to link industrial zones with Klong Toey port, thus helping ease traffic.
The new bridge is not only innovative in its looks, but also in its design, being among the first of its kind to harness energy-efficient LED digital technology. Special lighting schemes will be devised for public holidays such as Songkran and New Year.
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