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Photos by Steve Tirona

Siriyakorn Pukkavesa, an award-winning actress and philanthropist, spotlights the refined side of Bangkok, or BKK as residents affectionately call it.

Siriyakorn Pukkavesa Bio

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Brief bio, occupation: My name is Siriyakorn Pukkavesa, and I’m 33 years old. I began acting in 1996 and have been in TV dramas, plays and films. I received three awards for the film “Monrak Transistor,” which was screened at Cannes. In 2003, I founded a production company called BAANOOM to produce lifestyle variety TV programs and began a monthly, bilingual lifestyle magazine called Oom in 2005. I also started a charity project in 2005 called World For the Blind, where the company literally helps the blind to find work. We have found jobs for around 100 people in firms around Thailand.

Length of time in city: I’ve lived in Bangkok my entire life.

Eat & Drink

Favorite high-end restaurant:

Cy’an
The Metropolitan Hotel, 27 South Sathorn Road, Tungmahamek Sathorn
They serve light, refreshing Mediterranean and fusion food in a cool, relaxing atmosphere. Sit at the outdoor tables along the pool. I love the breeze and their blue stone candleholders.

Best deal restaurant:

Niyom Poshana, Thonglor.
You must try the chili crabs—even Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architect, has dined here!

Best street food:

All street vendors in Sukhumvit Soi 38.
Thailand is the best place in the world for street food.

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Favorite café:

Greyhound Café
2nd floor, Emporium Shopping Center, between Sukhumvit Soi 24 and Queen Sirikit Park
They have a mix of American and Asian food as well as an extensive dessert and drink menu.

Agalico
Bunjirathorn Building, 20 Sukhumvit Soi 51
You’ll feel like you’re in an English garden while you sip your tea here. Be sure to try the apple pie. You won’t regret it!

Best bar:

I don’t go clubbing.

Read

Best bookstore:

Kinokuniya
Emporium Shopping Complex
622 Sukhumvit 24 Road, Klongton, Klongtoey
Also at Isetan Department Store, Central World Plaza No. 4/1-4/2, Rajdamri Road, Kwaeng Pathumwan, Khet Pthumwan. They have a great selection of international titles and are the only bookstore in Thailand to carry Japanese titles.

Best magazine stand:

Playground
Sukhumvit 55 Soi 818, Sukhumvit Road, Klongton Nue, Wattana
Inside this third storey department store, you’ll find the largest magazine stand in Thailand, where I buy my Monocle.

Shop

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Best boutique:

Greyhound
27/1 Sukhumvit Soi 53
They have four different lines and cater to people in the art fields who are less concerned about price than the quality and construction of a garment. One of the local designers I swear to wear.


Sightsee

Favorite art space/gallery/museum:

100 Tonson Gallery
100 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan
Thanks to her, we had a chance to see Yayoi Kusuma’s and Damien Hirst’s original pieces here. It’s a great place to view Thailand’s budding contemporary art movement.

Favorite outdoor space:

Jatujak Weekend Market, Suan Jatujak.
It’s an absolute circus out there! There are about 15,000 vendors on 35 acres, and it’s a great place to score a bargain on almost anything if you know how to haggle.

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Best touristy thing to do:

Get a Thai massage (a mild one, of course).

Only local does or knows about:

Thais can buy for half the price offered to farangs, which means “foreigners” in Thai.

The must-see thing in your city:

Me. I have 3 ears and can walk on water. Just kidding.

Tips

Best website for local info:

http://www.bkkmenu.com is a good site for restaurants in Bangkok.

Anything else you want to mention:

BKK has no such thing as the “My brother went to … and all I got was this lousy T-shirt” because we have tons of lousier things than T-shirts.