Destinations: When in Bangkok

Bangkok, Thailand, has been called everything from the Venice of the East to the Capital of Sin, but only recently has it been raising eyebrows as a cosmopolitan destination. The mantra "anything goes," once applied only to the city's naughty nightlife, now extends to everything from shopping and art to hotels and spas. Add a karma-driven culture and relaxed views on sexuality and gender and you have a gay mecca in the making.

BY Advocate.com Editors

June 02 2008 12:00 AM ET

THE BITE

Spring and
Summer 199 Soi Sukhumvit 49; 66-2-392-2747-8
SpringNSummer.com
Join the offspring of local elite in one of
these two adjacent postwar residences, the
façades of which have been replaced with glass to form
Spring, a contemporary Thai restaurant, and Summer, a
chocolate café/bar. Or sit outside on the lawn
for a leisurely drink.

Bed
Supperclub 26 Soi Sukhumvit 11; 66-2-651-3537
BedSupperclub.com
Nibble on Thai fusion while lounging on sleek
cushions in this all-white, ultra-mod cylindrical
design marvel; stay past dessert when this multilevel
space converts into a popular dance club that plays house
and electronica.

THE THREADS

Playground!
818 Soi Sukhumvit 55; 66-2-714-7888
PlaygroundStore.co.th
This stark multilevel department store is ground
zero for design and youth culture. Finely curated
housewares, books, gifts and small furniture sit
adjacent to hard-to-find independent fashion, including
totes from Rotterdam's Vlieger & Vandam and vibrant
threads from Paris' April77.

Siam
Center/Discovery/Paragon 989 Rama 1 Rd.; 66-2-658-1000-19
SiamCenter.co.th
These new and renovated malls include the city's
best boutiques, from Japanese gift shop Loft, bursting
with anime-inspired wares, to the Zen-like Panta,
selling modern eco-friendly decor in rattan, earthenware
and silk.

THE KNEAD

Babylon
34 Soi Nandha, South Sathon Rd. Soi 1 ; 66-2-679-7984
BabylonBangkok.com
When queens reminisce about the opulent
bathhouses of old, you can direct them here. Picture a
four-star hotel instead of a seedy hole-in-the-wall.
When was the last time you heard live jazz, ate a decent
meal or saw an art exhibit before cruising the
showers?

Originally published in OUT May 2008, issue 174