An innovative designer is putting a spin on traditional plastic mats and transforming them into award-winning objects to make a warm and stylish home.
The Thai furniture market is a fast-developing sector, with new designs and skilled craftsmanship being important factors in the industry’s growth. In 2014, furniture exports were worth 38.5 billion baht.
Doonyapol Srichan explains that his girlfriend and fellow designer Sini Henttonen provided the inspiration for founding Product Design Matters (PDM), when she remarked that the colourful and shiny plastic mats used in Thailand’s homes and temples served the same purpose as carpets and rugs in the West.
“Mats are carpets for hotter climates so I wanted to develop the design for mats,” says Srichan. “We’re the first Thai brand to take the plastic mats and develop them into something new. People tend to think mats are old-fashioned. We’ve solved that problem and we can match the mats with elegant furniture now.”
According to Srichan, his team was determined to change the look and feel of traditional mats. “We spent a year developing the material to become stronger, and we use the motto that our products look good like carpets but are as easy to clean as plastic mats,” he says. “We’ve also woven it to be 30% denser to give it a better feel.”
Coated with a UV inhibitor, the mats can be used both indoors and outdoors. Using recycled plastic to decrease its glossy shine, PDM products are designed to be classic, timeless pieces that can endure the test of time. “I think carpets are the key to creating a warm look for the home,” says Srichan.
The brand has enjoyed success, receiving the DEmark award from Thailand and the Good Design award from Japan, as well as other international recognition. The innovative textile is also stored in textile libraries in Milan and New York, as well as the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) in Bangkok.
With exports to Spain, Australia and Japan, PDM has launched other products, such as bags and furniture made from the same woven textile.
Now, Srichan is working on many new projects, as he sees design as being an important cog in his country’s continued development.
“The [design] industry in Thailand has grown a lot,” he says. “The government and the DITP have also been giving the industry more attention. Thai culture is very deep but there needs to be more development of products. Design can be a nation’s weapon and I believe that it can drive the economy forward.”
For more information, visit www.pdmbrand.com
Words by Pimsirinuch Borsub
Each year, Thailand welcomes millions of travellers from all over the world seeking leisure, relaxation and pampering. The spa industry has seen significant growth for several years, as seen in the opening of new world-class spas such as Borisud Pure Spa.
“The spa was inspired by the idea of offering customers a journey into the origins of spa wisdom and timeless serenity,” says Ampa Tiengtrakoonthong, manager of Borisud Pure Spa.
For Tiengtrakoonthong, the well-being of its clients is of the utmost importance with customised treatments tailored to the individual’s mood and condition.
“Our health and body treatment products are made from natural products and free from chemicals, which guarantee the rejuvenation of mind, body and soul,” she says. “The majority of spa products here are made from Thai herbs and ingredients, which our customers really enjoy.”
Opened in 2013 at the Mode Sathorn Hotel, what sets Borisud Pure Spa apart from its competitors is more than its location, just a five-minute walk from the Surasak BTS station.
“We boast modern facilities and the most up-to-date treatments,” says Tiengtrakoonthong.
“We offer infra-red sauna, jacuzzi, steam bath or cold shower and customers can enjoy a wide range of body massages, body scrubs, body wraps and facial treatments.”
Most of the spa’s clients come from Asia, with Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore at the fore. Approximately 45% of clients are staying at the hotel, with 55% of all hotel guests intending to visit the spa for treatment, according to Tiengtrakoonthong.
She believes that the industry as a whole plays a major role in making Thai spas known around the world. “What the Thai spa industry offers is unique in terms of hospitality, a warm welcome and traditional Thai treatments which cannot be found elsewhere,” she says.
Tiengtrakoonthong also believes the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) will provide many opportunities for the country’s spa industry.
“The AEC will make travel much easier, which means Thailand will have more visitors,” she says. “This will prompt spas and wellness centres to focus on remaining competitive through the services and products they offer. It’s a win-win situation for both spa operators and customers.”
As for 2016, Borisud Pure spa plans to expand brand awareness and increase exposure throughout Thailand, as well as internationally.
“We will work more closely with online media and offer more deals on the website as we believe these are effective tools for targeting our market,” says Tiengtrakoonthong.
“Simultaneously, we will continue to focus on enhancing our [level of] service and product quality in order to achieve higher customer satisfaction.”
For more information, visit www.modesathorn.com/spa
Words by: Manisa Maini
Issue 37
Thailand has a global reputation as a wellness destination, as well as possessing some of the world’s foremost spas.
As one of the world’s top spa destinations, Thailand offers more than just the renowned traditional Thai massage. It boasts many world-class spas, such as Rarinjinda Wellness Spa, which has recently been chosen as the first runner-up Thai Spa Brand at the Best of Thailand Awards voted by Chinese Tourists Award Ceremony 2015.
“The first Rarinjinda Wellness Spa & Resort was opened in Chiang Mai in 2006 with the concept of being a destination spa with luxurious facilities. Two other Rarinjinda spas are located in Bangkok,” says Narun Wiwattanakrai, assistant managing director of Siam Wellness Group.
“Rarinjinda Spa prides itself in being a Thai spa that boasts the latest spa technology and facilities to the highest international standards, while also offering exceptional services to our guests,” he adds. “For example, our signature treatment is Element of Life, which features the combination of massage, a bed of warm sand imported from Germany, and Tibetan sound therapy. All services are provided by well-trained and skilled Thai therapists.”
The spa treatments at Rarinjinda are a blend of Thai, healing, traditional and modern western spa therapies.
“We offer many carefully selected spa treatments to meet the needs of individual clients,” says Wiwattanakrai. “Thanks to the availability of abundant natural resources in the country, the products [essential oils and herbs] used at the spa are 95% locally produced and the clients absolutely love them.”
“What’s so unique about Thai spa is the touch of Thainess, whether it is the decoration, the etiquette, the friendliness or the hospitality. All of these are factors that make Thai spas so famous.”
According to Wiwattanakrai, customer trends have changed recently and even though the majority of clients are foreigners, he is seeing an increase in local clients.
“Regardless of their income, people still love to pamper themselves from time to time,” he says. “Our main customers are foreigners [80%], but Rarinjinda is an affordable-luxury spa, which means we can cater to a larger group of customers, including local clients.
“Our plan for this and next year is to attract more local clients by creating brand awareness through a promotional strategy. In addition, we are also planning to open another Rarinjinda Spa in Phuket as it is one of the main tourist destinations.”
Wiwattanakrai also believes the formation of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) this year will provide both opportunities and challenges for Thai small and medium-sized enterprises.
“We will be able to expand the customer base from 60 to 600 million people,” he says. “ASEAN clients are becoming trendier and are likely to spend more to satisfy their needs, which is good for business operators. Thailand, as a spa capital of Asia can definitely benefit from this.”
For more information, visit www.rarinjinda.com
Words by: Manisa Phromsiripranee, Photos courtesy of Rarinjinda Wellness Spa
A company founded with a determination to help farmers and create organic food products shares its commitment to the community and how it is developing the business.
In 2000, Pakinee Jiwattanapaiboon had a vision to produce organic food that is tasty and healthy while following the sufficiency economy model. Thus, Xongdur brand was established after Jiwattanapaiboon convinced farmers in Suphanburi province to grow wholegrain cereals such as soy beans, mung beans, lotus seeds and white and black sesame seeds in addition to brown rice that is locally grown in the area.
“We didn’t start from the money standpoint,” says Jiwattanapaiboon, “We wanted to develop know-how in processing organic products.”
Using local knowledge with modern technology, Xongdur produces organic food products ranging from cereal bars, cereal drinks and even baby food called Xongdur Baby, which is a mixture of GABA rice and banana, pumpkin and spinach.
“Most of our products are made from organic ingredients, not utilising any fertilisers, so they have very little effect on the environment,” says Jiwattanapaiboon about the company’s environmental management system. “We use the process of drum drying to make the snack bars and we use the water that we clean the ingredients like rice and sesame to ferment as fertilizers on our farms.”
Xongdur products have been certified with international standards such as IFOAM, Organic EU, USDA and Organic Canada. The company also received the PM Award in 2009 and the Thailand Trust Mark in 2014 to certify its high standards and commitment to the environment and society.
“We have learning centres for locals to teach them to live with nature. We support local farmers by buying the produce directly from them at reasonable prices and we don’t use middlemen,” says Jiwattanapaiboon, adding that from the start, her team has been teaching farmers to grow crops organically and they have also established an organic farmers’ network.
Not only does the company lift farmers’ standards of living through fair trade, it is deeply involved in the community. “It’s important to develop the knowledge of people,” says Jiwattanapaiboon, “We have programmes to teach children to read, and summer camp projects.”
On the business side, Xongdur is now widely sold in leading supermarkets in Thailand and also abroad in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Laos and Indonesia.
“When people think of a safe, organic and tasty brand people think of us,” she says. “Even big supermarkets like Tops would give us priority. I think it’s because we follow the health trend.”
“The brand is very Thai. It’s a cereal that is different from other brands and tastes different from similar products from other countries. We’re proud to be different and we want to continue to grow the business sustainably.”
For more information, visit www.xongdur.com
Words by Sirinuch Borsub
Issue 36
Embark on a journey of senses through the natural elements of water, air, earth and fire at the luxurious Barai spa in Hua Hin.
Long stretches of pristine white beach have been welcoming tourists to Hua Hin since the 1930s, after the Thai railway connected the coastal town to the capital. Today, hotels and resorts in Hua Hin have reached new heights with their world-class services to offer guests memorable experiences.
“The Barai spa is a journey of wellness, every single area has been carefully crafted by Lek Bunnag so guests leave the old world and enter a new world,” says Sammy Carolus, general manager of Hyatt Regency Hua Hin where the Barai Spa is housed.
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