Magazine B – Issue 74 (Bangkok)

Magazine B Issue 74 (Bangkok) is available now at LOREM (not Ipsum). Located in central Thailand, Bangkok has been the nation’s political, economic, and cultural epicenter since it was designated capital by King Rama I in 1782. Bangkok is a transformative city that has retained its Buddhist-centered royal culture while also embracing the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Malaysian immigrant cultures with extraordinary openness. Long known as the number one tour destination, Bangkok boasts expertise in the hospitality industry cultivated by leading global hotel brands that settled in the city, diverse food culture, and easy access to resort cities such as Hua Hin and Phuket. Recently, with its design industry gaining state support as the nation’s growth engine, communities and commercial spaces run by young creators with overseas experiences are accumulating around the city, hinting at Bangkok’s potential growth into the next-generation creative hub. Discover Magazine B Issue 74 (Bangkok).

There are people described as “global citizens” or “global nomads,” people who are fluent in foreign languages, who embrace different ideas and cultures without prejudice or judgment, who are able to communicate as one individual to another outside the frame of collectivism. With the effusiveness of the word “global” aside, the aforementioned qualities or attitudes will become an increasingly important virtue. In the age of hyperconnectivity represented by 5G and IoT, the conventional sense or definition of belonging to a community is bound to be obsolete. Even the World Cup and the Olympics don’t arouse the same amount of enthusiasm as before, which only testifies to this change: Hyper-connection begins when micro-level individuals form relationships beyond their physical and social settings. Looking back, B has also worked extremely hard to meet such needs of the time as a magazine. We’ve always tried to free our content of Korean conventions and conceptions. This magazine is made by Korean-speaking people living in Korea, which is inevitably a significant part of our identity, but we believe that its content should be relatable to anyone and everyone.

This fifth city issue of Magazine B introduces Bangkok, the city probably most suited for a global citizen. There are several megacities that outrun Bangkok in terms of average income, economic size, or social infrastructure, but when it comes to the ability to absorb different cultures and cradle change, Bangkok is definitely at the forefront. The reviews of our editors, who traveled around Bangkok for more than a week to cover the stories, were no different: they spoke favorably of how the residents of Bangkok were comfortable with expressing themselves and telling their stories, all the while showing just enough courtesy and respect for others. Bangkok does not only appeal to editors visiting for coverage. It’s an ideal destination for many types of travelers: business professionals looking to attract investment, backpackers planning to stay for a month, short-term tourists on vacation. Another way to interpret this would be that Bangkok is a city that knows how to retain its identity while also actively responding to different needs.

B wanted to capture this “attitude” of Bangkok for people who only know the city by its famous temples, fancy nightlife, and nearby resort areas like Phuket. Cultural heritage, an artistic eye, a business mindset, and technical skills can make a brand or a city great, but “attitude” points to future possibilities. As uncertainty escalates in societies and markets, people tend to rely more on the visions projected through attitudes than objective indicators. It would help to recall the exemplary brands featured by B over the years that focus on selling their attitude. An attitude encompasses many values, as demonstrated by WeWork’s slogan “Do What You Love,” Patagonia’s proposition to “Live Simply,” and Vans’ attitude of “Off the Wall.”

Discover Magazine B Issue 74 (Bangkok).

Magazine B is an ad-less monthly publication that introduces one well-balanced brand unearthed from around the globe in each issue. Between its covers, Magazine B not only shares untold stories behind the brand but also its sentiment and culture that any readers interested in brand marketing and management can leaf through with ease. Magazine B attempts to discover truly good brands from today’s market where countless brand-named products are overflowing. Magazine B pursues its quest for true value of a printed medium by becoming a magazine that would be worth possessing, not affected by advertisements since it receives no financial support from the brand, and maintains a unique and independent perspective which is increasingly disappearing due to overflowing information mingled among different media outlets.

Magazine B dedicates each issue to the story of one specific brand, which is one of the well-balanced brands that JOH. discovers from around the world based on four standards: beauty, practicality, price, and philosophy. And each issue is packed with B’s unique insights and in-depth analysis. Magazine B will continue to search brands that it pursues to introduce cover-to-cover, such as Swiss recycled bag manufacturer Freitag and Japanese camping gear maker Snow Peak.

Content

EDITOR’S LETTER

AT THE AIRPORT
Travelers encountered at the Suvarnabhumi Airport

GREETING
Unique Bangkok hotels with unwavering tastes and distinctive colors

REPORT
The aggressive growth and expansion of Bangkok’s hotel industry

DOWN TO EARTH
Commercial spaces in Bangkok that propose healthy lifestyle solutions

INTERVIEW
Ou Baholyodhin, chief creative officer at Sansiri Public Company Limited, and Tyler Brûlé, editor-in-chief of Monocle, discuss future cities and new forms of residential environment

HUB
TCDC, the hub of designers and creative minds in Thailand

BANGKOKIAN
Bangkok creators who express their identities with Thailand as their base

SPACE
Galleries and community spaces nested in Bangkok and its Old City area

CITY NAVIGATION
Sociocultural characteristics and figures that shed light on Bangkok

SKYLINE
The historical, architectural, and economic significance of Bangkok’s skyscrapers

DISTRICTS
Walking routes in each Bangkok district that showcase the city’s various charms

ON THE STREET
Daytime and nighttime food chats with people on the streets

DINE AND BAR
Bangkok’s dining scene and nightlife attractions reflecting Thai tradition and culture

COFFEE BREAK
A wide spectrum of coffee and dessert shops found in Bangkok

MADE IN THAILAND
Thai brands that emanate authentic style and attitude

COMMUNICATION
Thailand’s commercial design scene seen through Bangkok’s prominent agencies and their work

OBJECTS
Bangkok lovers share the city’s aesthetics and their treasured collectibles from Bangkok

DISCOVER
Places worth visiting in Bangkok categorized by interest

Details: Magazine B – Issue 74 (Bangkok)

240 x 170 mm