When the Capella Bangkok, a lavish, tranquil resort in the heart of the city, took the No. 1 spot on the World’s Best Hotels list in 2024, it cemented a fact that locals have long known: if the Thai capital was once seen as having a seedy reputation, those days are gone.
Now Bangkok is one of the world’s most dynamic destinations, thanks in large part to a legion of creatives energising the design and five-star hospitality scenes.
Among them is the Laos-born Be Inthavong, the creative director for Jim Thompson – a heritage silkwear brand that is akin to a Thai Hermès.
After years designing women’s accessories for his own label in New York – plus partners such as Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg and Vera Bradley – he moved to Bangkok in 2020, in time to witness the city’s glow-up.
Also influential among Bangkok’s creative community is Krissada “Kriss” Sukosol Clapp, a born-and-bred Thai who has spent most his life in the city – although he once moved to New York to study acting with American actress Stella Adler.
Now a prolific musician and film actor, he also doubles as one of the city’s most respected luxury hoteliers; the oasis-like Siam, which he co-founded, ranks among Bangkok’s best places to stay.
