Latest news with #TimeOutBangkok
Time Out
23-05-2025
- Time Out
Ease, variety and speed: How GrabFood serves expats
Time Out Bangkok in partnership with Grab Thailand It's no surprise that Thailand holds a reputation as a top tourism hotspot and there's proof to back it up. The kingdom has been named Travel + Leisure's 2025 Destination of the Year. With this recognition, it's natural to see a growing number of expats making their way to the country. One big reason? The food scene. Bangkok was named Time Out's second-best city for food in 2025 and it's easy to see why. The city buzzes with street food stalls and upscale international restaurants that showcase its global community. But it's not just the capital that shines – other top destinations for expatriates each have their own unique charm. Chiang Mai invites those seeking a relaxed pace with cosy cafes and rich northern Thai flavours. Phuket offers fresh seafood and tropical tastes set against stunning beach backdrops. Pattaya is where local delights sit comfortably alongside international favourites. Together, these cities highlight the diverse lifestyle and rich food culture that make the kingdom a favourite among foreigners. However, as much as we love exploring the food scene, going out for a go-to dish isn't always easy, especially with traffic, long queues and the magnetic pull of the couch. That's where GrabFood rides in. *According to a survey by Kantar, GrabFood is the number 1 food delivery app in Thailand (most often used brand in 2024). With their service, expats and locals alike can enjoy scrumptious meals anytime, anywhere – delivered right to their door. Browse the menu in English for a hassle-free experience For expats and travellers, figuring out what to eat in a food-rich country like Thailand can be a challenge especially when language gets in the way. Not every restaurant has an English menu and trying to decipher unfamiliar dishes on the spot can feel a bit overwhelming. With GrabFood, many spots on the app include translations, making it easier to browse, choose and order without second-guessing what's in each dish. Fast delivery in 30 minutes or less Living in Thailand can sometimes turn grabbing your favourite food into a bit of an adventure especially when the language barrier slows things down or your go-to spots are miles away. When hunger hits, a long trip isn't exactly ideal. Sometimes, you just want to skip the travel hassle and get straight to the best flavours. GrabFood makes things get a whole lot easier. You're likely to get your meal in just 30 minutes – over 70 percent of nearby orders make it within that time (excluding Saver Delivery). And if it takes longer? You'll get a small reward for your next order. Not a bad trade-off for staying comfy at home. A smorgasbord of tasty eats to pick from One of the best things about Thailand's food scene is its sheer variety. From Isaan's spicy som tam and grilled chicken to northern rich khao soi, southern-style curries or even a sweet cup of Thai tea, there's always something to satisfy your cravings. Thanks to GrabFood, sampling all kinds of dishes is easier than ever, no matter which city you live in. Whether it's street food from Bangkok's Yaowarat, desserts from a cafe in Chiang Mai, seafood in Phuket's Old Town or a comfort meal in Pattaya's Walking Street, just a few taps and it's on its way. With so many choices, deciding what to eat might be the toughest part.
Time Out
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Jate: ‘Make film photography great again!'
When Time Out Bangkok released its first-ever digital cover, it didn't scream for attention. No neon overlays, no overly filtered drama. Just a quiet, deliberate choice: film. Not as an aesthetic gimmick, but as a statement. Shot by STYLEdeJATE (Jate Pokmangmee) – co-founder of Fotoclub BKK and something of a household name in Bangkok's analogue photography circles. In an age of instant everything, choosing to shoot on film is a refusal. A refusal of convenience, of perfection, of the compulsive need to edit life into something shinier than it is. It was, in many ways, the perfect medium for this moment. Behind the lens was a man who's spent the last decade treating photography less like a trend and more like a language. Through Fotoclub BKK, Jate has been quietly building a space where the practice of image-making isn't just preserved, but deeply felt – one 36-frame roll at a time. A click worth considering Our shoot, fittingly, was done entirely on film. Not for aesthetic posturing or vintage cosplay, but to say, plainly, 'this still matters'. Analogue, with its grain and limitations, has crept back from the brink and is now quietly mounting a comeback. Not ironic, not retro – just right. 'You only get 36 shots,' Jate told me, without a hint of lament. You can't go around pressing the shutter like it doesn't cost anything. You have to think. And when you think, it becomes something else entirely. It's not about purism, nor the fetishisation of imperfection. It's about restraint – a word rarely associated with digital culture. A roll of film, unlike your iPhone's bottomless gallery, doesn't tolerate the redundant. It's a limited resource, and therefore, inherently, precious. The limitations, that's what gives film its value. It's a law of nature. The new old school You could say Jate is Bangkok's analogue whisperer – the kind of person who can explain the emotional weight of ISO in a way that makes you want to throw your DSLR into the Chao Phraya. But it's not just nostalgia he's dealing in. Fotoclub BKK, which he co-founded in the slightly crumbling but ever-cool Charoenkrung district, has become less of a shop and more of a sanctuary. Technically, it's a film lab. But that feels like calling a cathedral a building with pews. There's a studio, workshops, exhibitions, the occasional cafe-dweller who seems to be developing their own auteur theory over a long black. It's not exclusive either – locals mix with expats, hobbyists with professionals, people who've just bought their first point-and-shoot with those who could develop film in their sleep. 'Some of them send us ten rolls at a time,' Jate laughed. 'They're not playing around.' Familiar faces often pass through Fotoclub BKK's doors, from of The Face Men Thailand fame to Danny (Daniel Trujillo), co-founder of who regularly joins the club's gatherings and shares his film captures on his Instagram, filmjuntz. There's also Ola Allouz, co-founder of in Dubai, who makes it a point to join in whenever she's in town. Some don't even live in the city – they just trust Jate's team enough to mail their film halfway across the world. It's not a trend. It's a culture. And one that refuses to be flattened by Instagram filters or apps that promise 'film-like' tones with the push of a button. Slow is the new fast We like our culture quick these days. Scroll, swipe, shoot. The faster, the better. Except, curiously, not here. Fotoclub BKK hosts something called the 'Photo Walk,' which is exactly what it sounds like – a group of people walking through the streets of Charoenkrung, cameras in hand, minds attuned to whatever theme they've been given. One month it might be architectural details, another, local street food. Sometimes it's strictly black-and-white. There are rules. And rules, it turns out, are oddly liberating. It forces you to look, and not just at your screen. Post, click, develop At Fotoclub BKK, the film lab experience is part analogue ritual, part modern convenience. You can submit your rolls online, customise scan settings and even mail film in from overseas – no fuss, no flimsy labels. Despite the global price hike in film stock, the lab keeps things accessible. 'If it becomes exclusive, what's the point?' Jate says. Fairness, not elitism, seems to guide the model. Beyond the frame But Jate isn't just romanticising celluloid. He's building something – something bigger than bokeh and decent light. 'Film is just the starting point,' he said. 'What we're really trying to do is make space for people to connect. To think. To create something they're proud of.' The goal was never to become a commercial powerhouse. In fact, you get the feeling Jate would rather lose a sale than compromise the ethos. Fotoclub BKK hasn't pivoted towards what's marketable. It's grown, instead, like a darkroom print – slowly, with care, in unexpected directions. Now it's an ecosystem. A small, beautifully imperfect community where the value of an image isn't measured by likes, but by intent. We want people to come and stay. Not just drop off their film and leave,' he told me. 'This isn't a transaction. It's a conversation. It may sound lofty, especially in an era where photos disappear faster than they're taken. But here, the shutter still matters. And somehow, in this quiet revival of light and grain, film has become radical again.
