Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [98]
Courses range in price and value, but a typical half-day course should include at least a basic introduction to Thai ingredients and flavours, and a hands-on chance to both prepare and cook several dishes. Most schools offer a revolving cast of dishes that changes on a daily basis, making it possible to study for a week without repeating a dish. Many courses include a visit to a market, and nearly all lessons include a set of printed recipes and end with a communal lunch consisting of your handiwork. Many Bangkok hotels, from the opulent Oriental (Click here) to humble Thai House (Click here), also offer cooking courses.
Baipai Thai Cooking School (Map; 0 2294-9029; www.baipai.com; 150/12 Soi Naksuwan, Th Nonsee; lessons 1800B; 9.30am-1.30pm & 1.30-5.30pm Tue-Sun) Housed in an attractive suburban villa, and taught by a small army of staff, Baipai offers two daily lessons of four dishes each. Transportation is available.
Blue Elephant Thai Cooking School (Map; 0 2673 9353; www.blueelephant.com; 233 Th Sathon Tai; lessons 2800B; 8.45am-12.30pm & 1.15-5pm Mon-Sat; Skytrain Surasak) Bangkok’s most chi-chi Thai cooking school offers two lessons daily. The morning class squeezes in a visit to a local market, while the afternoon session includes a detailed introduction to Thai ingredients.
Epicurean Kitchen Thai Cooking School (Map; 0 2631 1119; www.thaikitchen.com; 10/2 Th Convent, Th Silom; lessons 2000B; 9.30am-1pm Mon-Fri; Skytrain Sala Daeng, Metro Silom) This cramped but classy school offers daily lessons that encompass a whopping eight dishes, as well as a one-hour ‘short course’ of four dishes.
Khao (Map; 0 89111 0947; khaocookingschool@gmail.com; D&D Plaza, 68-70 Th Khao San; lessons 1200B; 8.30am-12.30pm & 2.30-6.30pm Mon-Sat) Although it’s located smack dab in the middle of Khao San, this new cooking school was started up by an authority on Thai food and features instruction on a wide variety of authentic dishes. Located directly behind D&D Inn.
Silom Thai Cooking School (Map; 0 84726 5669; www.bangkokthaicooking.com; 68 Trok Vaithi/Soi 13, Th Silom; lessons 1000B; 9.30am-1pm; Skytrain Chong Nonsi) The facilities are basic but Silom crams a visit to a local market and instruction of six dishes into three and a half hours, making it the best bang for your baht. Transportation available.
Meditation
Although at times Bangkok may seem like the most un-Buddhist place on earth, there are several places where foreigners can practise Theravada Buddhist meditation. For background information on Buddhism, Click here; for temple etiquette, Click here.
House of Dhamma (Map; 0 2511 0439; www.houseofdhamma.com; 26/9 Soi 15, Th Lat Prao; Skytrain Mo Chit, Metro Phahonyothin) This meditation centre in the northern suburbs of Bangkok hosts monthly introduction courses to vipassana meditation as well as weekend retreats in cooperation with the Young Buddhists Association of Thailand.
International Buddhist Meditation Center (Map; 0 2623 5881; www.mcu.ac.th/IBMC; Vipassana Section Room 106, Mahachula Bldg, Wat Mahathat, 3 Th Maharat; bus 47, 53, 503, 508, 512, river ferry Tha Phra Chan) Located at Wat Mahathat, this institute holds regular lectures on Buddhist topics in English, and meditation classes.
Wat Mahathat (Map; 0 2222 6011; 3 Th Maharat; 7am-9pm; bus 47, 53, 503, 508, 512, river ferry Tha Phra Chan) Provides daily meditation sessions every three hours starting at 7am and ending at 9pm. Accommodation for long-term meditation is also available; just stop by and fill out an application. Phra Suphe, the monk who runs the centre, speaks flawless English, and there are often Western monks or long-term residents available to interpret.
Wat Rakhang (Map; 0 81622 4507; Soi Wat Rakhang, Thonburi; 12.30pm-3.30pm 2nd & 4th Sun every month; river ferry Tha Wat Rakhang) Offers a regular schedule of dhamma and vipassana meditation talks in English.
Additional sources of information include Dharma Thai (www.dhammathai.org),