Testimonials
We do our very best to consistently design new cultural itineraries and experiences, such as team-building activities, tours, games and quizzes, to connect individuals and businesses with Bangkok's cultural heritage and Thai history, and lead them through. Praised for knowledgeable local insiders and experts, as well as seamless experiences, clients rave about the unique blend of historical insights and modern urban exploration. Testimonials highlight personalised attention and unforgettable memories, making it a top choice for culture enthusiast travellers. Forever grateful for your great support and feedback - Eric Monteil (Founder of Rock Around Bangkok).
Laurence et Pierre Ponte (French travelers)
Dear Eric: we would like to thank you for the brilliant evening we spent in your company. It was truly marvellous; we were able to share your passion for your adopted country and go off the beaten track. You are a great local insider, almost like a friend. Thanks again.
Atiom
Olivier Dombey: Managing director
https://www.atiom.app
Last Thursday (January 25th, 2025), the ATIOM team embarked on a day-long gamified cycling trip to Bang Krachao. The team encountered a challenging 30 km bicycle ride around the island, also known as 'the lung of Bangkok.' Along the journey, they visited key temples, parks, environmental conservation projects, a plastic bottle recycling temple run by monks who use the recycled materials for making their robes, and museums. The visit was enriched with quizzes and speed games, making it an epic experience! Thank you Rock Around Bangkok for organising this superbe activity.
ATIOM is dedicated to enabling organizations to catalyze profound changes in the conduct of their frontline employees, thereby enhancing performance and hastening their path to success. The inception of Atiom was driven by a desire to revolutionize conventional training methodologies. This ambition was sparked by witnessing a lackluster training event, during which a presenter monotonously delivered content from a PowerPoint presentation to a disengaged group of listeners. This experience underscored the realization that sporadic training efforts are inadequate for fostering enduring improvements. The majority of existing training initiatives overlook the principles of human psychology, and technological interventions frequently fall short in effectuating meaningful behavioral alterations.
Abercrombie & Kent Southeast Asia
Jean-Baptiste Richard: Regional Managing Director
https://www.akdmc.com/destinations/southeast-asia
A very pleasant morning with some colleagues from the USA and Eric Monteil through the "Village of Love" (Bang Rak). Many little paths and insiders' accesses unveiled thanks to his vast exploration and extensive network. The area surrounding the Assumption Cathedral was a good surprise, so were all his connections at River City's centre for art and antiques. A fascinating and off the beaten track discovery of a Bangkok combining traditions, people, sites, art, history, and modernity.
With more than three decades of experience, Abercrombie & Kent stands out as the premier destination management firm in Southeast Asia, offering unparalleled access to a wide array of locations including Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia. Their expertise allows travelers to engage in deeply authentic experiences, ranging from intimate interactions with local families to exclusive culinary events hosted by the area's culinary experts, and serene meditation retreats in secluded spots. Abercrombie & Kent's commitment to personalized and unmatched services ensures that visitors truly connect with the essence of their destinations.
ICS Thailand
Julien Monnerie: General Manager
https://icstravelgroup.com/destinations/thailand
Bangkok is known not only for its golden temples, spicy food and bustling markets, but also for its eclectic museums, art galleries and many other cultural venues. The capital boasts various iconic museums including the National Museum, MOCA, Siam Museum, Jim Thompson, Siriraj Medical Museum and the Royal Barges Museum. Other lesser known, but equally as fascinating, include the Museum of Counterfeit Goods, the Kamavijitra Museum (The Art of Lovemaking), the Condom Museum and the Batcat Museum & Toys. ICS Thailand works with Eric Monteil (founder of Rock Around Bangkok), an art expert and curator who moved to Bangkok in 2011 to open a contemporary art gallery, which played a key role in promoting local artists and established a company specialising in interior design. Let us know what your guests like and we will create tailor-made experiences that offer an insight into the thriving art scene and culture in Thailand. In order to maximise the time at each stop, we recommend visiting no more than three museums, art galleries or vintage markets per day. Some museums are open only a few days per week, some art galleries are appointment-only and some markets are only open after dark – so visits need to be planned in advance. Tours can be run in English and French.
Asian Trails Thailand
Laurent Kuenzle: Group Chief Executive Officer
https://www.asiantrails.travel
Isn't it true that for many of us the sights that are closest to our homes are the ones we know the least How many of us have really visited the tourist attractions in our own city despite recommending them to our friends and clients.
I, for one, have not been to many of the unique museums in Bangkok. It is in the spirit of discovering what's in our backyards and on the initiative of our new partners, Rock Around Asia (now Rock Around Bangkok), we filled one of our minibuses with Asian Trails Thailand managers and set off for a full day of museum visits in Bangkok.
I must admit that I have not heard of the Thai Labour Museum. You won't find it in any "to do lists", "must see sights", or listings of major guide books on Bangkok. A hidden gem behind Makkasan Station, it claims to be the first and only labour museum in Asia. Don't expect to see any multiple-storey grand building. Instead the museum is inside a discreet house, which used to be the railway police station. Make sure you wear light clothing, as parts of the museum are not airconditioned.
The museum gives a unique insight into the development of the modern Thai society, relating the story of the lower classes, as well as giving an equal account of Thailand's contemporary history. You learn how the Thai people changed from a partially enslaved population to be a free people living in this modern industrial age, what motivated the Chinese to migrate to the Kingdom, and how work ethics changed after Thailand became a constitutional monarchy. The museum also pays tribute to the Thai kings who implemented reforms that were far ahead of their times.
All inscriptions in the museum are in Thai and English. After an hour's tour of its east and west wing you will be well versed with Thai's contemporary history and the evolution of labour.
From history to medicine as we drove down to the Chao Phraya River, and crossed by boat to the Siriraj Medical Museum. For the Thai people this is one of the most well known museums in the country, and a compulsory field trip for most high school students in Bangkok.
Housed in several parts of Siriraj Hospital, the most interesting area for foreigners is probably the Tsunami Museum that is part of the Forensic Medicine section. Here are accounts of the activities of the hospital's doctors and nurses who travelled to the Phuket area on December 26, 2004 to help local hospitals cope with the injured and the dead from the devastating tsunami.
Here you will relive the valiant efforts of these selfless medical personnel in saving lives with vivid and, at times, disturbing descriptions of injuries, and how the doctors and nurses coped with the sheer volume of the injured. It is also sad to watch the pictorial accounts of the forensic teams toiling through the piles of bodies to identify the victims, and the techniques they used to do this.
There is screening of a comprehensive and touching documentary on the hospital's activities after the tsunami. I don't think anyone left the room without a tear in the eye.
The Forensic and Pathological part of the museum is not for the faint hearted. Unlike its western counterparts where explicit photographs and displays of the dead and wounded are not usually displayed, the Siriraj Medical Museum shows all these and mostly in colour. Expect to see graphic photographs of victims of train and traffic accidents.
Visitors may find some parts of this museum a bit too gruesome to visit, so plan which sections you wish to go to. A word of caution - the museum is a definite no go for families with young children.
Our next stop is BACC or the Bangkok Art & Cultural Center, which probably has the biggest impact on the art world in Thailand since its opening. It is located opposite the MBK shopping complex, a few steps away from the National Stadium skytrain station, and is one of the easiest museums to access in the city.
A number of halls are allocated to permanent exhibitions, but many are hosting temporary art shows that are quite interesting. Art is always a matter of taste, and the latter is pure individualism. What I like about the center is the mix of foreign and local art, local artists influenced by foreign elements, and foreign artists experimenting with Asian culture. I don't know if the foodie term of 'fusion' applies to paintings and sculptures, but if it does then the temporary exhibitions at BACC certainly fit this term. Check BACC's website for the schedule of exhibitions.
We have teamed up with Rock Around Asia to bring more meaning to museum visits and a wider context to the exhibits, as the company offers highly intellectual foreign and local experts for these visits. Their guides not only explain the museum's displays, but will also bring perspective and academic content into the tour. They are also experts on a large number of museums and sights in Asia. Working together, Asian Trails can tailor make unique experiences for special interest groups, academics, universities, and travellers with distinct interests.
