TEENS OF THAILAND

6 Pom Prap, Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok 10100

If Bamboo Bar represents the old face of Bangkok, Teens of Thailand is the new. Its hole-in-the-wall doors opened in Bangkok just last September, but fast forward six months, and it is already one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars.

Like Happiness Forgets in London, this connects with the trade like no other bar in its city.

The décor is shabby-chic and the drinks are scaled back to elegant, no-nonsense serves. They are classified by four descriptions: sweet and sour, bitter, classic or gin and juice. In fact, owner Niks Anuman-Rajadhon says 95% of his cocktails are gin based. He says he had little choice. The site is an ex-market shop, in the heart of China Town’s aroma-filled spice district, so a botanically-based menu was the authentic option.

The name? Well, a political reference to the street kids of the area, known for “glue sniffing and prostitution”.

“They are the real Teens of Thailand”, says Anuman-Rajadhon.