The BigChilli Features - The BigChilli

Five important tips for car owners during COVID-19

21/5/2020

Handy tips from Nissan to help car owners protect and maintain the condition and value of their vehicles during COVID-19 restrictions

During these difficult times, many people are now working from home to help stop the spread of COVID-19 - so the daily commute or small trips are not necessary for them. So, while being socially responsible by practicing social distancing and limiting non-essential trips, vehicles that are stationary in garages, driveways or parking lots still require care and upkeep.

To help share knowledge of car care during this time, Nissan in Thailand has created five easy steps to protect your cars, and maintain their value and condition. As the leader in EVs in Thailand, there are also extra tips for EV cars, so owners please read on!

The new RCB Photographers’ Gallery joins PHOTO BANGKOK 2018

27/11/2018

EXHIBITION: Tuesday, 20 November 2018 to Tuesday, 15 January 2019
PRESS CONFERENCE & OPENING : 20 November 2018 at 5:00pm (registration starts at 4:30PM)
WORKSHOPS / TALKS:
Massimo Catalani – 20 November 2018 at 2:00pm
Antonio Saba – 24 November 2018 at 2:00pm
LOCATION: RCB Photographers’ Gallery, 2nd floor River City Bangkok

In celebration of 150 years of friendship between Italy and Thailand, River City Bangkok is proud to present ‘Italian Visuals,’ two exhibitions featuring Italian artists in RCB Photographers’ Gallery.

Supported by the Italian Embassy and as part of the Italian Festival 2018 – 150th Anniversary Edition, Massimo Catalani and Antonio Saba will exhibit large-scale paintings and photographs, which will reflect their impressions and interpretations of both countries and cultures.

Massimo Catalani’s ‘Thaiita,’ which comes from a neologism (Thailand + Italy), expresses his love for both places. While he has not yet visited Thailand before, he has a strong belief that the two places are similar in many ways. He believes that the two places are united due to the gentle nature of both peoples and the love for landscapes. Therefore, his artworks have symbolic values – some Thai, some Italian, and other Universal. Two exhibitions are in dark rooms, whereas others will be in light, with two contrasting atmospheres.

Massimo Catalani’s exhibition is made possible with the sponsorship of Thai Airways.

Antonio Saba’s exhibition, ‘Oneiirism, Dreamscapes,’ mixes visions taken from both reality and from dreams, blending distant images to invent new ones. As a result, unique and remarkable fragments of reality are created, leaving a memorable impression on the viewer. While most photos were shot in Italy and elsewhere, Saba will also be shooting in Thailand especially for this exhibition; therefore, these photos will be seen for the first time here at RCB Photographers’ Gallery. The photographs presented are dense with significance and allow for multiple interpretations, inviting audiences to seek out what goes on beyond reality.
Antonio Saba's exhibition is made possible with the generous support of The Peninsula Bangkok.

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Massimo Catalani
Thaiita
20 November 2018 to 7 January 2019

Massimo Catalani was born in Rome, where he has been living and working since 1960. He graduated in Architecture in 1988. In his thesis he had already begun experimenting with mixtures that were a mixture of painting, modelling and architectural masonry. In his first group exhibition, he presented subjects that were "irreverent" not only for the world of art but also for the public: plates of pasta with zucchini, roman artichokes, prickly pears and chili pepper triptychs. After the success of his first personal exhibition in Rome, various exhibitions in Italy and abroad followed. In the last five years, the distinction of his work has lead him to present exhibitions and performances in the main cities of Europe, in the USA, in Korea, Russia, Japan, in the EAU and in South America. His works are part of important private and public collections worldwide.

Antonio Saba
Oneirism, Dreamscapes
20 November 2018 to 7 January 2019

Antonio Saba is an Italian photographer now based in Dubai, UAE. In his 30 years career has travelled the world shooting architecture, lifestyle and staged photography for the most important international Luxury hospitality brands and magazines, such as The Peninsula, Waldorf Astoria, Shangri-La, Vogue Italia, Palazzo Versace, among others. Whether on commercial assignments or personal work Antonio is obsessed in the pursuit of Beauty in its several visual forms, and always delivering in his distinct and very recognizable style. His most outstanding work of the past few years is now featured in a coffee table book called “Antonio Saba, Chasing Beauty” curated by the famous art critique Vittorio Sgarbi. Three of his most recent pieces have been acquired in the permanent collection of The City Museum of Cagliari, Italy. He will not only bring a selection of the works from his book to Thailand, but will also include an addition of new photos shot on his visit to Thailand this November.

NOTE: ‘Italian Visuals’ exhibitions run from 20 November, 2018 to 7 January, 2019

PHOTO FILES:
1. Massimo Catalani – Tomatoes’ Field
The tomato, a modern vegetable, arrived late on our dinner table, but it soon conquered the world, demonstrating a powerful and distinct plant intelligence. For this and for its infinite varieties, Mr. Catalani thought to compose this art work, titled All the Same and All Different: Tomatoes’ Field.

2. Antonio Saba – The Naiad Nimphs at Grotta Giusti
In The Naiad Nimphs at Grotta Giusti, the Naiads, also known as water nymphs - the lymph of life - are represented by Mr. Saba as Pre-raphaelite beauties; they are chimeric, angelic and seductive at the same time.

BOILER PLATE
For 33 years, River City Bangkok has been Asia’s premier art and antique center. In 2018, River City’s 3,000 square meter second floor is being transformed to accommodate contemporary art, including an enlarged RCB Galleria, the new RCB Photographers’ Gallery, the 120 seat RCB Forum, RCB VIP lounge, and retail stores. Located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, River City Bangkok will host a series of international and national exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, photography, and film. Each will be supported with a program of talks.

BURIRAM’S A WINNER WITH SPECTATORS AT THAILAND’S FIRST-EVER MOTORCYCLE GP

9/11/2018

Thailand last month joined the exclusive list of MotoGP host countries when the first-ever Grand Prix was held at Buriram International Circuit. The racing proved a spectacular success, but how was the event from a spectator’s view? Motorcycle enthusiast Jon Davie and three other expat mates travelled to Thailand’s Northeast to attend the event. Here’s what they experienced

PLANNING IN ADVANCE

Once the official announcement was made in 2017 that MotoGP would be coming to Thailand, myself and three friends determined that immediate action would be needed to secure accommodation within reasonably easy reach of the Buriram circuit.

Hotel rooms closest to the circuit had doubtless been allocated to personnel directly connected to the event prior to the dates being announced so the best we could do was a hotel in Nang Rong, 50km from the track. We booked this almost exactly a year in advance. Tickets for the race weekend went on sale early in 2018 and we secured these via a PTT promotion within three days of their being made available. Price for a weekend ticket in the main grandstand 2,550bt.

DEPART FOR BURIRAM FROM SATTAHIP, FRIDAY 5TH OCTOBER, 9 AM

Our tickets covered both Saturday (for practice and qualifying sessions) and Sunday for the races themselves so, following an uneventful five-hour drive, we arrived at our hotel on Friday afternoon to be ready for an early start on Saturday. We were unsure what traffic conditions would be like on the approach to the circuit and whether we would encounter long queues at the gates, so our pre-booked taxi picked us up at 8.45am. We needn’t have worried! Traffic was light to within 1km of the circuit on what turned out to be a 45-minute drive.

A police checkpoint was giving directions for parking but we were simply dropped at the gate and walked in. As we already had our tickets we were directed to the shuttlebus area but people collecting tickets or exchanging online e tickets for the proper plastic item were being dealt with most efficiently.

The shuttlebus service was provided by local farmers and their ‘e-tan’ trucks but, as the journey was only 400m at most, standing in the back of one of these for a couple of minutes was no hardship. I counted 40 trucks constantly on the move back and forth from grandstand area to entrance so, once again, queues were either minimal or non-existent. The approach on foot to the main grandstand was through a complex of marquees where motorcycle manufacturers and assorted accessory companies had created an impressive show. The layout was such that access to the displays was easy and never felt overcrowded.

Savor the premium driving experience with ‘Benz BKK Group’

9/11/2018

At ‘Benz BKK Exclusive AMG Driving Experience’ event with car lover celebrities sharing tips in safe driving and their dream road trip destination to try once in a lifetime

Modern generation of people certainly choose everything that can well define their lifestyle, including vehicles, apart from ravishing design, the function should address the needs of drivers. Recently, Anupon Likitpurkpaisan, Managing Director, Benz BKK Vipawadee Co., Ltd., and Tuangrat Likitplug Assistant Managing Director, Benz BKK Group Co., Ltd have held ‘Benz BKK Exclusive AMG Driving Experience’ inviting car lover celebrities to experience and test the speed and capacity of Mercedes-AMG at Chang International Circuit in Bureeram.
‘Benz BKK Group’, has been the official dealer of Mercedes-benz in Thailand since 1992, emphasizing on delivering advance vehicle innovation, along with after-sales service covering three urban areas; Bangna, Vibhavadi, and Kanchanapisek, that can address the hectic urban lifestyle perfectly through the all-in-one service by professional team caring for every detail with many years of experience, including utilizing technique and authentic high quality spare parts guaranteed by Mercedes-benz. The company also one of the dealers for high efficiency automobile, Mercedes-AMG, another option for drivers craving for speed.

Tuangrat Likitplug talked about the objective of hosting the event; ‘We want all drivers to sense the real capacity of the cars. Thus we hold this Test Drive trip for speed lovers to test the drive at the best cockpit. The cars used in this trip are Mercedes-benz from AMG family with its signature in speed that is different from other cars in general. The latest models have been rapidly developed in terms of speed, braking system, approaching the curve, and road adhesive efficiency in which many drivers may not truly experience its safety in daily driving, except when they drive across cities when safety is needed. Thus this trip will allow them to sense the quality of truly with assistance from world-class experts to give instruction throughout the test drive.’

MASERATI AIMS FOR POLE POSITION IN THAILAND’S HIGH LUXURY MARKET

12/10/2018

By Maxmilian Wechsler

Master Group Corporation (MGC Asia) has been the official importer and distributor of high-end cars in Thailand including BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce and Aston Martin since 2000. When the group added the Maserati brand to this impressive list last year, Piyathep Siwakas was tapped to lead the division. His extensive knowledge of the automobile industry in Thailand and especially the high-end market made this a logical choice. Before becoming general manager of Maserati Thailand, Mr Piyathep was a top performer at selling and promoting the exclusive MGC lineup at Millennium Auto.

THE Maserati brand has a very rich heritage,” said Mr Piyathep in a recent interview. “The company was established by the three Maserati brothers in 1914 in Bologna, Italy. The car’s logo was derived from Neptune’s trident as depicted in the Fountain of Neptune in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore.

“The Maserati brothers built race cars for another automaker before starting their own brand, and their cars were excelling in the sport of racing more than 100 years ago. Over the years Maserati cars won many trophies and awards in Europe, the United States and South America, and were a force in Formula One racing in the late 1940s and 50s.” Factory production of race cars was suspended in 1957, but Maserati cars continued to be used in Formula One races well into the 1960s. There are reports Maserati may return to Formula One racing in a partnership with an American team.

Maserati is now a subsidiary of the Italian-American company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the world’s eighth largest automaker. Other brands manufactured by FCAinclude Abarth, Alfa Romeo and Fiat.

Maxmilian Wechsler

Road Test of Maserati Ghibli

After listening to Mr Piyathep’s high praise for Maserati, it was time to take a sleek jet-black Maserati Ghibli out for a spin. The verdict?
The Maserati Ghibli is superior in every respect, starting with the handling. When it comes to night driving, acceleration, braking, instrumentation, seat comfort, sound system, soundproof cabin, taking corners at high speeds and the roaring insane sound of the engine, especially when using S mode, the Ghibli is in a class of its own. And to state the obvious, this car is a real looker. Everywhere I went it
was constantly turning the heads of pedestrians and other drivers. It was a sad moment when I had to return the car to the showroom after two days of driving in and around Bangkok.

The only negative that I can see is obvious. At 8.89 million baht this car is out of reach for most people. But for Thailand’s fortunate and not-so-few wealthy motorists, my advice is to sell your BMW, Benz or whatever else may be taking up space in your garage and buy a Maserati. After taking one for a test drive you may agree with me.

Technical data
The Maserati Ghibli has a sixcylinder petrol engine with 2979cm displacement, producing 350 HP, and an eight-gear automatic transmission. The engine speed at max power output is 5500rpm; peak torque 500Nm; engine speed at peak torque 4500rpm; maximum speed 267km/h; acceleration (0-100km/h) 5.5s; stopping distance (100-0km) 35.5m; fuel consumption (urban circle) l/100km is 12.6 and fuel consumption (extra urban circle) l/100km is 6.8.

‘High luxury’ brand

“My company now offers all five models produced by Maserati, the latest being the Levante. This is a mid-size luxury crossover SUV introduced to the market in 2017,” said Mr Piyathep.

“More models are scheduled for introduction in the future. We have changed the strategy used by the previous importers. They looked at Maserati as a niche brand, but we see it as a ‘high luxury’ brand. In Thailand this means its status is higher than BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Audi. Worldwide, Maserati is trying to go head-to-head with Porsche.

“The price for a Maserati here ranges from seven million to 15 million baht. BMWs start at around two million baht and go up to about six million. We think many BMW customers may want to become Maserati customers. You see, that is a perfectly logical step for wealthy people in Thailand. People want to look richer than other rich people. Actually, this is a phenomenon not only in Thailand but in other Asian countries like Korea, Japan, Chinaand even Hong Kong.

“Wealthy people see Maserati cars as fun, kind of like a toy to impress their friends. That’s why Porsche sells very well in Thailand. Of course, Aston Martin is more expensive than Maserati and Rolls Royce more expensive still, but these cars send a different message. You can see from the price positioning of BMW, Maserati, Rolls Royce and so on that these brands do not compete with each other, but in fact they support each other.

“BMW and Mercedes Benz owners are in the same customer group, a group that wants to drive something a step above Toyota or Mazda. But now BMWs and Mercedes are everywhere, so people who want something more prestigious will go for a Porsche. This is the market for Maserati in Thailand we are competing primarily with Porsche.

“In Thailand, the perception of Maserati has always been quite good, but the past importers narrowed the appeal by targeting only people looking for a ‘super car’. Yes, we do sell super cars, but typically these are at the high end of our lineup, priced at over 10 million baht. We expect to sell a higher volume of cars priced under 10 million baht. We offer both petrol and diesel cars.”

A deal with the Italians
“The old importer wanted to stop Maserati operations in Thailand, so SPA Maserati in Italy was looking for a new investor. They approached many players in the automotive business in Thailand and MGC Group was one of the candidates. MGC Asia Managing Director Dr Sunhavut Thamchuanviriya knew the former Maserati importers and he decided to purchase their stock of cars, spare parts, tools and equipment and expand Maserati’s operations in Thailand. All this was agreeable to the Italians and we got the brand we are the sole importer and distributor of Maserati cars in Thailand. The official signing of the agreement between SPA Maserati and MGC took place on February 17 at the Siam Kempinski Hotel,” said Mr Piyathep.

“We have invested in the brand and it has paid off. Sales of Maserati in Thailand increased 100% in 2017 over 2016. We have two showrooms in Bangkok, one in Sukhumvit Soi 26 and the second in Siam Paragon. We plan to expand the number of showrooms in the future. The Soi26 location is also our after-sales center. There we have all the high-tech equipment needed to maintain these state-of-the-art machines and staff who thoroughly understand the technology. Every tool is special. We invested around 30 million in the service facilities. We have many spare parts on hand and if a car needs something we don’t have it can be brought in quickly by DHL air freight. Waiting for parts is a thing of the past.

“The Maserati experience is all about passion for details and the performance. The signature sound of the engine tells you the proud racing heritage of Maserati cannot be ignored. It is a very special sound. What you see when you open up the hood is power and precision. When you get on the road it feels like you are driving a supercar, but in fact it is not a supercar or racing car, but a vehicle that is very suitable for daily use.

Rules of the Road in thailand: How many are you breaking?

28/1/2013

By Maxmilian Wechsler
Thailand’s law-makers have covered far more than most drivers, motorcyclists and even cyclists can begin to imagine. Here they are in full

OVER the years the Kingdom of Thailand has amassed thousands of legal directives for residents and visitors to follow. The most fundamental are those outlined in the Constitution, and these are joined by an endless procession of specific measures categorized as Acts, Administrative Charters, Announcements by Council for National Reform, Announcements by the Revolutionary Council, Codes, Emergency decrees, Ministerial Regulations, Royal decrees, Rules and Regulations, Treaties and so on. There are also a vast number of amendments to laws which may have been on the books for 100 years or more. For example, the Act on Navigation in Thai Waters, B.E. 2456 (1913), has undergone 15 amendments, the last being made in 1997. Several hundred laws have been translated to English and they appear on www.ThaiLaws.com.

Search for Thailand’s elusive replica supercars goes on

15/11/2012

By Maxmilian Wechsler
Half finished copies of Ferraris, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis fill a secret Bangkok factory

REGULAR readers of BigChilli will no doubt remember the story in September last year about Schönes, the company that manufactures replica supercars in Thailand. Well, I recently received an invite from the company’s owner, Chris Pongpitaya, to visit the company’s newer, bigger premises. As I couldn’t just turn up – the invite read: “You are welcome to visit us, by appointment only”– my curiosity was piqued. Just exactly what are he and his team creating at their new premises?

New Fortuner leaves drivers high and dry – in a good way

6/9/2012

Providing safety, style, and comfort, Toyota’s new Fortuner 3.OV 2WD is already a big hit in the Thai market.
Maxmilian Wechsler took it for a spin to see if it lives up to the hype

THE Toyota Fortuner gained fame in Thailand during last year’s floods because it enabled families to safely evacuate their homes and, thanks to its generous space, take their prized possessions with them.

Most important, though, this SUV is able to navigate deep waters – perhaps one of the reasons why there continues to be such a high demand for the Fortuner locally.

“You can drive this car through 70 centimeters of water, which is very appealing to many of our buyers afterthe 2011 floods,” said Piya Airn-in, fleet sales manager of Toyota Muangnont who arranged for me to test drive the new Fortuner 3.OV 2WD. As I had no plans to personally check the accuracy of that claim, I had to take his word for it. What I do know after giving the car a good workout, though, is that this SUV is a beauty.

BMW 320d puts innovation on the road

14/8/2012

More space, a state-of-the-art engine, and lots of nifty gadgets take BMW’s latest 3 to a whole new level of class

THE eagerly awaited 2012 BMW 3 Series 320d sedan is now available in Thailand in three trims: Sport Line, Modern Line and Luxury Line, allowing customers to select a style and adapt it to their individual preferences. Each choice offers subtle differences in interior and exterior appointments, while all three lines are powered by a diesel engine assembled locally at a factory in Rayong. Petrol engine models will follow later.

Courtesy of Millennium Auto Co. Ltd., The BigChilli was the first media organization in Thailand to road test the new 3 Series (Modern Line). I had full use of the car for several days, and I have to say up front that it exceeds all expectations.

The BMW 320d pictured outside another German favourite: Bei Otto Restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 20

BMW 528i Sport races to the top of its class

18/7/2012

This small but powerful BMW is the best we’ve driven yet
By Maxmilian Wechsler

IF you’re a car buff and watch foreign TV news channels, you have probably noticed that BMW cars are quite often used by global political and business leaders. Many diplomatic corps have made it their official brand as well. In the latest Mission Impossible 4, Ghost Protocol, the constant use of BMW cars was pretty obvious, and perhaps a little overdone. But it’s an accurate reflection of the increasing presence in all spheres of the German-made luxury cars, the sales of which are going through the roof around the world and in Thailand.

After road testing no less than seven BMW models in the past year or so, I don’t find this surprising at all, and I have to say that the model I took out a few weeks ago for four days, the 528i Sport, impressed me most of all.