Top 6: Asia Shopping Tips

Play the game

Haggling in Asia is the norm and you can do it anywhere. Some stores will have "Set Price" signs dotted around the place. Don't believe them. A border official may demand US$30 for a visa when the sign above his head says US$20. Suggest a compromise on US$25. Just remember "negotiating" doesn't mean "arguing".

Keep your cool

The importance of saving face should not be underestimated in Asia. Locals will go to extreme lengths to remain calm and avoid embarrassment, and you should do the same. You could protest that when you requested a room with a view you expected to get one with a window. But far better to follow what the locals do – smile, shrug it off, get on with your day. 

Embrace fakes

Fake goods have long been a part of the shopping experience in Asia with canny copiers offering everything from fake Gucci bags to iPhones and Ivy League diplomas. Go with it. If you really do want that luxury Hermes purse, go to a bona fide Hermes store.  Otherwise revel in your "QuickSliver" T-shirt that will only last two washes before it shrinks. 

 Don’t sweat the small stuff

In many places around Asia you might find the change-giving a little light. In places where a dual currency system operates sales clerks will occasionally take advantage of the confused tourist. So what? The few cents squired away is probably worth 100 times more to the local than it is to you. Is it really worth the worry? Consider it a tourist tax.

Look alive

Money-back guarantees are a Western phenomenon. The chances of getting a refund if your "100-year-old hand-carved Buddha statue" transforms into a plastic replica between the shop and the hotel are slim to none. Your threats to go to the Office of Fair Trading will be met with wide-eyed innocence and a scoffed remark in words you don't understand.

Get over yourself

Shops in Western countries realised long ago that vanity sizing sells clothes. Shop assistants flatter you into a smaller size knowing it will up their conversion rate. Shop owners in Asia are more likely to greet you with a toothy smile and a boisterous: “I have big big size just for you!” Don't be offended. Smile, and say, "Big big sizes need small small prices, yes?"

The Secret Life of Siam Staff: Chef Chaleaw

 

Thailand’s delicious mango season is now here! The mango, known as “mamuang” in Thai, is one of the nation’s premier tropical fruits. When the country’s tropical heat reaches its peak in April and May the mangoes ripen and become abundant from coast-to-coast. If visiting the Land of Smiles at this time you shouldn't hesitate to enjoy this magnificent fruit because the season only last two months and then it’s another ten months of waiting...

The Siam Bayview Hotel’s pastry chef, Khun Chaleaw Mungkaew, has a knack for combining traditional Thai cuisines with his own “western” culinary creations, like fusing his signature strawberry frosted, chocolate-vanilla layer cake with a hint of “khao niaw mamuang” (mango and sticky rice). 

This delicious traditional Thai desert consists of sliced juicy mango, glutinous sticky rice, lots of coconut cream and a little sugar, salt and alum. The whole thing is topped with banana and chocolate frosting. 

Chef Chaleaw has an impressive resume, with over 15 years of culinary experience; six of them spent at the Siam Bayview Hotel. He previously worked for 13 different hotels in cities like Chiang Rai and Rayong, but now happily calls Pattaya home. The Chef secretly confides that tempering chocolate is his most favourite cooking pastime.

 

Photo (from left): Khun Jason Villarino, Siam Bayview Hotel’s Executive Assistant Manager, and Mr Chaleaw Mungkaew, Executive Pastry Chef.

Mango & Sticky Rice

Thailand’s delicious mango season is now here! The mango, known as “mamuang” in Thai, is one of the nation’s premier tropical fruits. When the country’s annual heat reaches its peak in April and May the mangoes ripen and become abundant from coast-to-coast. If visiting the Land of Smiles at this time you shouldn't hesitate to enjoy this magnificent fruit because the season only last two months and then it’s another ten months of waiting... If you’re not fortunate enough to be staying at one of our hotels to sample the dish, here is a simple-to-follow recipe you can use to make the treat at home.

Cooking Directions

·         Soak the sticky rice for at least an hour before steaming.

·         Steam for 20 minutes on medium-high in a sticky rice steamer.

·         Rice Sauce: add ½ cup of coconut milk to a saucepan along with 1 1/3 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stir over low heat until dissolved.

·         Topping Sauce: add 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1 ½ teaspoons sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a saucepan and stir over low heat until dissolved. Mix in ½ teaspoon tapioca starch and stir until thickened, remove from heat.

·         Spread rice out in a shallow bowl and cover with 1/2 the rice sauce. Stir well and keep adding more until you reach saturation point (around 75% of the sauce). Stir well and cover with a towel. Let the rice absorb the coconut milk for 10-15 minutes.

·         Slice ripe mango and arrange on a plate. Spoon on an equal amount of sticky rice next to it, and top with a few spoons of the topping sauce. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

·         Enjoy!

Note

·         The best mango to eat with this dish is called 'naam dok maai' (flower nectar mango), which is available in South-East Asia. In many Asian groceries in the West you can find a similar yellow-skinned mango which is skinny and pointy. This works a lot better than the round, red/orange mango from South America.

·         Make sure you use sticky rice and not regular Thai rice in this dish. Sticky rice is sometimes called glutinous rice. The grains are whiter and fatter than regular rice.