Design Anthology - Asia Pacific Edition
Cruise Boat, Bangkok
Namthip, a converted Thai rice barge, offers a luxurious way to experience Bangkok from the Chao Phraya river
Snaking sensuously through the city and into the Gulf of Thailand, the Chao Phraya river is one of Bangkok’s most evocative aspects. And there are few better ways to appreciate the waterway and adjacent visual highlights like Wat Arun (the Temple of Dawn) and the Grand Palace than from Namthip, a traditional Thai rice barge that has been converted into one of the most luxurious cruising vessels ever to ply the river.
‘I love the romance of old Asia,’ says Albano Daminato, the newly minted AD100 designer who oversaw the boat’s refurbishment. ‘Our vision for Namthip was to combine that timeless, tropical feel with an attention to detail that encompassed everything from the materials used for the upper-deck roofing to the cocktail glasses and table crockery.’
The exacting approach taken by Daminato and collaborative partner, Thai luxury furniture retailer CHANINTR, is obvious from the moment one steps aboard the boat’s handsome solid teak hull. Geared towards social interaction and entertaining, the upper deck has an indoor-outdoor arrangement; the bow of the vessel is exposed, while the stern area is covered by a beautiful Lanna-inspired roof made from timber shingles and bamboo grasscloth lining. Other nods to Thai traditions include rattan furniture, textiles such as local silk, linen, cotton and jute, and neutral and golden-yellow tones.
The visual impact is equally powerful below deck. As well as incorporating the same solid teak flooring found throughout, two bedrooms feature clean, minimalist lines, luxe fabrics and smart en-suite facilities.
So sleek is the overall set-up that it’s hard to believe the Namthip was once a workhorse that transported rice, sugar and sand upstream from Bangkok to remote villages along the river. Indeed, the 70-year-old vessel was in a state of relative dilapidation when Daminato took on the commission from Bangkok-based tour operator Asian Oasis.
‘There was a lot of work that needed to be done,’ he recalls. ‘A lot of the original timber was worn out, so it had to be completely re-clad, the boat needed a new motor and mechanical work, and air-conditioning units had to be installed.’
Namthip spent more than a year parked in a boatyard in Ayutthaya while renovations were carried out. The finished product, though, betrays no hint of a troubled gestation period. ‘As a designer, you’re often frustrated when a project is finished,’ adds Daminato. ‘Maybe something is not perfect or the way you envisioned it and you’re unable to do anything about it. But overall, I’m delighted by how Namthip has turned out. It’s been a pleasure to work on something so unique and special.’
There are several options for experiencing Namthip, including shorter evening cruises that offer a way to take in the Bangkok metropolis, with sunset cocktails followed by drinks and then dinner after dark; an enticing alternative is an overnight journey approximately 80 kilometres upriver to Ayutthaya, the country’s historical capital.