As cold as ice

[Lite Beer]

LIFESTYLE
As cold as ice
Pattarawadee Saengmanee
The Sunday Nation


A Singaporean company brings the Harbin sculpture wonderland to Bangkok

THAILAND is gearing up for winter with a range of chilly activities guaranteed to have its residents shivering with joy. Amusement park Dream World is home to a Snow Town that's perfect for a family outing, Pattaya has its Ice Bar for adults who enjoy a drink while the southern province of Songkhla has once again turned part of the Municipality Park in Hat Yai into an Ice Dome.

Now the Harbin Ice Wonderland has arrived in suburban Bangkok and in the couple of weeks since it threw open its doors it has drawn both local youngsters and foreign visitors to admire its magnificent ice sculpture exhibition and have fun in its snowy playground.

Operated by Singapore-based construction company CIW, which made its debut on the entertainment business last year with the "2 Degree Ice Art" exhibition at Marina Bay, the newly-built Bt80-million ice wonderland is spread over 3,360 square metres in the Bearing area. The company also brought in a massive 600 tons of ice blocks, which have been carved into different shapes and themes by 25 skilled Chinese masters.

"I love Thailand. I'm here at least 10 times every year and I long ago recognised the country's investment potential," says CTW's Miow Seong Yao.

"Our success with the ice sculptures in '2 Degree Ice Art' inspired us to bring a similar show in Bangkok. We knew Thais would enjoy subzero temperatures and learning about ice carving and ice dyeing. We've kept the admission fee reasonable too so everyone can come."

The high-tech Ice Wonderland is designed to look like a miniature town and brings together the best-known landmarks from the Asean region and beyond.

Located within easy walking distance of the BTS Bearing station, the exhibition is divided into 10 zones and includes a coat and glove rental service for those who don't have their own cold-weather wear.

Just past the entrance is a photo corner with a blue screen that allows you to put together your own background. Admission to this space is Bt120 and its entirely optional.

The cold hits the moment you step inside and it's wise to wrap up warmly, especially if you are not used to an icy chill.

Chinese and Thai architecture come together at the entrance in the form of a pair Thai giants standing guard outside Wat Phra Chetuphon and a towering arch decorated with lions. A Chinese-style chedi sits inside an ancient park while on the stage, Chinese girls play both Chinese harps and chess.

The next room is home to a traditional Thai temple and is a reminder of the day when His Majesty King Bhumibhol met Queen Sirikit at the Thai pavilion.

There's something fishy about the Ocean Paradise, a space that's home to several colourful sharks, dolphins, giant octopuses, turtles, starfish and clown fish

"The Wat Pho giants and other traditional Thai carvings should make visitors feel at home. The marine creatures in the Ocean zone showcase the techniques for ice-dyeing," says Miow.

"However, we do put a limit on the number of visitors per round because their combined body heat risks raising the temperature to above the minus 8 degrees Celsius needed to prevent ice melt."

Kids will go wild for the Snow Park while teens and the older generation will probably lean more towards the grand castle slide and the snow cart.

One of the highlights is a three-metre-long ice wall boasting carvings of such iconic landmarks as London's Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Kuala Lumpur's famed Petronas Towers, a snow-capped Mount Fuji, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Taj Mahal.

The Ice Bar caters to those in need of a break. The 400sqm pub, furnished with chairs, couches and tables carved out of ice, can seat about 100 and serves soft drinks, cocktails and tea in cups made of ice. A DJ spins the grooves during the day and early evening and a live band takes over at night.

"The terms of our lease say we can stay here for 18 months and we are planning to expand to Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen in the near future. We're also in the planning phases of a new project and I can guarantee that it will be something that has never been seen in Thailand," Miow says.



CHILLY DAY OUT

>>The Harbin Ice Wonderland is at 3776 Sukhumvit 70/4 Road, a sort walk from Bearing BTS station.

>>It's open daily from 9.30am to 9.30pm.

>>The Ice Bar operates from 10.30am to 2am.

>>Tickets are priced at Bt250 for children, Bt350 for adults and Bt550 for foreigners.

>>Find out more at www.Harbin-IceWonderland.com or call (091) 872 1268.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sunday/As-cold-as-ice-30246233.html

-- The Nation 2014-10-26

[Timinuk]

"Tickets are priced at Bt250 for children, Bt350 for adults and Bt550 for foreigners."

Double pricing! Expats avoid this place, it is no wonder the Taxis dont want to use the meter when muiltnational companies are ripping us off!

Edited October 26, 2014 by Timinuk

[Commerce]

>>Tickets are priced at Bt250 for children, Bt350 for adults and Bt550 for foreigners.

[bkkjames]

I will give it an icy cold miss.

[JOC]

>>Tickets are priced at Bt250 for children, Bt350 for adults and Bt550 for foreigners.

Yes this foreigner (singapore) has adopted Thainess!!

Let us vote with our feet, and give this place a miss!!

[bapoboy]

yepp

"Tickets are priced at Bt250 for children, Bt350 for adults and Bt550 for foreigners."

Double pricing! Expats avoid this place, it is no wonder the Taxis dont want to use the meter when muiltnational companies are ripping us off!

[JohnThailandJohn]

Big Deal on the double pricing. Let the locals who generally make much less than foreign visitors pay less. I remember living in Souhern California and Disney land used to provide discounts to those in Southern California as well as a Magic Mountain theme park. Even beaches that charged entry fees were either discounted or free for locals and schools have higher non-resident fees and prices. But despite this, if you are worried about 200 baht then probably not wise to waste your money on a place like this. On the other hand if this would be fun and exiting place to take yourself or kids then you're only doing a disservice to yourself. At least kid prices seem to be the same across the board.

Edit: If you work in Thailand (permit) you get the Thai price.

Edited October 26, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[boomerangutang]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

[SoilSpoil]

Double pricing is a pure robbery in this case. The management has no shame. This is a commercial enterprise and not a tax subsidized project. I hope this company will melt down.

And for those claiming that Thais earn less than foreigners, you are wrong. There are a lot of wealthy Thais in Bangkok.

[MikePhuket1970]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

Price depends on your skin colour

SICKENING

[JohnThailandJohn]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

Price depends on your skin colour

SICKENING

Are you just trying to get your panties in a bunch for no reason? 60% of the people in the world are Asian (over 4 Billion non-thai Asians) and most foreign visitors to Thailand are Asian. Not to mention that foreign whites, blacks, Indians and Asian all get the local price.

If you want to be upset about locals getting a better price great but please don't pretend it is about skin color.

Edited October 26, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[boomerangutang]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

Price depends on your skin colour

SICKENING

Not just skin color. Also: amount of hair on your arms, hair sticking out your ears and nose. Whether you have a pointy or flat nose. Whether you're relatively tall or short. Freckles, clothing, the way you walk, eye color, the way you speak, are all part of the mix. A Thai can distinguish a farang from a SE Asian from 500 meters.

[MobileContent]

>>Tickets are priced at Bt250 for children, Bt350 for adults and Bt550 for foreigners.

Pfui - A foreign company brings it to Thailand and charges 550 Baht compared to locals at 350 Baht.

I certainly will not support it.

[MikePhuket1970]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

Price depends on your skin colour

SICKENING

Are you just trying to get your panties in a bunch for no reason? 60% of the people in the world are Asian (over 4 Billion non-thai Asians) and most foreign visitors to Thailand are Asian. Not to mention that foreign whites, blacks, Indians and Asian all get the local price.

If you want to be upset about locals getting a better price great but please don't pretend it is about skin color.

It is pure RACISM

[The stuttering parrot]

Can anyone tell me what happens if your wife girlfriend or mate buys the ticket at thai prices for you?

[JohnThailandJohn]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

Price depends on your skin colour

SICKENING

Are you just trying to get your panties in a bunch for no reason? 60% of the people in the world are Asian (over 4 Billion non-thai Asians) and most foreign visitors to Thailand are Asian. Not to mention that foreign whites, blacks, Indians and Asian all get the local price.

If you want to be upset about locals getting a better price great but please don't pretend it is about skin color.

It is pure RACISM

No problem, some people think it feels good when their panties are all in a bunch.

Edited October 26, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[JohnThailandJohn]

Can anyone tell me what happens if your wife girlfriend or mate buys the ticket at thai prices for you?

Probably nothing if the collection and sales are two different places. Most Thais are not looking for a confrontation and/or will assume the foreigner is honest and has a work permit. But the sales folks are trained to ask and if they even see you and her together before she buys will almost surely ask if you have a work permit, assuming you don't look Thai.

My wife has bought my ticket many times while I stood back at places with two tier pricing and they always tell her it is more for me. One time she complained or something (don't recall the circumstances) and they let me get a Thai ticket and when I went through the gate and handed it to them, nobody even blinked an eye.

Edited October 26, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[Commerce]

Price depends on your skin colour

SICKENING

Are you just trying to get your panties in a bunch for no reason? 60% of the people in the world are Asian (over 4 Billion non-thai Asians) and most foreign visitors to Thailand are Asian. Not to mention that foreign whites, blacks, Indians and Asian all get the local price.

If you want to be upset about locals getting a better price great but please don't pretend it is about skin color.

It is pure RACISM

No problem, some people think it feels good when their panties are all in a bunch.

Nobody's getting their knickers in a twist over 200B. It's the darned ruddy principle of the whole matter.

Most of us live here, and pay our taxes same as anybody else. Why should we be stung because we're foreign?

There's no double pricing for Brits or Foreigners at the Tower of London or M'me Tussauds.

[bapoboy]

Can anyone tell me what happens if your wife girlfriend or mate buys the ticket at thai prices for you?

i thinking about that to now, haha....

[JohnThailandJohn]

Nobody's getting their knickers in a twist over 200B. It's the darned ruddy principle of the whole matter.

Most of us live here, and pay our taxes same as anybody else. Why should we be stung because we're foreign?

There's no double pricing for Brits or Foreigners at the Tower of London or M'me Tussauds.

First, this is not the UK where Thai cannot simply fly to without a visa as Brits can here. If you have not accepted that then you should.

Second, I never said anything about people getting knickers in twist over 200 Baht, I was specifically responding to somebody who claimed this was about skin color.

Thirdly, If you work here legally then you get the Thai price.

Now I am tempted to say it because 200 Baht seems like a silly thing to get upset about. You either like and can afford to go to a place like this or you cannot. If you are a tourist or retired than chances are you have much more money than an average Thai and 200 Baht is not worth getting worked up about. Despite if it is fair or not, it is what it is and would think if you are going to be in Thailand you need to accept these little differences or you are going to be miserable.

Edited October 26, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[WitawatWatawit]

^^^ And some westerners wet their panties in delight when they hear the words, "heel, white boy".

It's racism. Chinese friends from HK and Sing never pay foreign prices - simply because they look like they could be Thai.

[noitom]

Preposterous exhibit and prices in Thailand.

[JohnThailandJohn]

^^^ And some westerners wet their panties in delight when they hear the words, "heel, white boy".

It's racism. Chinese friends from HK and Sing never pay foreign prices - simply because they look like they could be Thai.

First of all this is not true as many Japanese and Singaporeans I know pay the higher price and never have they been told they don't have to because they are Asian. It is about being Thai or working legally in Thailand. If your friends don't pay the stated price it is because they are being dishonest, not because the policy has anything to do with looking Asian.

Edited October 26, 2014 by JohnThailandJohn

[bkkjames]

why a visitor here would want to go to such a place is beyond me. surely we have enough shopping malls to make them feel at home?

[Patsycat]

Go on!! Give your children a great day out and show them that there is life in the cold. And take pics of them all Michelin man wrapped up!!

Living in the bestest country in the world, i should know, It is 4 degrees at the moment. Going to be a scorcher tomorrow afternoon at 10 degrees!!

And i love it. The seasonal changes are great. I would hate to live in the cold all year round and also would hate to live tropical all year round.

But must admit celebrating St Paddy's Day on Samui was great. Shorts and T shirt instead of a three sweaters and a winter jacket and scarf.

Edited October 26, 2014 by Patsycat

[craigt3365]

Even with the double pricing, it's nice to see kids enjoying playing on ice.

Suggest: a small ice wall, perhaps 3 Meters high, with crampons and safety rope/harnesses available. How many Thais will ever get an opportunity to do a bit of ice climbing? Maybe 7.

You'd be amazed. We were in Patagonia several years ago and were amazed at how many Thais we saw there. Met a group of 5 who were on the ice trek with us. There are some really wealthy people here!

[SoiBiker]

Looks fun - and the fact that it costs a few quid more for foreigners means it won't be full of whiny cheapskate expats.

Definitely worth a visit.

[bkkjames]

Looks fun - and the fact that it costs a few quid more for foreigners means it won't be full of whiny cheapskate expats.

Definitely worth a visit.

lol don't slip on your ego on the way out

[tx22cb]

^^^ And some westerners wet their panties in delight when they hear the words, "heel, white boy".

It's racism. Chinese friends from HK and Sing never pay foreign prices - simply because they look like they could be Thai.

I have had Asian friends from overseas get charged the foreigner price at some attractions in Thailand.

Many years ago, I and a few Thai friends have been refused entry into a Japanese nightclub near Silom.

[WhizBang]

Pass. I lived in Edmonton Alberta Canada for 20 plus years. In January it was not uncommon for the temperature to drop to -40F/C. (-40 is the same temp on both temp scales).

I have seen more than my fair share of ice and snow.