The Hamlet Pop-up at ASAI Chinatown: A space for meaningful interactions

The Hamlet made a legendary comeback and if you missed it, you missed out. Everyone’s favourite Wonderfruit camp brought its cosy community, fresh flavours and good vibes to buzzing Bangkok Chinatown. Familiar friends Hendrick’s Gin and Tropic city got together with Team ASAI, and we welcomed new team players Monkey Shoulder and Err Urban Rustic Thai, for a weekend of food, cocktails and wellness, set to an electronic Isan soundtrack.

The two-day mini festival took place at newly opened ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, where our aim is to bring people together to eat, drink, play and connect. Every step of the concept and execution was rooted in thoughtful essentials and comfort, with every element designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible. We planned our processes to minimise energy consumption, space and materials while maximising the representation of local identities through design, activities and flavours. 

We drew our creative inspiration for the concept from the Chinese opera house, draping red silk cloth — an icon of luck and happiness in Chinese culture — to create a dome for our space, which would provide a platform for workshops, artists and musicians, not to mention a gorgeous dance floor. 

The fun kicked off on Saturday at ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, with two interactive workshops. Coffee Sensory Exploration with Lee Ayu from Akha Ama Coffee and a Cacao Ceremony with LIGHT ROOM sparked inspiration and connected the participants. In the afternoon, the tropical team from Tropic City took over the bar to serve up colourful concoctions starring Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder Whisky. Our guests sipped their carefully crafted cocktails while DJs and live musicians set the tone. 

At dusk, JAM JAM Eatery & Bar hosted an unforgettable dinner curated by Chefs Bo and Dylan from Err Urban Rustic Thai, accompanied by creative cocktail pairings from Hendrick’s Gin and Monkey Shoulder, made by Tropic City. Dinner was followed by electronic world-beat nu-jazz Isan music from TONTRAKUL, live in the courtyard. Once the crowd was warmed up, there was no stopping us and the party continued with a soundtrack courtesy of our favourite DJs, Funkygangster, Supersonic, Slowlygreen and Seba.

On Sunday morning, we recovered with a delicious freestyle brunch starring tasty roast meats crafted by Chefs Paolo and Jarrett. The DJs eased us through the day, as the cocktail collaborations continued. All in all, a pretty solid weekend.

At ASAI we want to take chances like this to create spaces for meaningful interactions, to provide a platform for local talent and a chance for festival goers to experience it firsthand. We filled our courtyard with a community, fueled by drinks from bars and brands we love, and food from local experts as we danced to DJs from our neighbourhood. So you see, collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. 

Check out the recap video to see for yourself, and stay tuned for the next one.