ASIA RISING

Tatler Best of Asia debuted with two days of extraordinary celebrations at the Dusit Thani Bangkok, spotlighting the region's brightest talents and most exceptional establishments through awards, talks and immersive experiences

- By Fontaine Cheng.

In late November 2024, Bangkok became the beating heart of Asian hospitality as the Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel hosted the inaugural Tatler Best of Asia.

The awards, taking place over two days, brought together more than 800 industry professionals, from hospitality leaders to cultural icons and tastemakers, to honour the region's exceptional contributions to the industry. The events also included immersive experiences, panel talks and VIP dinners.

The first evening, on November 24, set the tone with the unveiling of the Tatler Best 100, a definitive showcase of Asia’s most outstanding hotels, restaurants and bars. The awards were presented by the three jury co-chairs: Tatler Asia’s chief experience officer Sean Fitzpatrick, regional head of dining Andy Cheng, and Jeremy Jauncey, CEO and founder of content creation agency Beautiful Destinations, alongside Tatler Thailand’s managing director Apinya Dolan.

The awards results were safeguarded in style, tucked inside Tumi 19 Degree Aluminum Minaudières, the lead partner’s striking cases, designed in three distinctive finishes: black for bars, blush pink for restaurants and silver for hotels, ensuring a seamless and polished presentation.

Setting the tone for the evening was a stirring performance by Dr Akkrawat “Paye” Srinarong, director of the Thai Youth Orchestra and violinist of the band Vietrio, who was joined his by siblings, cellist and vocalist Kanyapas “Parn” Srinarong and violinist Ariya “Pui” Srinarong. The energy lifted further when Thai star Kanawut “Gulf ” Traipipattanapong delivered a captivating rendition of his hit Congratulations, striking the perfect celebratory note.