Lori explains this is an absolute necessity, “Clients need to feel assured that their products [featured in Art & Culture] are represented in the right way.”
Ever since the start of this year, Ashton’s company has had its own on-site art gallery, a one room space that contains a fascinating array of products from all across Thailand, including Lanna and Phuket.
“Thailand has lots of great products and cultural items. Like hill tribe-made jars and vases,” says Ashton. Indeed, the Serendipity office is a fine example of Phuket art and culture in itself, and in fact it was always Ashton’s intention to move to Soi Romanee.
“We came here at the right time. Although we’re celebrating our 13th year this year at Art & Culture, we’ve only been in Soi Romanee for eight,” says Ashton. “My late husband and I always said that if something came up in Soi Romanee, we would move there.”
“It’s hard to retain distinctive elements of the culture I think,” says Ashton, as we discuss the ongoing gentrification of Phuket Town. “The demographics are changing, and culture is changing.”
For the moment though, much of the old world ‘charm’ remains, including the brothel that still runs, just a few doors down from the Serendipity office. Romanee, you see, means ‘pleasure’ in Thai.
Much like the photographer from Takua Pa featured on last week’s Arts page, Lori believes that much could be gained from actually doing something as simple as slowing things down to a walk.
“We are trying to get the government to close [Soi Romanee], and turn it into a ‘walking street’. I think it would work well, also it would be nice to have the Phuket Town Music Festival make a return.
“The thing about Phuket Town,” continues Lori, “is that it’s wonderful but there’s no real specific destination. It’s often completely dependant on the tour guides, and they just sometimes miss out Dibuk Road and Soi Romanee.”
Phuket Town is certainly seeing a resurgence of late, with a number of great new cafés and restaurants springing up, buildings being renovated, and new life surging through its veins.
“A lot of young people are taking over their parent’s shops and buildings, often places that have remained empty and unused for a generation or so. People are starting to see the value in them.”