Day 7, Tue
Day 7 was a full solo day to get out of our comfort zones.
This was my first time taking the MRT, which is the underground train in Bangkok. It operates on a different system from the BTS Skytrain, so after taking the BTS to Asok station, I exited and followed the ‘M’ sign down, which took about 5 minutes. It was easy to navigate.
Head to the ticketing machine (the screen had an English option) – select the destination and pay with cash. A cute black coin will be dispensed. Tap the coin at the gantry to enter, and then slot in the coin at the gantry upon exiting.
GMM Grammy Place Building
From Phetchaburi MRT, walk straight along Asok Montri Road and you will easily spot the tall GMM building from a distance. You will pass cafes, hotels, and a market.
The building entrance was adorned with posters and LED screens celebrating birthdays or ongoing series. There are three key spots for fans – a smoothie bar that often have cupsleeve events for GMMTV artistes, a mini cafe with birthday events, standees and party decorations, and the GMM photo studio for a “photo” with your favourite artistes for 220 baht.
You can buy official products at two places: the Grammy kiosk on the ground floor, selling CDs and vinyls, and the GMMTV shop on the 30th floor. To get there, visit the counter by the lift and tell them you would like to go to the shop, and exchange your passport for a pass.
There are specific lifts that will bring you up to the 30th floor. Prepare your heart to see even more posters at the lifts. On Level 30, there is a shelf display of GMM merch, and a screen kiosk that displays the shop catalog. After deciding, head to the cashier window to place your order. Seeing the place after seeing it only on YouTube was pretty cool.
During my visit, there were gachapon machines with cute collectibles and keychains. Each turn was 200 baht and I was lucky to get the ones I wanted! Each gachapon round also entitles you to another game of luck, where the security guard lets you roll the capsule down a board, and if it lands in the green box, you win a random postcard.
Fans often linger in the lobby, hoping to see their favorite celebrities during scheduled appearances. There were stories of bumping into the artistes at the basement’s 7-eleven too. But remember, it’s a corporate building, so don’t obstruct the staff.
AWC studio
Following the unofficial GMMTV trail, I visited ‘Mr. Perfect’ Arm Weerayut’s AWC Studio. The shop, in a bright yellow cargo container with big windows and vibrant decor, was a 10-minute walk through smaller roads and residential areas.
There were accessories, bags and clothes from AWC Studio and products from other artists like Off Jumpol’s Land of Something.
I was set on getting at least an item from the store. The bags were tempting but I bought too many bags already, so I bought pants instead! I was the only customer there and saw very few people on my walk there.
THE AIMER SHOP
Right across from AWC Studio was Aimer, a rising independent Thai brand known for its reimagined minimalistic staples and quality. The material is a bit thick and there were a lot of sleeveless tops, but they do have pretty pieces. I heard they are committed to sustainability and ethical production.
Interesting sights of Sukhumvit
I walked to the nearest BTS station and unexpectedly walked through one of the nightlife and red-light district with pubs and love hotels. There were also cafes, hostels, and street shops, but it felt a little scary that the smaller streets were so empty.
There’s also Terminal 21, a huge travel-themed mall in Sukhumvit.
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Since there was some time before my last mega activity of Day 7, I visited the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). Besides fangirl activities, I do love artsy things, so it was great to do one on this trip.
BACC showcases contemporary art exhibitions with free entry. I thought they covered a good range of social, cultural, and political issues. There were artworks about the experiences of war in Ukraine, and an exhibition of local children’s artworks about their life and dreams. There were also photography exhibits that showcased local and international talents. The exhibitions are spread over multiple levels with various art mediums.
The building itself is a work of art too. The building’s spiral design makes it open and attractive, with meeting spaces, cafes, bookshops, craft shops, and an art library. It also conveniently connects to the skywalk.
Attended my first movie premiere for ‘Exit’!
This is a TLDR version of the experience, but if not, read on.
A few weeks before the trip, I found out many of my favourite actors and actresses would be attending the movie premiere of ‘Exit’, a thriller about students trapped in a deadly carnival unless they find the exit.
They held an online contest, which you had to post a photo of an Exit sign on X or IG. I posted one for fun thinking nothing of it, but got a shock to win tickets. I didn’t expect so many fans were able to watch the movie with the cast.
Registration period was a few hours before the event. We had to show some identification that corresponded to what we LINE to them previously. Then, we received a ticket with a seat number. Early registrants got photocards, and it was interesting to see a balanced mix of international and local fans.
Fanclubs were amazing, preparing fanboards, flowers, and money hampers. Though it was shocking for me to see fans ignoring the whole cast except only their bias.
There was a red carpet event first, and the only thing between the cast and us was the queue poles (we were that close!). It was followed by a Q&A session, a song sung by Wonderframe (who was also part of the cast). Many celebrities came to support, and they were all so gorgeous in real life!
It was so interesting to see the interaction bewteen the artistes and fans. I picked up the courage to ask for photos, after seeing how easily people came up to the actors for selfies. Everyone was generally friendly, and responded if we made eye-contact.
After settling in, the movie started (with English subs!). Then, the cast shared their thoughts and had a send-off for fans, which we could record, so it was a great memory to end the night.
Some fans stayed outside the theatre to meet their favorite actors for a final goodbye, but it was already quite late.
Day 7 then ended with the most wonderful weather. It was pouring, till the water pipes were bursting, but I thought it was beautiful. It was the first heavy rain of the trip and coincidentally, the only day that I had an umbrella and windbreaker.
Day 7 aligned perfectly.
Uminsummer 