By Min Hyuna | Tokyo Correspondent
ミン　ハンナー |　東京通信員

私は、ファッション、素敵な服、と公園で散歩が好きです。時々、私は店にパリに行くの夢。私の友人、ラビアは、パリからのものである。彼女の家族はモロッコからのものであるが、彼女は長年にわたってリヨンに住んでいた。

ラビアはかなりある。彼女は薄いですが、素敵な目を持っており、非常にスマートです。彼女は医者になろうとしているが、時々、彼女はヴォーグ日本 (Vogue Japan) 向けモデルです。

モデリングでは、人が良く見えるだけでなく、ポーズする方法を知っている必要があります。ラビアは経験モデリングの5年を持っています。彼女はパリで彼女の模倣のキャリアを開始し、これは、彼女が東京にいる理由の一つです。

長い一日の後、ラビアと私は飲みに出かけて楽しむ。マティーニを飲む私たちのお気に入りの場所は新宿にあります。それは流行で、飲むには絶好の場所ので、私は東京が大好きです。I love beer gardens, それがとても好きです！

By Amanda Mookjai | Bangkok Correspondent

Bangkok, the City of Angels, is a hub for diverse fashion scenes. As PdM was strolling through the malls of this capital city, a few locals stood out. Today, I met Mook, a university student focusing on a career in marketing and public relations. Her goal is to one day work with top fashion brands on an international scale.

Mook considers herself a studious and very hard-working individual. However, she doesn't see herself as fashionable. "I am simply expressing who I believe I am to be," Mook commented in Thai. "I am not a slave to fashion, nor am I outside of its influence: I am me."

Mook purchased her handbag and vest at an outdoor market in the countryside. "My family is from the northeast, where it is very poor," Mook mentioned as she looked away briefly. "But even though it is a very impoverished region, we still maintain a sense of style, and it is very affordable."

Mook, needing to catch a taxi to meet some friends, offered us a reverential wai, the traditional Thai greeting, and left with a big smile on her face. Soon after, we met a young man by the name of Bin, who is a student of fashion design. "I am not fashionable, but I love fashion," Bin mentioned quietly. "My look, my style, my concept: I don't even know what that means."

Sporting some very Asian-influenced items, PdM asked Bin where he gets his "look" inspiration. "I don't have a 'look' really, but I like European trends very much." His style, in our opinion, is a fusion between East and West. "Many people tell me I look like I wear Korean-style clothing, but I think I look very Thai."

Both Mook and Bin reflect the Bangkok street style that is quite commonplace in such a diverse global city. Whether one is after a more sophisticated street look like Mook's or a colorful, nouveau homme st, Bangkok is the place to showcase an adventurous new look.

By Amanda Mookjai | Bangkok Correspondent

Club Squeeze in Nonthaburi opened its doors to industry insiders and local media on February 22nd, 2013. The theme, One Night in Bangkok, was a huge success, and the creative development of Bom Sinlapacharn, a well-known design and public relations guru as well as the new director of nightlife correspondence for one of the top entertainment firms in Bangkok.

Sinlapacharn, who's mother is a native of the Chicagoland area, studied at the University of Illinois at Chicago and received a degree in business management. After graduation in 2009, he moved to Thailand to learn about his roots and found a very special calling: nightlife. "I was born in Bangkok to a Thai father and a Swedish-American mother," Ari commented. "However, my parents moved to the States after my mom finished a dissertation in the Northeast. Growing up in Naperville, I didn't get a very strong sense of my roots, which made me feel out of place."

Bom stated that he originally chose to return to Thailand to gain a strong sense of his culture and language. "Before I arrived to Bangkok, I was set on doing 'typical Thai things', like become a monk or something," Bom commented with a smile. "But being in Thailand for nearly 4 years now makes me appreciate the diversity in activities in one of the most exciting cities in Asia, and for the opportunities I've received I'm thankful."

Bom helped develop the concept behind Squeeze. His business partner, Mike Percy, is a long-time friend of Bom's and together they launched the trendy and very fashion-forward spot 20 minutes outside of the city center.

The concept, which fuses trance music with eclectic Thai pop, is a new phenomenon that is slowly but surely making its way into the hearts and souls of Thai - and farang - youth. The scene, mostly a 22-30 crowd, attracts young and affluent Thais. "The foreigners haven't quite found our spot just yet," Bom mentioned. "I'm pretty sure after PdM writes about us, more folks will flock (our) way."

The industry-only event brought notable rising stars of Thai fashion and lifestyle magazines, including journalists, photographers, and writers. Models for local brands, such as Cheeze Magazine, were also in attendance, including 20 year-old Siriya, pictured above.

"We don't just want Squeeze to be another hi-so club for affluent kids with daddy's money," Bom jokingly stated as he picked at his cold noodle dish. "We want to do something different. I want to make Squeeze more about the music and less about a specific scene."

Squeeze is more of a hidden Thursday evening affair rather than a big Saturday party. Nestled in between a vegetarian eatery and an Indian restaurant, it is a bit of a challenge to find the boutique venue if one wasn't specifically looking for it. "We are working on getting more exposure," Bom joked. "Heck, we should probably start with a sign, a big one."

As we observed the evening's developments, which wrapped up quite early for a Friday night, we appreciated the diversity in hosted bar spirits (vodka, whiskey, champagne, wine) as well as the crowd. While the evening was meant for media insiders, models and their friends were also invited, which made the evening interesting.

Club Squeeze is located on Pracharat Road, Soi 13, next to Aladdin's Good Eats and Kharma Restaurant. The best nights are Wednesday nights when a hosted bar from 10pm-11pm is available.

By Min Hyuna | Tokyo Correspondent
ミン　ハンナー |　東京通信員

池袋のロマンス通りにある洋食屋さん「チェック」をおもいだして食べたくなってます。

レトロで すてきな雰囲気の店内ですが裏口がパチンコ屋さんと繋がっているという！ガラス張りなのですが青白い光がキラキラしていてなんだかふしぎな世界観です。わたしはその日ハンバーグをたべたのですが (きょうは贅沢するぞ!＝ハンバーグになる法則)。

I want to now recall a local spot that many of my foreign friends adore in Tokyo's Ikebukuro neighborhood.

Near a pachinko shop there is a small yet inviting family-owned restaurant that offers a pale light shining through the entrance. Today, I would like to enjoy the local favorite: hamburger au Ikebukuro. After eating such a delight, I became a hamburger.

めちゃくちゃおいしくってびっくりしました。友達からおしえてもらったのですがオムライスがとてもおいしいそうなので今度チャレンジしたいです。

My hamburger meal was a delicious mess! Not only did I eat all of the burger, I also enjoyed the salad and rice on the side! I will surely need to exercise this week!

頭にのっている花は文様を参考にかきました。この子は池田ハナちゃんというオリジナルキャラクターです。
(愛称を「いけばな」にしたくて。)

Cute drawings were found on the menu: this one caught my attention. The flowers placed in the child's hair represent a traditional form of flower arrangement for beauty purposes. The Japanese character for flower, "hana", is placed nearby and is the original character of this child's name, Ikeda. Preferably, I would have liked her name to be "Ikebana".

新しいエキサイティングなレストランを見つけることが好きです。私はこのようなおいしい食べ物を食べた後、太る！ないよう願っ。

I like finding new and exciting restaurants. I hope not to get fat after eating such delicious food!

By Amanda Mookjai | Bangkok Correspondent

Street style in Asia varies by country. In Thailand, street style is commonly influenced by Korean pop singers, Japanese anime cartoons, and American movies. During the last decade, Bangkok has seen an influx of cultures shape the standards for both street style and high fashion. During a recent trip to Siam Square, a trendy hub for the young and nouveau-chic, PdM found some interesting characters going about their day.

Pat, a fashion design student at a local institution, was feeling blue - literally. We asked him what his inspiration for today's look consisted of, and he simply smiled and told us: "It's not about thinking, it's about what's easily available. I like to mix comfort with hues of blue, my favorite color."

Aside from adoring himself with all blue, he carried on him the infamous murse, or male purse, which is quite common throughout Asia. Additionally, his sandals - purchased at Suan Maha Wong - came from a local market and were purchased for only 350 baht, or approximately $13 US. "I am a very poor fashion student," Pat mentioned jokingly. "But I still want to look good."

Next, we spotted a cute young man strutting himself into a nearby mall. His name is Note, and he just returned from a work-study program in Vancouver. Note, a senior university student, adored Canada but missed his native country. "I love the people, the food, and the way of thinking of foreigners," Note mentioned. "It's so open compared to Thai people."

As PdM and Note developed a conversation on life in Asia compared to a Western lifestyle, he couldn't help but bring up the murse issue. "While I admit I really like living in a foreign country, I missed using my hand-bag," he blushed as he gave it a tug. "Thailand is very open-minded to men's fashion and style. In Vancouver, no guy uses a bag like mine, and if you do maybe someone will try to beat you up." Note's words of wisdom resonate, particularly as fashion trends are ever-changing and perceptions of masculinity and femininity are becoming more fluid.

During our day out, we couldn't help but take notice of this adorable child. Her name is Mae, and she is just a toddler. Seemingly comfortable in front of the camera, she wore some of the latest fashion in open-air market style. Her mother stated that they buy all of Mae's clothing at their local market in Chonburi province, located approximately 45 minutes outside the city centre. "She is cute and very young," Mae's mother mentioned. "But she knows what she likes, and she often pics her own clothes."

Give young Mae a few years and she will become a good candidate for PdM's Global Model Series. In the meantime, there are plenty of lookers with a keen eye for style in Southeast Asia's City of Angels.

By Min Hyuna | Tokyo Correspondent
ミン　ハンナー |　東京通信員

韓国では、経験のない人生は無意味だと言ってもある。私はこれが真実であると信じています。

東京の中でいろいろなことがある。毎日、アパートの外に行って面白くて楽しい物を見て来てくる。あたしの家族は韓国から来て、東京に働き小さいアパートに住んでいる。子供のときママとパパは「ハンナー、外に行けない、町は多く。。。部屋の中台腰部やろう」と言う。

しかし、私は大人になったとき、私は自分の目で見て感じることの大切さを学びました。東京メトロは、世界最大の一つです。私は小さな女の子だった頃、私の母は私が一人で電車に乗ってほしくありませんでした。私がティーンエイジャーになったとき、私は私の両親は、もはや彼らは私が公共交通機関を体験したりしないように思ったかどうかの選択肢を持って実現しなかった。

私は16 歳だったとき、私は初めての東京メトロに乗った。私は自分自身で地下鉄を取ったことがなかったので、私は少し緊張していました。私はビジネスマンはきちんと座って、小さなスペースで窮屈な外国人旅行者はできるように思えた、学校に急いで若い男性と女性の光景を覚えています。私は鮮やかに私に向かって歩いて着物を着た年上の女性を覚えている。そこに空いている席があって、彼女はそこに座ってができれば彼女は尋ねた。私は、"はい、お願いします"と答えた。私の顔は、私は私の先生や学友なかった見知らぬ人と話すことに慣れていなかったとして少し赤くなった。

私は叔母を満たすと思われるところ、私は、浅草見附駅から六本木駅に電車で行きました。私を家に取ると私の叔母は、しばしば私に読むために雑誌を買うために最寄りの書店に実行するためにいくつかのお金を与えた。私の選択は、常にファッション雑誌だった。私は上品で洗練された彼らがどのように登場した憧れのため、私は常に、Vogue Magazine の中の美しい少女に感銘を受けました。当時、私は、若い女の子だった。日本では、ファッションに多くの異なるスタイルがあります。一部の人々は日本は世界で最も多様なスタイルのセットを持っていると信じています。私は東京には、いくつかの非常に流行のファッションを持っていますが、また、非常に便利と考えています。私は若い人々と彼らの自身の特別な方法で高齢者スタイリッシュ両方を考慮します。

さておき、私たちの国のスタイルから、日本は高級レストランのために国際的に知られています。我々はこのような寿司のように世界的に普及している多くの食品、天ぷら、お好み焼き、刺身を持っています。韓国料理は中華料理と一緒に、東京でも非常に一般的です。あなたが外国人であれば、食べるための多くのオプションがあります。

例えば、食べるために私の好きなものの一つは、寿司です。日本では、寿司は簡単です。アメリカでは、他の欧米諸国で、寿司は、時には非常に複雑であり、私たちの伝統的な食べ物の本当の意味は存在しなくなりました。私は多くの日本人が"マキ"のアメリカンスタイルが好きではありません認めてないが、私は個人的には非常においしいと思います。私はDragon Roll が大好きです！私のアメリカの友人は、例えば、"寿司"が、多くは本格的な日本のスタイルを試していないが、さまざまな種類のが大好きです。

このような汚染、音、匂い、普通の人のサイトなど私の両親は約私に警告物事は、私が東京で一番好きなものです。外国人に、東京が奇妙で、時には後方と考えています。日本の人々にとって、それは一緒に国の人々と裕福な都会人の両方をもたらす大都市です。私はあなたがどこにいても、どこから来るのかに関係なく、というのが私の外国の友人に言って楽しんで、東京はみんなのために何を持っています。私の友人は、東京へようこそ。

私のPdMの名は, Welcome to Tokyoです。

By Amanda Mookjai | Bangkok Correspondent

Maha Wong Village is located approximately 3 kilometers northwest of Bangkok's city centre. Once the bustling center for immigrants from southern China, it is now a district strictly known for its simple, traditional Thai living in the big metropolis.

Maha Wong, which means "The Great Wong (Clan)" receives its name from one of the founding families of the village. During the late 18th century, the Kingdom of Siam received an influx of indentured servants from southern China, primarily Yunnan. Many of these people, mostly men, settled in the swampy, impoverished region that had very little to offer the growing metropolis that would become Bangkok. Chinese settlers, who were regularly commissioned by the Kingdom to work as fisherman, soldiers of Siam, and assistants in agriculture, used their knowledge and skills from the homeland in their new surroundings.

Laborers, merchants, and traders resided in the new village. Locals intermarried with Yunnanese and eventually established networks of middle-class families that sent their children to centers of learning, which include the famous Wat Po. The Wong family, who later changed their surname in 1912 to Wongsuwatprecha when the Thai government required all nationals to have both a first and last name, was one of the more affluent clans. Making their fortune primarily by selling textiles, the family had strong control over the trade of fabrics, carpets, and precious jewels and amulets.

Since the early 1900s, the Wongsuwatprecha family has remained in control of the majority of fashion boutiques, wholesale shops, and newspaper/magazine stands in Maha Wong Village. Many of the boutiques sell cheap, stylish goods imported from China or made in the Thai countryside. The shops, like the ones featured above, often contain items that appeal to the masses, including school children.

In addition to being a hub for locals to purchase some of their favorite items (with some of the most popular faces and brands in Southeast Asia), there is a diverse array of food to be found in Maha Wong. Some of the delicious delights present include guaytiaw kari, which is a noodle soup blending southern Chinese flavors and noodles with Thai ingredients. The curry noodle soup, which sells anywhere from 35-45 baht (foreigners are usually charged a bit more), is a mix of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors - typical of modern Thai dishes.

Noodle dishes like guaytiaw kari are very typical of this part of town and can be found in food stalls, sold by food peddlers, or enjoyed in one of the many open-air restaurants. Another local favorite food item includes a variation of the common tofu-links. The tofu links, which go for about 10 baht (or 30 cents USD), are cooked in pig fat and sprinkled with peanuts. They are also offered with the typical nam jeem gai (sweet and tangy sauce) that is used for grilled chicken.

If you're feeling daring, try the stuffed crabs. A very unique find, these stuffed crabs are only found in Maha Wong Village and are filled with corn and egg, tapioca, or rice. You can get a handful for roughly 25 baht, which we hear is a steal. Be careful: the outer shell isn't meant to be eaten but instead serves as a flavor lock for the goodies inside. However, after purchasing a few of these stuffed crabs we noticed a 12 year old munching on the crab shell seemingly without a problem.

After one has received their share of local eats, it would not be a complete day out without some coconut water. Coconuts, known to Thai people as maprao, are very typical year-round. The most delicious coconuts, according to a Maha Wong local coconut peddler, come from southern Thailand. One can distinguish their sweetness by how thick their shell is and how chewy the coconut meat feels. To be on the safe side, we purchased 3: at 15 baht (50 cents USD) a piece one can't go wrong!

One of the coconuts we tried was very sweet, filled with electrolyte-rich water that quenched our thirst and brought back the sparkle in our eyes. Another coconut seemed to have more shell and meat than water, while the third was simply OK. All in all, our coconut peddler friend taught us that the softer the shell the sweeter the water. Madame, you are right and we salute you.

After walking around Maha Wong Village for 2 hours, our team decided to head into the only air-conditioned space nearby - a local mall. Even in Thai winters, temperatures in Bangkok can exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit without a problem. In Thailand, finding a mall, even a small one with air-con, is quite easy and much appreciated by locals and farang alike. We walked around and didn't notice anything too out of the ordinary with the exception of Singaporean tourists lost on their way to Wat Arun. They seemed content to find other English-speakers and immediately spurred a conversation. After 15 minutes, we knew that our adventure in Maha Wong Village couldn't be complete without capturing them on PdM. John, Lisa, and Lin eventually took a cab with us back into the city centre.

Maha Wong Village, both historically-captivating and a delicious adventure, is worth visiting, even for a short time. Locals know that no matter what time of year you go, it will be the same as it was the previous season. Travelers can appreciate how time sits still in this Thai-Chinese town while enjoying tofu-links and coconut water. Even as Bangkok continues to develop into a cosmopolitan Asian city, Maha Wong Village does a nice job of reminding us of the bits of Thai culture and history that are too often forgotten.

By Amanda Mookjai | Bangkok Correspondent

The smell of fresh jasmine flowers fills the air as Bangkok's young and trendy residents flock the streets to find the best bargains on a typical Saturday afternoon. The market of choice varies depending on one's interest, but today we found ourselves at Chatuchak Market.

Chatuchak Market is one of the largest open-air markets in the world. It has a bit of everything for almost every taste, which include vintage clothing, stalls delivering a variety of fried food, and used footwear. We talked to a few shoppers over their choice in style, shopping for the day, as well as their knowledge of Le Prestige du Monde. This is what our new friends had to say.

Name: Somchai
Age: 24
Best thing about Bangkok: I love the food and the generosity of Thai people
Worst thing about Bangkok: I hate traffic in the city - always so crowded.
What do you know about Le Prestige du Monde (PdM): I've seen the website and met some reporters at this year's Elle Fashion Week. I believe it's a fashion magazine.

Name: Amita
Age: 22
Best thing about Bangkok: I like all of the shops near Siam Square - it's a very trendy spot.
Worst thing about Bangkok: I think Bangkok is a bit polluted compared to Seoul, Tokyo, and Singapore.
What do you know about Le Prestige du Monde (PdM): I've heard of it, but don't know too much. I think it's a talent agency - some of their reporters are always in fashion shows.

Name: "Bob", Nattaporn
Age: 28, 25
Best thing about Bangkok: (B) Food, people, and the nightlife. (N) I really enjoy how modern life meets traditional Thai culture, especially when we perform alms giving to monks in the morning.
Worst thing about Bangkok: There are few places with good burgers in this city.
What do you know about Le Prestige du Monde (PdM): It's a media group from America, but we're cheating since we're good friends with one of the editors.

Bangkok street style reflects a variety of influences. Beb Kaoli - Korean style - is very chic in Bangkok and across Southeast Asia. American hipster meets 1980's Japanese retro is often the fusion commonly-seen in the capital. Whether one chooses to shop, eat, or people watch at Chatuchak Market, it is usually a great opportunity to encounter one of the most diverse crowds in the city.

By Amanda Mookjai
Bangkok Correspondent

Thai markets are considered to be some of the most interesting the world. From shoes to knock-off designer brand wear, traditional Thai snacks to child beggars, the markets in Thailand have a wide-range of things for both locals and tourists.

On a recent trip to a market in the Thai upcountry, I encountered some of the little bits of quintessential goods in the country: fruit. Yes, fruit. Thai fruit is internationally recognized as delicious and exotic. Most tourists, travelers, and expats rant and rave about the variety of fresh fruit found in the kingdom. On my journey, I was initially interested in snapping shots of trendy locals. However, what I found most interesting were the colors, scents, and sounds of the bustling market as it prepared to sell fruit one early morning.

Fresh grapes from Chiang Mai, one of the northern-most cities in Thailand, are sold in baskets.

Pomelo, usually found in the north and south of Thailand, are seen here. They are stamped with Chinese characters, representing good fortune as well as the name of their original seller.

One of the most exotic fruits in the world, dragonfruit is both delicious and vibrant. When cut open, it comes in one of two colors: white or purple.

Longyan, which grow in most parts of the country, are similar in taste to lychee but have a slightly sweeter taste. Quite affordable and easily obtained, these are popular with people from the countryside.

Fresh longyan are said to have curative properties, which include the production of collagen for healthy skin.

Beautiful flowers available by the dozen, or two, wrapped in newspaper. Most of these are purchased to place in alters for Thai-Chinese families - honoring those who've passed on to the next Buddhist cycle.

Mangosteen, considered the "queen of fruits", is one of the most appealing fruit to foreigners. Quite expensive in places like the United States, Canada, France, and Japan, it is quite cheap in the Kingdom and very delicious. When cracked open, the silky, sweet fruit melts in your mouth.

Flower garlands, or dok malay (ดอกมาลัย), are popular across Thailand. They are handmade and offered to Buddhist deities, mothers, and teachers as a sign of respect and reverence.

Thai fruit is quite representative of the culture and heritage in the Kingdom. Unique, exotic, and ornate are some of the adjectives both Thais and foreigners use to describe the delicacies found in the country. While Thai fruit that has been exported across the globe isn't the freshest, it still gives those who've stumbled upon Thailand in a previous life the opportunity to rekindle the experiences that made their journey so memorable.

"Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay."
- Robert Browning