Home Sweet Hometaurant

The rustic but stylish decor of Tham-na Hometaurant.DAILY XPRESS/Jumpol Nupthip.

Walk past the lovely wooden building that goes by the name of Thamna Hometaurant on Samsen Road, between soi 3 and 5, and its hard to tell that it's a guesthouse.

This is the home of a young Thai couple, Supan and Palika Thamna, whose surname means "rice farming". Supan says that it was his fatherinlaw, Maitree Limpachat, a veteran writer, who bequeathed the guesthouse its name.

"The name of our guesthouse reflects what's traditionally been the main occupation for the majority of Thais," says Maitree.

Opened in January, the threestorey building has the couple's home on the top floor, a tworoom guesthouse on the second floor and a small restaurant serving organic food on the ground floor.

The couple has successfully converted an old tailor's shop into a charming home. To create a contemporarybuttraditional look, the couple have showcased the house's wooden ceiling, while some walls reveal unfinished red bricks. Other walls are made from whitepainted wood. Retro ceiling fans and lamps add classic accents. Vintage furniture has been imported from the nearby Hemlock restaurant, the owner of which is a friend of the Thamnas.

The two airconditioned guestrooms on the second floor are decorated in a simple style with white sheets, pillowcases and lightly embroidered curtains. The bathroom is down the hall. There's also a living room where guests can enjoy reading or chatting. And for that "home away from home" feel, there's a big refrigerator in the living room stocked with drinks.

"We serve alcohol, but this is not a spot for heavy drinkers," Supan says.

In the future, the couple will provide information about rice farming in Thailand. For now, the Thamnas are busy with their new restaurant, and are happy enough to be running a small establishment known for its highquality services.

Xtra

Thamna Hometaurant is at 175 Samsen Road (Between Soi 3 and 5) in Banglamphu. Call (02) 282 4979.

Nilroy

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