One restaurant quietly stole the spotlight as Bangkok donned its yellow flags for Thailand’s annual Tesagan Gin Je Vegetarian Festival. Suan Bua, the long-loved Thai restaurant at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok, is doing what the Thais do best, turning tradition into art and dinner into an act of wellness.
This year, Chef Pairin “Nim” Hahingsa and her team at Suan Bua have conjured a vegan menu that’s equal parts comfort and enlightenment. Working alongside the good folks from Mahidol University’s Sireeruckhachati Nature Learning Park, they’ve crafted restorative dishes that might tempt even the most devout carnivore into nine days of virtuous eating.
Food as Medicine – Literally
“Thai cuisine has always been about balance,” Chef Nim tells me, with that knowing smile every Thai chef seems born with. “We use herbs not just to flavour, but to heal.”
This isn’t just culinary poetry. Her new menu includes Tofu Herbal Spring Rolls laced with mint and holy basil, Kaeng Liang Nop Gao (a nine-vegetable soup fit for royalty), and my personal weakness, the Stevia Pandan Pearls in Coconut Milk, a dessert that proves sweetness needn’t sin. Each dish is a nod to Thailand’s belief that food is medicine, and that eating well is a kind of prayer.
From Farm to Fork – with Provenance
Centara’s collaboration with Mahidol University is more than a clever partnership. Together they’ve unearthed rare, GI-certified (Geographical Indication) ingredients, those regional treasures that define Thailand’s culinary map. Think Volcanic Jasmine Rice from Buriram and Single-Clove Garlic from Sisaket. These aren’t just buzzwords for the wellness crowd; they’re the lifeblood of rural communities and a living reminder that Thai cuisine thrives on respect—for the land, the farmers, and the past.
A Festival of Purity and Compassion
For the uninitiated, Tesagan Gin Je is Thailand’s annual nine-day ode to compassion and clean living. The city fills with yellow flags, street stalls sizzle with tofu and mushrooms, and even Bangkok’s most devout meat-eaters nod approvingly before sneaking back for another bowl of vegan noodles.
However, Suan Bua’s take on the festival feels elevated—more sanctuary than street stall. There’s mindfulness in every garnish, restraint in every spice, and that unmistakable warmth of Thai hospitality that feels like coming home.
Conscious Gastronomy – The Centara Way
Beyond the festival, Centara is pushing Thai vegan cuisine into new territory. The brand’s chefs quietly redefine plant-based luxury across its hotels from Phuket to the Maldives. Forget limp lettuce and soy imitations; this dining celebrates life, nature, and the joy of good health.
As Andrew Wood, humble travel scribe and incurable foodie, I must admit it’s heartening to see a Thai brand championing wellness not as a marketing gimmick, but as a return to roots. After all, Thailand has always known what the world is just discovering: everybody wins when food respects both body and soul.
Visit Suan Bua
Suan Bua, located on Level LL of Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok, is open daily and welcomes diners keen to sample its inspired vegan creations. For those following the yellow flags this week or just seeking a delicious detour into mindful eating, this is where tradition meets transformation, one flavourful spoonful at a time.
By Andrew Wood
About the Author
A Yorkshireman by birth and a Bangkokian by choice, Andrew J Wood has been exploring Southeast Asia’s hospitality and culinary landscapes since 1991. A seasoned travel writer, raconteur, and hotel reviewer, Andrew combines old-school courtesy with a dry wit that’s unmistakably English.
His love of gracious service and good manners, traits he believes the world could use more, shines through every word he writes. From the gleaming hotel lobbies of Bangkok to the bustling markets of Hanoi, he finds joy in the details: a warm smile, a well-brewed cup of tea, or a perfectly folded napkin.
For Andrew, travel isn’t just about movement; it’s about meaning, memory, and the gentle art of slowing down. In his book, the perfect Sunday is unhurried, well-fed, and always finished with something sweet.
