SYMPHONY IN RED

Nestled along the western bank of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River is the Wanglee Mansion, a Chinese-styled courtyard house built in 1881 that stands as one of the few remaining relics of its kind in the city. It was accorded the Association of Siamese Architect’s Architectural Conservation Award in 1984. Yet, for all the beauty of its Chinese glazed roof tiles and its manicured carpet grass lawns, the privately-owned mansion is strictly guarded and off-limits to the public. The exception was one magnificent night in March, when its wooden doors were thrown wide open for an event befitting its stature: The launch of Van Cleef & Arpels’Treasure