Charm Thai

This quirky restaurant is located in the Crowne Plaza Hotel at The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, Muscat. Our clients wanted the outlet to be a local destination. So we created a unique story mixing fact with fiction, linking Muscat with Thailand and researching the rich historical records.

Antique sailing charts indicate a route connecting South East Asia with Muscat. We discovered a princess called Suphankanlaya who lived in the 16th Century and at the request of her father King Thammaracha, married the King of Burma in an attempt to prevent war between the two countries.
This is where the factual story ended, so we invented The Legend of The Golden Princess, a mysterious royal warrior. Rebellious by nature and refusing to conform to tradition, she stowed away upon a pirate ship, disguised as a man and became a well-travelled and experienced sailor. Upon hearing the outbreak of war between Siam and Burma, she rushed to the her father’s aid disguised in a full suit of gold armour. During the battle her helmet fell off revealing her true identity and the legend of The Golden Princess was born.

The King was deeply ashamed at being saved by his daughter and banished her from his kingdom, ordering all portraits, pictures and history of her erased. Setting sail from Melaka, she travelled to Muscat and after falling in love with the country and the people, established a tavern which specialized in her native cuisine. Longing but unable to visit her home she decided to make a pact with a Djinni who gave her everlasting life in return for treasure. This enabled her to come and go from Muscat to Thailand and all around the world, collecting treasures and bringing them to her home.

The interior design was developed from this story. Imagine an old house with period detailing such as old timber beams and mud or concrete floors. Pieces of old quality furniture adorn the space together with Thai and nautical influences. This created a unique and memorable environment which is evolved and therefore timeless.