AWC, Okura to offer luxury dining cruise on Chao Phraya

The ship, named the "Okura Cruise", will serve Japanese fine cuisine in the teppanyaki (food grilled on an iron plate) and kaiseki (traditional multi-course Japanese dinner) styles.   

The cruise is set to make its maiden voyage on Bangkok's main river, the Chao Phraya, in December.

During a ceremony at MitsDecisions shipyard in Samut Sakhon province on Tuesday, AWC chief executive officer Wallapa Traisorat said the cruise is Thailand's first to offer fine Japanese cuisine and that customers can expect to enjoy delicious meals while sightseeing the unique authentic Thai landscape along both sides of the Chao Phraya River.

She said the Okura Cruise’s abstract geometric design was inspired by origami, a Japanese paper-folding art form, along with the traditional folk tale of the crane and the turtle.

"We [AWC and Hotel Okura] expect the cruise to become the country's next tourist attraction," she said, adding that advance reservations will be available soon, but no price has been announced yet.  

Aside from offering the first floating fine-dining cuisine, AWC and Hotel Okura have agreed to collaborate on the creation of a traditional Japanese-style hotel known as a ryokan in Chiang Mai.

Toshihiro Ogita, president of Hotel Okura, said the joint project will be the company's first luxury ryokan outside of Japan. The move would allow Okura to expand its luxury portfolio in Thailand.

He then expressed his eagerness to integrate Japanese culture with Lanna, Northern Thai traditional culture, and add its distinctive signature landmark to Chiang Mai.  

"We expect the collaboration with AWC will lead to more joint project development during the next five years," he said. 

Currently, AWC and Hotel Okura already have joint projects in operation, including the 240-room Okura Prestige Bangkok Hotel. Under this cooperation framework, the two companies also intend to open additional hotels in Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and other major tourist destinations across the country. 

By 2028, AWC and Hotel Okura hope to have a joint operation with more than 500 rooms.