Inside River City Bangkok, a thousand worlds emerge through art, antiques, architecture, cinema and music, where each space speaks for itself.

At River City Bangkok, art does not announce itself all at once. It unfolds gradually, room by room, world by world. The building operates less as a single destination than as a sequence of encounters.Each room here directs attention and pace, while objects retain memory and spaces convey atmosphere.

For Koktail’s second digital cover, the focus turns deliberately away from the individual and towards place itself. Space becomes the artist that needs human presence to be felt. Dressed in soft monochromes, Monthon “Mick” Viseshsin allows the environment to speak first. Shadows draw lines across fabric. Reflections interrupt stillness. Architecture sculpts posture. Each space leaves its own trace, revealing how one place can indeed hold a thousand worlds. Mick’s relationship with River City Bangkok began with curiosity, learning, and the thrill of encountering objects that had travelled across centuries and continents. Now recognised as the youngest bidder at River City Bangkok’s antique auctions, he traces this connection back to childhood.

“It started when my father took me to different auctions. At home, my parents often brought me to museums and art spaces, so it felt natural. One day we went to an antique auction, and I was lucky enough to win a piece. It was genuinely old, very rare, and somehow affordable even for a secondary school student. That moment sparked something.”

That sense of discovery mirrors the experience of entering the building itself. At its core lies a dramatic four-storey void, paved in black and white tiles and open to light from above. It functions as both a passage and a pause, an architectural heart where light travels freely and people pass through continuously. Known as RCB Artery, live performances, pop-up events, press moments and celebrations take place here, sheltered from Bangkok’s heat and monsoon rains, yet open to the rhythm of the river beyond. Art here is not static. It moves with those passing through it. As the atmosphere sharpens, the transition into Tang Contemporary Art introduces a more deliberate pace. Contemporary works assert themselves with clarity, shaped by a critically driven exhibition programme that places contemporary art within a global dialogue. For Mick, the way he understands art is inseparable from context and rarity.

“For me, rarity is essential. When something is truly rare, or when its patterns are unusual, or even when the use of colour differs from what we are used to, it creates amazement. You feel that you have never seen it before.”

The pace softens again as attention turns towards sculptural form. At White Wall, in spaces shaped by a family-run practice founded in 2012, bronze and brass sculptures inspired by nature sit with confidence. These works are conceived as expressions of personal identity as well as objects for living. The philosophy is simple: do it with passion, or not at all. It is an idea that connects with Mick’s own approach to collecting.

“Before, I would look without thinking very much. But once I started collecting, I began to see their true value.”

Time slows further in rooms devoted to Japanese and Buddhist artefacts, Japan Arts MORITA. Lacquer, textiles, figurines and sculptures carry a sense of discipline, where craftsmanship and tradition define the atmosphere.

“What fascinates me most about antiques is their history,”

Mick reflects. 

“Especially when you encounter something extremely rare in a place where it should not be. You immediately wonder how it travelled.”

As the journey shifts in scale, jewellery, objects, and personal collections alter how the space is experienced. At Sarran Life & Flagship Studio, a flagship studio centred on the idea of ‘art-to-wear’ brings adornment and environment into close dialogue. Fashion, art, and craftsmanship exist side by side in rooms that feel lived in and purposeful.

“I see myself as becoming part of the room’s storyline,” 

Mick explains.

“When I entered the space filled with jewellery and objects, the combination of fashion, environment, and art made me feel as though I belonged there.”

Historical weight reaches its deepest intensity among archival photography and antiques that document Siam’s past. Rare photographs trace moments from the reigns of Kings Rama III through Rama V, capturing a time when photography itself was an innovation, both revered and feared. These images act as mirrors of time.

“Sanamluang connected with me the most. The atmosphere is incredibly powerful. Every piece inside carries history, and I understand where each one comes from. You can recognise its origin immediately.”

“Looking at antique photos allows us to immerse in true historical events,”

Mick says, echoing the ethos of collectors who dedicate their lives to preservation. The journey concludes at RCB Rooftop, where River City Bangkok opens itself to the wider world. Film screenings, fashion shows, and public events take place here, connecting the building to the city and beyond. Mick stands against the view, grounded yet open.

“I do not see myself as a model here. I see myself as just a human within these environments. There needs to be a human presence to feel the space.”

For him, River City Bangkok represents a complete reflection of identity.

“I love art, antiques, fashion, cinematography, and acting. Everything exists here.”

River City Bangkok emerges as a living composition of worlds. One place, many worlds, all made by those willing to enter, observe, and be transformed.

In the RCB Artery, Mick wears a top and skirt from Greyhound.
At Tang Contemporary Art, Mick wears a top and skirt from Greyhound.
In the White Wall, Mick wears an ensemble from Sirivannavari.
At Japan Arts MORITA, Mick wears an ensemble from Greyhound.
Inside Sarran Life & Flagship Studio, Mick wears an ensemble from Sirivannavari, complemented by jewellery from Sarran.
At Sanamluang, Mick wears an ensemble from Sirivannavari.
On the RCB Rooftop, Mick wears an ensemble from Jim Thompson.