Making a Ganja Bonsai for Green House, Then a Great Chinese Lunch in Silom

“Sorry for the short notice, but our Sukhumvit shop is having its renewal opening this weekend!”

I was taking my morning shower, getting ready to head to the Nuanchan shop to work on a ganja bonsai, when a message came in from the Green House staff. Their shop under the BTS elevated tracks, between Thong Lo and Nana, is set to open this weekend.

We had been preparing for two months, so I was looking forward to being able to display it. That said, they seemed swamped with opening preparations this weekend, so they asked me to bring the ganja bonsai to the reopening Green House shop next Monday.

Mornings in Bangkok are hectic, and heading out to a more local area doesn’t make things any calmer. Lately in Thailand, motorbike enforcement has tightened, and it has become more common to be stopped by police if not only the driver but also the passenger on the back isn’t wearing a helmet. Even when you call a motorbike through ride-hailing apps like Bolt or Grab, you’re increasingly asked to put a helmet on before setting off.

Just a few years ago, the sight of people riding without helmets was everywhere. Times are slowly changing, I thought to myself, watching the sky as I waited at a red light.

Wait, three people on one bike with no helmets?

Thailand seems to change, and yet it doesn’t. Prostitution at go-go bars is illegal, vaping is illegal, and edibles and extracts are said to be illegal too. Even so, walk around the city and you’ll come across them as a matter of course.

It’s not that I’d forgotten, but even with laws on the books, reality seems to run on a different set of rules. That’s Thailand, I found myself feeling all over again that morning.

Heading to Green House Nuanchan to Check on the Ganja Bonsai for Display

Two weeks ago, I had shaped an autoflower plant, then two to three weeks into its flowering stage, into a ganja bonsai. This time I came to do its maintenance.

The driftwood I used was larger than expected, and I wanted a bit more height from the plant. So for these two weeks, I let it grow with the driftwood standing upright rather than laid on its side. This changes with each plant’s growth speed and environment, so in the end there’s a part you can only leave to experience and luck.

Checking its condition today, two weeks on, it had turned out better than I expected. From here, I swap the pot, lay the driftwood on its side, and shape the whole thing so it bows like a drooping neck.

Right now, I’m in a period of learning without arrogance, helped along by all kinds of people. I felt that state of mind showed in the form of this ganja bonsai too.

After about twenty minutes of cutting away unneeded leaves and flowers and tightening the overall shape, I was able to finish it in exactly the form I had pictured.

Living soil is a growing medium that delivers nutrients to plants by drawing on the work of microbes, fungi, and other organisms in the soil. Rather than feeding fertilizer directly to the plant as ordinary potting soil does, its defining idea is that microbes in the soil break down organic matter and convert it into a form the plant can readily absorb. For this reason, the soil itself is managed as a single ecosystem.

For the first time in a while, I prepared the soil for the ganja bonsai myself and swapped it for living soil suited to the flowering stage. It also looks like good timing for a top-dressing of nutrients, so I’m hoping it grows into even better condition from here.

The ganja bonsai currently on display can be enjoyed for another two to three weeks or so. With the next display in mind, I’ve also started making a new ganja bonsai.

This time I had a larger plant, two weeks into flowering with the buds in good shape, so I decided to make a bigger ganja bonsai than usual. This one looks like it’ll be an interesting piece too. I’ll write about the details again as the display date gets closer.

The ganja bonsai is placed where it’s easiest to see from the entrance. If you’re heading to Green House Nuanchan, do check it out. If you’re not sure where the shop is, use the article “Green House Nuanchan | A Cannabis Dispensary in Nuanchan, Bangkok” as a reference.

When I’d finished the work and checked the clock, it was already past 2 p.m. I had a bit of business in Silom from the evening, so I said goodbye to the staff and set off by motorbike.

Then a friend messaged: “We’re having a late lunch in Silom, want to join?” When I checked the Google Maps pin they sent, it was Beijing Restaurant (Khrua Paking), a place I’d been curious about for a while.

A Late Lunch with a Friend at “Beijing Restaurant (Khrua Paking),” a Great-Value Chinese Restaurant in Samyan

Beijing Restaurant (Khrua Paking) is a Chinese restaurant that has operated for years on Chula Soi 11 in Samyan, Bangkok. I’d heard for a while that it offered great value, and I was especially curious about its xiaolongbao, hot and sour soup, and mapo tofu.

The first thing I felt walking in was the unpretentious mood of an old-school eatery. The portions were generous, and the prices were as reasonable as the rumors said.

Reviews suggest the xiaolongbao, steamed dumplings, mapo tofu, hot and sour soup, and stir-fried green beans are among the popular orders. Rather than flashy upscale Chinese, the impression is a place to casually enjoy Chinese food with authentic seasoning. If you’re looking for affordable Chinese food around Samyan, I think it’s easy to drop by.

I’ve loved xiaolongbao since my days living in New York, and I often ate it at Joe’s Ginger in Chinatown and at local Chinese spots in Queens, where I lived for a long time.

As someone who loves xiaolongbao, when I tried these, each one was on the smaller side and a little different from the soup-bursting type I’m fond of. Rather than the thin-skinned xiaolongbao you see at specialty shops, they were rustic, handmade, and satisfyingly hearty.

Hot and sour soup is a warm soup that combines the sourness of vinegar with the heat of chili. With ingredients such as thinly sliced vegetables, mushrooms, and egg, and a moderate thickness, it has a mellow mouthfeel within its sourness and heat. Ordered alongside stir-fries or dumplings, it’s a dish that refreshes the palate.

I love soup so much that at eighteen, my very first part-time job was at a soup specialty shop. My favorite of all is hot and sour soup, and whenever I spot a good-looking one, I almost always order it.

Until now, I’d struggled to find a hot and sour soup in Thailand that matched my taste, but at Beijing Restaurant (Khrua Paking) I finally found one I love. The balance of sour and spicy was good, and it was a flavor I’d happily order again.

The mapo tofu, too, had soft tofu generously coated in minced meat and a rich sauce, with the heat of chili plus an aroma and tingle reminiscent of Sichuan pepper. There was plenty of sauce, the flavor clung all the way through the tofu, and it was a bold, rice-friendly dish. Some people may find it fairly spicy, so if you’re not good with spicy food, it’s reassuring to ask when ordering whether they can adjust it.

At the storefront entrance, a Japanese-language article about hand-pulled noodles was posted, with “The hand-pulled noodles are delicious!” written in large letters. This time I had xiaolongbao, hot and sour soup, and mapo tofu, but on my next visit I’d like to order the hand-pulled noodles and, once again, the hot and sour soup.

Visiting “Siam Green Silom” in Silom for an Article Interview

Last week I published the store article for “Siam Green Cannabis Co Silom,” so I stopped by to report back and do an interview. Through June and July, amid the rapidly evolving flow of AI, I’ve been building various AI-powered services. What I’m making now isn’t even 30% complete in terms of polish. Even so, things I’d figured I might implement three years from now had suddenly started moving all at once.

Several months have passed since medical certificates became required, so I asked how Siam Green currently handles issuing them. As it turned out, a medical certificate could be issued on the spot, more easily than I’d expected.

In practice, it seems there are quite a few travelers buying cannabis without a medical certificate. Still, to avoid trouble, I believe it’s important to check the required documents and current rules at the shop before purchasing.

When I’d wrapped up the interview and was about to take a break, I was given a joint of the popular “Tigerz Eye,” so I stepped out for a smoke. Personally, Tigerz Eye gives me the impression of a gassy aroma layered with sweetness, and it’s a strain I quite like. If you’re nearby, give it a try.

While smoking, I transcribed the interview on the spot, took my time in the shop, finished updating the article, and then headed to Thong Lo for my next meeting.

Casa Verde, a Cannabis Dispensary in Thong Lo I’d Almost Rather Keep to Myself

After finishing up at Siam Green, I moved on to Thong Lo and stopped by “Casa Verde,” a place I’d been curious about for a while. It’s an upscale-leaning shop suited to people who want to take their time enjoying high-quality cannabis.

What sets this shop apart is that the owner is from Sri Lanka and grew up in Dubai. Alongside cannabis, the shop also stocks tea and coffee. The quality of the tea in particular took me by surprise.

I’ve been more of a tea person than a coffee person since my New York days, and I’m quite particular about tea, but the Sri Lankan premium tea brand “BASILUR” the owner introduced me to was truly delicious. The Earl Grey I had this time was great, and a tea with a red-wine-like aroma that I tried on a later day was excellent too.

Just as terpenes shape the aroma of cannabis, tea contains terpenes too. That’s exactly why I think the two pair so well.If you go to Casa Verde, try the tea alongside the cannabis.

As for the cannabis they sell, the owner apparently runs their own cannabis farm, and the products are organically grown and harvested there. The prices seem a bit higher than elsewhere, but given the quality, it makes sense.

The “Passion Fruits Z” I smoked this time is a medical cannabis strain where the sweet-tart tropical fruitiness of passion fruit and mango meets the bright sweetness of fruit candy and the freshness of lime. It shifted from juicy fruit character into a light citrus finish, a strain with a fresh, tropical profile to enjoy.

Casa Verde is in a slightly hard-to-find spot. When heading to the shop, look for the wall art featuring the “Alex Face” character. Use this mural as your landmark at the entrance and head inside; within the building on your right there’s a staircase up to the second floor, which you take.

Thong Lo has many cannabis dispensaries, but rather than the type that draws crowds with a flashy sign, Casa Verde gives the impression of a quiet space where you can spend a relaxed stretch of time. Part of me would almost rather not tell too many people about it. At the same time, for anyone looking for a shop a little off Thong Lo’s main street, I felt it’s a place that stays with you.

My VIP friends visiting from Japan often stay in Thong Lo, so the next time they come to Bangkok, I’m thinking of taking them to Casa Verde. It was a comfortable enough place to make me feel that way. If you’re in Thong Lo, do stop by once.

Note: This article is based on content originally published on the Japanese edition of OG Times .