Japanese cuisine was largely the preserve of expats and Japanese tourists when he opened his first Oishi Buffet restaurant on Sept. 9, 1999 near Thonglor Road.

FORBES: Thai Beverage Man Tan Passakornnatee Is On a Mission

When I asked him to take me to his favourite pad Thai spot, he suggested we meet at Hot Shoppe, conveniently located about 20 meters from his home in the Thonglor neighbourhood.

BBC: The quest for the perfect pad Thai

As he clowns around for a photo shoot in front of the giant fiberglass animals adorning his restaurant compound off of tony Thonglor Road, Tan Passakornnatee is sporting vivid yellow pants and a polka-dot shirt, his customary style for addressing college students or business groups.

FORBES: Thai Beverage Man Tan Passakornnatee Is On a Mission

Travel on this canal for designer (and knockoff) shopping at Siam Square and visit the Jim Thompson House, the beautiful teak museum home of an American silk trader, and other central Bangkok sites such as the Bo Bae wholesale clothing market or the hip Thonglor neighbourhood, full of boutiques and cafes.

BBC: Exploring Bangkok��s canals