Between skyscrapers and sprawling estates, what would Succession look like if it played in Bangkok? As we gear up for the season four finale, we bring Waystar Royco and the Roys to Bangkok, and present you with our own version of Succession: Big Mango Edition.
When Succession released their ‘America Decides’ election episode on Thai Election Day, we knew the universe was trying to send us a message. After all, aren’t we too familiar with the fine lines between politics and the media? Don’t we too know a thing or many about high stakes business in a hi-so family? And doesn’t our society too thrive on inter-generational trauma and inter-familial power play?
With the fierce Succession theme song in mind as we embarked on our sad BTS commute home, we decided to imagine a world where Succession plays in Bangkok. It wasn’t that hard.
From secret alliances at the RBSC over to private jet journeys to Hong Kong Art Basel and Amanpuri, read on for a few ideas for Succession in Bangkok. No major spoilers lie ahead, though knowledge of the show will be useful.
[Hero and Featured Image Credit: HBO]
What Succession would look like if it played in Bangkok
The quiet luxury fashion would involve a lot of silk, and Marcia would have Amma hair
Succession has become synonymous with the quiet luxury fashion movement, and in Bangkok, this would translate quite interestingly. Whilst fine-knit wool and high quality leather are commonly spotted on the likes of Shiv and Kendall Roy, in the Bangkok climate they’d sport a lot more quiet luxury linen and silk.
Marcia, as the matronly figure, would have really big hair that is kept in place with an entire bottle’s worth of hair spray, and she’d be an absolute Amma — overdrawn eyebrows et al. She’d be just as petty, threatening, and dramatic.
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In their free time, the young Roys would probably still wear USD 2000 hoodies, no matter how hot it may be in Thailand. As the show’s executive producer and director Mark Mylod tells Robb Report, “rich people don’t wear coats when they go out, because they just go straight from the car into the venue.” The Roys have no idea that it’s 45 degrees outside. They’re going from their air-conditioned super car into their air-conditioned super scandal.
The penthouses would overlook Lumpini Park, and after-work antics would play out at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club
Lumpini Park is a little like our Bangkok version of Central Park, so it makes a lot of sense for the Roy penthouses to be located along Silom and Phloenchit. When they’re not busy looking down on the plebs from their floor-to-ceiling windows, they’d spend time at the Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC) nearby. Tom Wambsgans would spend the most time here, as his marriage to Shiv Roy finally grants him a membership to this Nepo Baby Central. Kendall would spend the least time here, though his children would probably take private horse-riding classes at Polo Club. They’d be dropped off in a blacked out Alphard.
Kendall Roy would hide out at a wellness retreat in Japan, but all the steam from the onsen still couldn’t hide his crimes
Succession’s season 2 opens at a luxury rehab facility in Iceland, where Kendall Roy hides away following a tragic accident. He tries to get some much-needed R&R here, and complains about missing his spa treatment when he is summoned by one of his father’s minions.
We can imagine a similar scene in Japan, as Kendall hides away in a luxury ryokan somewhere in the countryside. He would be summoned while wearing a little kimono-style robe, complaining about missing his Akasuri exfoliation treatment. All that steam in the onsen can’t hide what you did, Kendall.
Instead of ‘Boar on the Floor,’ they’d play ‘Toad on the Road,’ ‘Mosquito in the Seato,’ or ‘Crocodiles on Terracotta Tiles’
The harrowing game of ‘Boar on the Floor’ is one of the most hard-to-watch scenes on Succession. A humiliating game of power, if Logan wants to play an equally evil game in Bangkok, it would require some rebranding to suit the local flora and fauna.
A boar made sense for the hunting grounds they visited on the original show, but for Thailand, they’d have to use a different, more local animal. They could re-name the game ‘Toad on the Road,’ ‘Mosquito in the Seato,’ ‘Spider on the Slider,’ ‘Parakeet on the Concrete,’ or our personal favourite, ‘Crocodiles on Terracotta Tiles.’
Family therapy sessions would take place at the Roy’s Amanpuri villa, or at Connor’s ranch in Khao Yai
Every once in a while, the Roys get together on somebody’s estate to hash out their feelings (“how’s your headspace?”). This is most intense in the first season, when they head to Connor’s New Mexico estate for a group therapy session. In Thailand, they’d private-jet to Phuket and do this in the sprawling Roy Amanpuri Villa. As outsiders, Tom and Willa could get massages at the holistic wellness centre while it all goes down. Marcia would eat kanom krok and patiently wait it out, and if Kendall needs to let loose, he could take a helicopter over to the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan.
It’s also likely that Connor would mope a little as he would have preferred the whole publicity stunt to take place at his Khao Yai estate. He probably wanted to show off his Thai wagyu and the wine he harvested from his vineyard in Hua Hin. Maybe next time, Con.
They’d forge secret alliances inside the Mott 32 private dining rooms, and finalise them at The Distiller’s Library
The Roys would make use of all the private dining rooms in Bangkok, choosing only the finest dining outlets for heated discussions and secret deal-making. Located inside the city’s tallest building, Mott 32 would be one of their regulars, with three gorgeous private rooms to choose from. Between all the dim sum and the drama, Logan would love watching the signature Peking duck being skinned, probably wishing he could do the same to his children sometimes.
For more cunning conversations, the Roys and their allies would head to The Distiller’s Library by William Grant & Sons, located within the Piman 49 Heritage Project. The private, invite-only space would serve as the extremely exclusive and intimidating backdrop for where the Roy siblings could do their scheming, while sampling some of the world’s most rare whiskies. The secret bar would serve as a place for Succession’s whisky connoisseurs, collectors, and haters of the “ludicrously capacious bag.”
Willa would display her art at the Bangkok Art Biennale
Succession in Bangkok would give the art scene a much larger role. The Roys would jet over to Hong Kong Art Basel, London’s Frieze Art Fair, and catch films at the Cannes Film Festival every year. They’d be major sponsors of the Bangkok Art Biennale, and Roman would have a few casual Gongkan pieces hanging in his COO office. Given the family connections, Willa could display her art at the Bangkok Art Biennale, and Connor would find a way to give a talk somehow. The Waystar Royco office buildings would also house a sculpture or two for the duration of the event, though Hugo and Karolina would constantly be on the lookout for tourists trying to take photos.
Kendall’s birthday bash would take place at Gaysorn Urban Resort, and there would definitely be karaoke in the treehouse
Real talk: why is Kendall so obsessed with singing? Fresh off the non-hype of his “L to the OG” rap song, Kendall would prep for his big birthday performance at Gaysorn Urban Resort. All his guests would be familiar with the location, given that they all shop, spa, and drink expensive wines here after their business meetings daily. As he realises nobody really loves him, he could look over the Bangkok cityscape with teary eyes.
Weddings (and showdowns) would take place on private islands in Cambodia, palaces in India, or a super yacht in Victoria Harbour
Succession is no stranger to a big showdown in a scenic location. French castles may be a little far for the Bangkok edition of Succession (though admittedly, nowhere is too far when you’ve got your own 737), so the big events would take place a little closer to Asia. Caroline Collingwood would rent out a private island for her wedding, while Tom and Shiv opt for a palace in Udaipur. Tom loves the romance of it all, while Shiv stays business-smart, and lures investors from India to strengthen her network. The Cruises Scandal would instead be a Casinos Scandal for Succession Bangkok, and it would be heavily discussed aboard the Roy super yacht docked at Victoria Harbour.
When the family fears legal action, they escape to the Maldives, instead of Sarajevo. Frank and Karl would secretly be loving it.
Lastly, everybody would hate one another just as much, but family will (probably) prevail.
We’re all too familiar with forced family vacations, confrontational reunion dinners, and the desperate search for our parents’ love and approval after all. Thanks for being the art that imitates life so close to home, Succession.
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You can catch Succession in Thailand on HBO GO.
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Bangkok
