The fourth edition of the “Italian Creativity Capitals in the World” competition was won by the Italian Cultural Institute of Bangkok, in collaboration with the Embassy of Italy in Thailand, with the multidisciplinary project Italia Reloaded: Tradition, Aesthetics and Innovation between Taste and Memory.” Within this program, “Sip of Italy” emerges as a multidisciplinary event dedicated to the world of coffee, explored through its cultural, social, and sensory dimensions.
In this context of sustainability, creativity, and environmental awareness, the program includes a coffee‑themed divination session, in which the renowned diviner Ajarn Tonk offers personalized readings based on coffee grounds. Coffee‑ground reading—an ancient practice that, since its origins, has given value to what would otherwise be considered waste—takes on a symbolic meaning within our project. It transforms coffee residues into tools for insight, intuition, and creativity.
The event will take place on May 1st from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at NEXTOPIA, Siam Paragon, 5th floor communal area .
Ajarn Tonk, known as “The Precision Seer” (Ruengsit Kittiworapol), is an established master diviner specializing in Coffee & Tea Reading, or tasseography—an ancient practice rooted in Middle Eastern and Eastern European cultures. This symbolic form of interpretation, passed down through centuries alongside tea and coffee rituals, is based on the shapes left by leaves and grounds in the cup, considered reflections of a person’s energy and experiences.
His journey into the world of divination began at the age of fifteen with Tarot reading, later expanding to Thai astrology and the study of auspicious numbers. For more than ten years, he has studied and practiced coffee and tea reading, refining an approach that blends tradition, intuition, and analytical skill. Since 2002, he has worked professionally as a tarot reader and spiritual consultant, building a reputation grounded in interpretive precision and practical guidance. It is no coincidence that the Italian Cultural Institute in Bangkok is currently finalizing his personal Tarocchi della Cultura, envisioned as a bridge between Italian culture and Thailand’s long tradition of cartomancy.
Throughout his career, he has taken part in numerous events as a divination expert and has been invited as a lecturer to teach astrological and oracular techniques. He is also one of the resident readers on major online astrology platforms, through which he reaches a wide audience. In parallel, he leads spiritual journeys to sacred sites in Thailand and abroad, integrating divinatory practices with paths of personal growth.
At the heart of his philosophy lies the idea that “energy always leaves a trace”: coffee and tea thus become instruments for reading emotions, thoughts, and future possibilities. In this way, the simple act of drinking a cup of coffee—considered by Italians an almost sacred moment, rich in ritual and emotion—finds a surprising harmony with the deeply spiritual worldview of Thai culture.
