Open-top freedom

Often, when a grown person has a craze for something, it can be traced back to beginnings in childhood.

ML Sukhathai Chumbala's love of cars with removable roofs came from his childhood and wondering, when riding in his father's open-roofed car, why it didn't have a roof like every other car. Open-roofed driving became a regular activity before he left to study abroad, increasing his enthusiasm.

Sukhathai is now a property developer and owns several open-roofed cars.

"I love removable-roof cars very much, because they give me a feeling of freedom," he says. "My favourite car is the 1975 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. I like it because of its beautiful design.

"When I was young, I always rode in removable-roof cars driven by my father. At that time, riding in such cars in Bangkok was possible because there were no traffic jams. Now, you can only drive these cars when you get out of the city and go to places like Khao Yai or Hua Hin."

Sukhathai has another car with a removable roof: a 1989 Porsche 911. It is permanently parked at his house in Phuket.

"My family and I ride around in the removable-roof car all day when we stay in Phuket, and it always reminds me of when I used to ride in my father's car. Such memories will be passed on to my children, and the love of open-roof driving will be instilled in them," he says.

"I remember one time when I was riding in my father's car, someone spat from the window of a public bus, and it fell into our car. I don't think that person meant to do that; he or she didn't pause to think it was a removable-roof car. However, there were some people in society at that time with a poor feeling for those in the upper class. Social habits have improved a lot, and there are now a greater number of removable-roof cars in Thailand, so what seemed to be improper then has disappeared."

Sukhathai says cars with removable roofs do not concentrate on a powerful engine, because nobody in them could talk once the speed exceeded 150kph.

"Women's hair also becomes shapeless if these cars are driven at very fast speeds, so riding in removable-roof cars is for appreciating nature rather than speed. I know many people who drive these cars, and none of them drives very fast, because all they want is an open-air atmosphere."

Thanadol Rila

The Nation

Ultimate in Luxury

The Luxury LS 460 is a wonderfully comfaortable car fitted with all mod cons, althoough not necessarily the most fun vehicle to drive.