Decha Wang-inta is champion|of the Smirnoff Roadhouse Thailand Open and designated mixer of our national cocktail

Thailand now has a National Bartender to serve its National Drink, the Siam Sunray. Decha Wang-inta, a 25-year-old mix master from Chiang Mai, won last week's Smirnoff Roadhouse Thailand Open in Phuket.

With the Tourism Authority of Thailand watching eagerly, the final round at the Royal Paradise Hotel and Spa had 15 bartenders from across the country competing for points on "flair" and innovation.

They had seven minutes to show their moves and come up with their own variation on the cocktail, and judges including World Flair Champion Tom Dyer and Ultimate Flair Bartending Champion Alex Searle from Britain didn't miss a trick.

There were a few broken bottles and lots of spilled vodka, but for his part, Decha made it look easy - and tasty.

"I've been practising flair for six years, as well as mixology," he said. "I think it's a charm most bartenders want. I enjoy tossing bottles around to entertain my customers."

Shaking and stirring

Decha runs his own bar, Symbol, in Chiang Mai and organises free, weekly flair classes for other bartenders. This was his first competition.

"My best move involves one shaker and one bottle. I'm amazed how some people can do two or three shakers and many bottles at the same time.

"I'm practising that, but I think it's best to stick to the moves you're most familiar with. I'm just glad I didn't break any bottles!"

"Obviously Thai bartenders have the potential to compete on the global stage," said judge Tom Dyer, co-founder of the Creative Bartending School in the UK.

"They just need a little more practice and confidence. Decha stood out here from all the other contestants - he enjoys what he does."

The Roadhouse Bartender Competition run by Smirnoff, whose vodka is the basis for the Siam Sunray, is aimed at getting Thai bartenders' attention, explained Kamalas Pattanapaisarn of Diageo Moet Hennessy (Thailand).

"This is the sort of thing that prods them to take bartending seriously and learn more about mixology. The quality of the drinks and the bartenders' creativity are still the most important things."