NEI GHBOURHOODS

Wat Pho ( p57 ) Stare up at the serene Reclining

Buddha, then get a massage


River ferries ( p253 ) Discover the Mae Nam Chao Phraya
and Thonburi by longtail or slow ferry


Wat Suthat ( p71 ) The way to see temples: a fine
Buddha, sky-high murals and no tourists


Sampeng Lane ( p131 ) Commerce on steroids in a
narrow lane thats seen trading for 230 years


Jim Thompsons House ( p97 ) The teak mansion that
made Thai style cool


Baan Krua ( p100 ) The Muslim village where Jim Thomp-
son discovered silk


Rooftop cocktails Where else can you sip cocktails in an
open-air, skyscraping rooftop bar? Moon Bar at Vertigo
( p177 ) and Sirocco ( p177 ).
Whats your recommendation? www.lonelyplanet.com/ bangkok
Lonely Planet Publications
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&

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I
(
p
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)
Bangkok sprawls across the rice-paddyflat Chao Phraya plain, hugging both the snaking river
itself and a spaghetti of newer concrete arteries. At first it can be hard to get your head around,
with concrete towers seemingly spread as far as the eye can see and no discernible centre. But
delve into the rivers of flowing metal and sprouting concrete and youll find a megalopolis thats
much more diverse that it first appears, and easier to navigate than you might think.
Along the banks of Mae Nam Chao Phraya (Chao Phraya River) the ancient monuments of
king, country and religion marked the first shoots of the new capital to grow out of the flood
plains. Straddling the river the ancient and relatively skyscraper-free districts of Ko Ratanakosin
(Ratanakosin Island, p54 ) and Thonburi ( p64 ) retain their historic charm. Ko Ratanakosins relics
of the old royal capital and the countrys most revered Buddhist wats (temples) make it the
most visited neighbourhood in the city.
The grand boulevard of Th Ratchadamnoen leads north to Banglamphu ( p67 ), whose small
villages of yellow-and-green shophouses once supplied the royal palace with its many ornate
necessities. The regal enclave of Dusit ( p78 ) sits like a crown on the northern apex of Banglamphu,
fashioned after the capitals of Europe with wide boulevards and palaces set in manicured parks.
It is flanked by the contrasting lower middle-class riverside neighbourhood of Thewet, which
has an altogether less pretentious feel.
South of Ko Ratanakosin is the cramped and chaotic district of Chinatown ( p82 ), where deals
have been done since the city was founded and continue apace today. Chinatown is the most
congested, hot and noisy part of town. South along the Mae Nam Chao Phraya the historic
Riverside ( p106 ) centre of international trade leads east into the business high-rise neighbourhoods
of Silom and Sathon, and the relief and relative sanity of Lumphini Park.
To the north and east, the city pours forward like an endless concrete spill. Skyscrapers,
shopping centres and expressway flyovers dominate the skyline in place of temples. Th Phra
Ram I feeds into Siam Sq ( p97 ), a thriving and heaving shopping district that has, for lack of a more
obvious candidate, become the unofficial centre of Bangkok. Further east is Th Sukhumvit ( p116 ), a
busy commercial neighbourhood where the internationals and cosmopolitans congregate.
NEI GHBOURHOODS
N
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S


l
o
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p
l
a
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t
.
c
o
m
GET LOST
Think of the sights described in this chapter not as the only things to see in Bangkok, but rather as an excuse for explor-
ing some of the citys most colourful neighbourhoods. These are your destinations but much of the most interesting
travel is what happens in between, who you meet and what you see especially if you get lost.
Every block will reveal something youve never seen before blind troubadours with portable karaoke machines, soi
dogs wearing T-shirts (who does dress these stray dogs?), vendors selling fresh pineapple, grilled meat, everything plus
the kitchen sink. And, lets be honest, therell be some things that are all too familiar most likely another 7-Eleven
store. To add to the excitement, you have to deal with Bangkoks notoriously dodgy pavements, which can be as traffic-
clogged as its roads. Look forward to sidestepping a mass of humanity while ducking under huge umbrellas and canvas
awnings pitched right at the level of your forehead, before having to squeeze through a bottleneck at a stall selling
desserts that look like tacos. Its fun, really, as long as you take the occasional air-conditioned breather.
Most neighbourhoods have a walking tour and these are designed to be followed as strictly or loosely as you like. Or
just invent your own, remembering that getting lost is the best gift Bangkok gives to visitors.
Bangkoks best neighbourhoods for getting lost in are its oldest districts. The maze of narrow streets, hidden temples
and unconstrained commerce in Chinatown ( p82 ) is a good start. Banglamphu boasts several village-like areas where
modest communities live much as they have for decades. Those alongside Khlong Lawt ( p67 ), Khlong Saen Saeb ( p67 )
and Khlong Ong Ang ( p82 ) are a hive of old-style activity and the khlong-side paths are often shaded and usually free
of motorised transport. The columns and ornate faades of the warehouses and shops near Tha Tien ( p54 ) show off
the success of wealthier businesses, while the suburbs along the other side of the river in Thonburi ( p64 ) are perhaps
the best of the lot as local as you like and barely a tourist anywhere. So go on, liberate yourself from the constraints
of trying to follow a map, and go forth and wander.
48
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HOW TO USE THIS TABLE
The table below allows you to plan a days worth of activities in any area of the city. Simply
select which area you wish to explore, and then mix and match from the corresponding
listings to build your day. The first item in each cell represents a well-known highlight of
the area, while the other items are more off-the-beaten-track gems.
ITINERARY BUILDER
Bangkoks big-ticket sights are concentrated in the older part of town around Ko Ratana-
kosin, Thonburi, Dusit and Banglamphu. However, the citys shopping, eating, galleries,
bars and places to get a good massage are widespread. For late-night entertainment, the
Sukhumvit and Silom areas are probably best.
A
R
E
A

Wat Pho ( p57 )
Wat Phra Kaew and Grand
Palace ( p55 )
Royal Barges National
Museum ( p65 )
Wat Arun ( p65 )
Chao Phraya Express Boat
( p253 )
Amulet Market ( p129 )
Traditional Medicine Shops
( p128 )
Ko Ratanakosin
& Thonburi
Wat Pho Thai Traditional Massage
School ( p197 )
Patravardi Theatre ( p188 )
National Theatre ( p188 )
Deck ( p154 )
Rachanawi Samosawn (Navy Club
Restaurant; p154 )
Wang Lang Market ( p154 )
Amorosa ( p154 )
Sights Outdoors Shopping Activities & the Arts Eating Drinking & Nightlife ACTIVITIES
Wat Suthat ( p71 )
Wat Saket and Golden
Mount ( p67 )
Dusit Park ( p80 )
Dusit Park ( p80 )
Monks Bowl Village ( p71 )
Th Khao San ( p72 )
Its Happened To Be A Closet
( p130 )
Taekee Taekon ( p130 )
Nittaya Curry Shop ( p130 )
Banglamphu &
Dusit
Ratchadamnoen Stadium ( p199 )
Num Thong Gallery ( p192 )
Queens Gallery ( p192 )
Chote Chitr ( p155 )
Hemlock ( p155 )
May Kaidee ( p157 )
Taksura ( p177 )
Phranakorn Bar ( p177 )
Brick Bar ( p181 )
Wat Mangkon Kamalawat
( p83 )
Wat Traimit ( p85 )
Hualamphong Railway
Station ( p83 )
Talat Noi ( p83 )
Saphan Phut Night Bazaar
( p132 )
Sampeng Lane ( p131 )
Pak Khlong Market ( p132 )
Johnnys Gems p131 )
Chinatown Sala Chalermkrung ( p188 )
About Caf/About Studio ( p191 )
Tang Jai Yuu ( p158 )
Chiang Kii ( p159 )
Royal India ( p159 )
Nang Nual Riverside Pub ( p177 )
River View Guest House ( p208 )
Jim Thompsons House
( p97 )
Siam Ocean World ( p101 )
Wang Suan Phakkat ( p104 )
Baan Krua ( p100 )
Erawan Shrine ( p102 )
Lingam Shrine ( p101 )
Siam Center & Siam
Discovery Center ( p135 )
Mahboonkrong (MBK, p134 )
Promenade Arcade ( p134 )
Siam Sq &
Around
100 Tonson Gallery ( p191 )
Bangkok Art & Cultural Centre
( p191 )
Kuaytiaw Reua Tha Siam ( p160 )
Gianni Ristorante ( p160 )
Sanguan Sri ( p160 )
Caf Trio ( p175 )
To-Sit ( p178 )
Club Culture ( p183 )
Queen Saovabha Memorial
Institute (Snake Farm,
p107 )
Oriental Hotel ( p212 )
Bangkokian Museum
( p107 )
Lumphini Park ( p106 )
Hotel ferries ( p113 )
Haroon Village ( p113 )
Thai Home Industries ( p136 )
Suan Lum Night Bazaar
( p137 )
Patpong Night Market ( p137 )
Riverside, Silom
& Lumphini
H Gallery ( p192 )
Lumphini Stadium ( p199 )
Ruen-Nuad Massage ( p197 )
CyAn ( p161 )
Le Bouchon ( p162 )
Khrua Aroy Aroy ( p163 )
Moon Bar at Vertigo ( p177 )
Ad Makers ( p181 )
DJ Station ( p179 )
Ban Kamthieng ( p116 ) Benjakiti Park ( p116 )
Soi 38 Night Market ( p169 )
Skytrain ( p254 )
Thanon Sukhumvit Market
( p138 )
LArcadia ( p138 )
Nandakwang ( p138 )
Th Sukhumvit Rasayana Retreat ( p197 )
Buathip Thai Massage ( p196 )
Gallery F-Stop ( p192 )
Face ( p166 )
Spring ( p167 )
Nasser Elmassry Restaurant ( p168 )
Bed Supperclub ( p183 )
Tuba ( p178 )
Living Room ( p181 )
Ko Kret ( p230 )
Khlong Toey Market ( p117 )
Rama IX Park ( p123 )
Chatuchak Weekend Market
( p140 )
Vespa Market ( p141 )
Greater
Bangkok
Skills Development Centre for the
Blind ( p197 )
Bangkok University Art Gallery
(BUG; p191 )
Thailand Cultural Centre ( p189 )
River Bar Caf ( p170 )
Yusup ( p171 )
Baan Klang Nam 1 ( p170 )
Parking Toys ( p181 )
Saxophone Pub & Restaurant ( p181 )
Slim/Fix ( p184 )
50 51
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Surasak
Saphan
Taksin
Hualamphong
Wong
Wian Yai
Bangkok Noi
Hualamphong
Train Station
Skytrain extension due to open early 2009
12
13
1
2
19
Saphan
Krungthon
Saphan
Phra
Ram VIII
Siriraj
Hospital
Chinatown
Banglamphu
Phra
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Ko
Ratanakosin
Bang
Rak
Pom Prap
Sattru Phai
Samphan
Thawong
Phahurat
Thewet
Dusit
Khlong
San
Taling
Chan
Bangkok
Noi
Thonburi
Bangkok
Yai
Wong Wian
22 Karakada
Sanam
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Amphon
Park
Dusit
Palace
Park
Dusit
Zoo
Chitlada
Park
Rommaninat
Park
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Th Krung Thonburi
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CENTRAL BANGKOK
1
Banglamphu Map pp689 2
Thewet & Dusit Map p79 3
Ko Ratanakosin &
Thonburi Map p56
4 Chinatown Map p84
5
Riverside, Silom &
Surawong Map pp1089
6
Lumphini &
East Sathon Map p112
7
Th Sukumvit Map pp11819 8
Siam Square, Pratunam
& Ploenchit Map p989
MAP INDEX
6
1
4
2
0 1 km
0 0.5 miles
Asoke
Chong
Nonsi
Sala
Daeng
Ratchadamri
Siam
National
Stadium
Sanam
Pao
Chitlom
Ploenchit
Nana
Ratchathewi
Victory
Monument
Phayathai
Khlong
Toei
Rama IX
Sirikit
Centre
Sukhumvit
Phetburi
Lumphini
Silom
Samyan
Samsen
Makkasan
18
10
15
14
11
17
16
3
8
6
5
7
4
9
Talat
Khlong
Toei
Central
World
Plaza
Suan Lum
Night
Bazaar
Th
Sukhumvit
Market
Sathon
Phayathai
Pratunam
Pathumwan
Siam
Square
Khlong
Toey
Huay
Khwang
Ratchathewi
Thung
Mahamek
Lumphini
Park
Benjasiri
Park
Benjakiti
Park
Chuvit
Garden
National
Stadium
Stadium
Charusathian
Royal
Bangkok
Sports Club
Th Phra Ram I
Th
P
hra R
am
IV
T
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P
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1

(
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Th Ploenchit
T
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a
Th Silom
T
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Th Phra Ram IX
T
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T
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T
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it
Th Phetchaburi
Th Petchaburi
T
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T
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c
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a
d
a
p
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i
s
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k
Th
Sathon
Tai (South)
Th Sathon N
eua (N
orth)
T
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P
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a
t
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a
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T
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N
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T
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S
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(
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Th Chulalongkorn
S
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1
6
S
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2
2
Th Suraw
ong
T
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H
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n
r
i

D
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a
n
t
S
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2
4
S
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a
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D
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p
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li
S
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S
r
i
B
a
m
p
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T
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Y
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n

A
k
a
t
S
o
i

2
3

(
P
r
a
s
a
n
m
i
t
)
7
3
5
8
INFORMATION
Huachiew General Hospital................. 1 D3
Mission Hospital ...................................... 2 D3
Phyathai Hospital 1 ................................. 3 F3
SIGHTS
Baiyoke Tower II........................................ 4 F3
Bangkok Doll Factory & Museum...... 5 G3
Phayathai Palace ...................................... 6 F2
Victory Monument................................... 7 F2
Wang Suan Phakkat ................................ 8 F3
SHOPPING
King Power.................................................. 9 F2
EATING
Baan Suan Pai ......................................... 10 F1
Mallika........................................................ 11 F2
Nang Loeng Market.............................. 12 C3
River Bar Caf.......................................... 13 B1
Tida Esarn................................................. 14 F2
Victory Point............................................ 15 F2
Club Culture ............................................ 16 F3
King Power Theatre............................. (see 9)
Saxophone Pub & Restaurant........... 17 F2
DRINKING
& NIGHTLIFE
Water Bar .................................................. 18 F3
SLEEPING
Artists Place............................................. 19 B6
ENTERTAINMENT
& THE ARTS
(pp18793)
(pp17385)
(pp47126)
(pp12741)
(pp14372)
(pp20121)
52 53
KO RATANAKOSIN
Forming almost a tear-drop shape, Ko Ratana-
kosins boundaries are defined by Mae Nam
Chao Phraya on the western side, Th Phra Pin
Klao on the northern side and Th Atsadang,
which follows Khlong Lawt, on the eastern
side. The districts attractions are concentrated
in the area south of Sanam Luang ( p60 ) and are
ideally visited on foot (see the Walking Tour, p63 ),
preferably in the morning before it gets too hot.
The pavements that circumnavigate the main
sights and the temple courtyards are almost
completely devoid of shade, so a hat, sunscreen
and even an umbrella can be a good idea.
Four river piers Tha Phra Chan, Tha Ma-
harat, Tha Chang and Tha Tien service this
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district, making transport a scenic, convenient
and relaxed experience. Its also a popular area
from which to hire longtail boats for tours
into Thonburis canals.
South of Th Na Phra Lan is primarily a
tourist zone with a few warehouses abutting
the river as reminders that a measure of tradi-
tional life still exists. North of the Grand Pal-
ace is Sanam Luang, an expansive park where
joggers shuffle along in the early morning
hours. Alongside Sanam Luang the National
Museum and the National Theatre stand with
stoic resolve and people gather to celebrate
and protest the kingdoms milestones. On
the far eastern side of Wat Phra Kaew are
government ministry buildings reflecting a
pronounced Western architectural influence
an interesting contrast to the flamboyant Thai
architecture across the street.
Rip-off artists prowl the tourist strip, using
the countrys legendary hospitality to earn a
dishonest days wages. Disregard any stran-
gers who approach you inquiring about where
you are from (usually followed by oh, my
son/daughter is at university there), where
you are going or (the classic opening gambit)
telling you the attractions are closed. Save the
one-on-one cultural exchange for genuine
people outside the tourist zone.
WAT PHRA KAEW & GRAND PALACE
Map p56
.........
%0 2222 6889; Th Na Phra Lan; admission to wat,
palace & Dusit Park 250B; h8.30am-3.30pm;
fTha Chang (N9), gair-con 503, 508 & 512,
ordinary 2 & 25
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha ( Wat
Phra Kaew) gleams and glitters with so
much colour and glory that its earthly
foundations seem barely able to resist the
celestial pull. Architecturally fantastic, the
temple complex is also the spiritual core of
Thai Buddhism and the monarchy, symboli-
cally united in what is the countrys most
holy image, the Emerald Buddha. Attached
to the temple complex is the former royal
residence, once a sealed city of intricate
ritual and social stratification.
If youre suitably dressed (see the boxed
text, p59 ), enter Wat Phra Kaew and the
Grand Palace complex through the third
gate from the river pier. Tickets are pur-
chased inside the complex; anyone telling
you its closed is a gem tout or con artist.
Past the ticket counters youll meet the
yaksha, brawny guardian giants from the
Ramakian (the Thai version of the Indian
Ramayana epic). Beyond the gate is a
courtyard where the central bt (chapel)
houses the Emerald Buddha ( p58 ). The
spectacular ornamentation inside and out
does an excellent job of distracting first-
time visitors from paying their respects to
the image. Heres why: the Emerald Buddha
is only 66cm tall and sits so high above
worshippers in the main temple building
that the gilded shrine is more striking than
the small figure it cradles. There are always
postcards if you miss it.
Outside the main bt is a stone statue
of the Chinese goddess of mercy, Kuan Im,
and nearby are two cow figures, represent-
ing the year of Rama Is birth.
In the 2km-long cloister that defines the
perimeter of the complex are 178 murals
depicting the Ramakian in its entirety, be-
ginning at the north gate and moving clock-
wise around the compound. If the temple
grounds seem overrun by tourists, the mural
area is usually mercifully quiet and shady.
Adjoining Wat Phra Kaew is the Grand Pal-
ace (Phra Borom Maharatchawang), a former
royal residence that today is used by the
king only for certain ceremonial occasions;
the current monarch lives in Chitralada
Palace, which is closed to the public. Visi-
tors are allowed to survey the Grand Palace
grounds and exteriors of the four remain-
ing palace buildings, which are interesting
for their royal bombast.
At the eastern end, Borombhiman Hall is a
French-inspired structure that served as
a residence for Rama VI (King Vajiravudh;
r 191025). In April 1981 General San
Chitpatima used it as headquarters for an
attempted coup. Amarindra Hall, to the west,
was originally a hall of justice but is used
today for coronation ceremonies.
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KO RATANAKOSI N & THONBURI
Eating p154 ; Shopping p128 ; Sleeping p202
Bordering the eastern bank of Mae Nam Chao Phraya, Ko Ratanakosin is the historic heart of
Bangkok and is a veritable Vatican City of Thai Buddhism. Several of Thailands most honoured
and holy sites stand inside burly white walls here, Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace ( opposite ), Wat
Pho ( p57 ) and the Lak Meuang ( p58 ) being the most notable. As it happens, these are also Bangkoks
most spectacular tourist attractions and most obligatory sights so expect camera-toting
crowds rather than exotic eastern mysticism.
This collection of religious and architectural treasures wasnt accidental. Rama I (King Buddha
Yodfa; r 17821809) intended to re-create the glory of the sacked Siamese capital of Ayuthaya
by constructing a new island city one that would be fortified against future attacks and to
elevate the newly established dynasty in the
imagination and adoration of the populace.
Both intentions succeeded. The Burmese and
other noncommercial invaders never staged
an assault on the new capital and the Chakri
dynasty survives to the present day.
The ancient city has matured in modern
times and is now a lively district of contradic-
tions that only Thailand can juggle. The tem-
ples, with their heavenly status, are tethered to
earth by nearby food markets shaded by faded
green umbrellas clustered like mushrooms. In
the shadows of the whitewashed temple walls
are Buddhisms ancient companions the
animistic spirits who govern fortune and fate,
neatly packaged into amulets and being sold
by the thousand in the markets along Thanon
Maharat ( p59 ).
While the glimmering golden spires and Buddha images of the big-ticket sights are must-sees,
the charm of Ko Ratanakosin is felt just as much if not more by just wandering on foot,
taking in the street life, stopping for lunch at local restaurants or at the Deck ( p154 ) and mixing
with young Thais in Thammasat ( p62 ) and Silkaporn ( p61 ) universities.
Opposite Ko Ratanakosin, across the busy waters of Mae Nam Chao Phraya, Thonburi ( p64 )
enjoyed a brief 15-year promotion from sleepy port town to royal seat of power immediately
before the capital moved to Bangkok. If it werent for timing, it might otherwise be a footnote
in Thai history. Instead it is still revered as a patriotic and divinely inspired step in reuniting
the country after the fall of Ayuthaya. The stories of the postwar reunification are filled with
poetic symbolism: General Taksin, who expelled the Burmese and subdued rival factions, came
across this spot in the river at dawn and pronounced it Ayuthayas successor. But Taksin was
later deposed by a more strategic leader, who decided on a more strategic position across the
river for his capital.
Today Thonburi is a rarely visited gem for anyone looking to experience the less commercial,
quieter side of Bangkok life. Where Bangkoks khlong have largely been concreted over to create
traffic-packed roads in Thonburi they remain an integral part of daily life. To really experience
this unique neighbourhood, stay at the Thai House ( p221 ).
KO RATANAKOSIN & THONBURI


Amulet market ( p129 ) Traders, monks and collec-
tors bartering for countless sacred amulets


Wat Arun ( p65 ) Mosaic-decorated stupa on the far
bank of the river


Wat Phra Kaew & Grand Palace ( opposite ) The
Holly-wood blockbusters of Thai architecture


Wat Pho ( p57 ) A rather large Reclining Buddha
and rambling complex of hidden sights


Deck ( p154 ) Unbeatable sunset views over the
river and Wat Arun
TRANSPORT: KO RATANAKOSIN
Theres no Skytrain or Metro to Ko Ratanakosin, so
the easiest and most enjoyable ways to get here are
by river ferry or on foot. From Banglamphu just walk
through Thammasat University or Sanam Luang; from
almost anywhere else take either a ferry direct or
the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin and a ferry from there.
Bus Air-con 503, 508, 511 and 512, ordinary 3, 25,
39, 47, 53 and 70
Ferry Tha Rajinee (N7), Tha Tien (N8) and Tha
Chang (N9)
54 55
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The largest of the palace buildings is the
triple-winged Chakri Mahaprasat (Grand Palace
Hall). Completed in 1882 following a plan
by British architects, the exterior shows a
peculiar blend of Italian Renaissance and
traditional Thai architecture, a style often
referred to as farng si ch-daa (Westerner
wearing a Thai classical dancers head-
dress), because each wing is topped by a
mondp (a layered, heavily ornamented
spire). It is believed the original plan called
for the palace to be topped with a dome,
but Rama V was persuaded to go for a
Thai-style roof instead. The tallest of the
mondp, in the centre, contains the ashes
of Chakri kings; the flanking mondp en-
shrine the ashes of Chakri princes who
failed to inherit the throne.
The last building to the west is the
Ratanakosin-style Dusit Hall, which initially
served as a venue for royal audiences and
later as a royal funerary hall.
Until Rama VI decided one wife was
enough for any man, even a king, Thai
kings housed their huge harems in the
inner palace area (not open to the public),
which was guarded by combat-trained fe-
male sentries. The intrigue and rituals that
occurred within the walls of this cloistered
community live on in the fictionalised epic
Four Reigns, by Kukrit Pramoj, which follows
a young girl named Ploi growing up within
the Royal City.
The admission fee to Wat Phra Kaew also
includes entry to Dusit Park ( p80 ).

WAT PHO Map p56
..r.....
%0 2622 3533; www.watpho.com; Th Sanam Chai;
admission 50B; h8am-5pm; fTha Tien (N8),
gair-con 503, 508 & 512, ordinary 12 & 53
Of all Bangkoks temples, Wat Pho is argu-
ably the one most worth visiting for both
its remarkable Reclining Buddha image and
its sprawling grounds. The temple boasts
a long list of credits: the oldest and largest
wat in Bangkok, the longest Reclining Bud-
dha and the largest collection of Buddha
images in Thailand, and the earliest centre
for public education. For all that, its less of
an attraction than neighbouring Wat Phra
Kaew and retains a more laid-back, less
commercial feel.
A temple has stood on this site since the
16th century, but in 1781 Rama I ordered
the original Wat Photharam to be com-
pletely rebuilt as part of his new capital.
Under Rama III (King Nang Klao; r 182451),
the massive Reclining Buddha was built
and Wat Pho became Thailands first uni-
versity. Today it maintains that tradition as
the national headquarters for the teaching
and preservation of traditional Thai medi-
cine, including Thai massage.
Narrow Th Chetuphon divides the
grounds in two, and its well worth enter-
ing from this quiet street to avoid the touts
and tour groups of the main entrance on
Th Thai Wang. Youll come into the east-
ern courtyard of the northern compound
(the southern part is closed to the public),
where the main bt is constructed in Ay-
uthaya style and is strikingly more subdued
than Wat Phra Kaew. Rama Is remains are
interred in the base of the presiding Bud-
dha figure in the bt.
The images on display in the four whan
(sanctuaries) surrounding the main bt are
worth investigation. Particularly beautiful
are the Phra Jinnarat and Phra Jinachi Bud-
dhas in the western and southern chapels,
both rescued from Sukhothai by relatives
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(pp5466)
21
22
12
13
23
25
24
26
& THE ARTS
SLEEPING
27
29
28
14
15
16
18
17
(pp12741)
19
20
(pp14372)
ENTERTAINMENT
(pp20121)
(pp18893)
2
1
INFORMATION
5
7
6
4
8
9
11
10
SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES
3
SHOPPING
EATING
C5
A2
D1
B3
C2
B3
C6
B3
C6
Rub Aroon................................
Wang Lang Market..................
B6
C3
Supatra River House..................
Patravadi Theatre......................
National Theatre.......................
National Gallery........................
Chakrabongse Villas.................
Ibrik Resort................................
Aurum: The River Place............
D5
C6
C4
C2
B3
C6
B4
Arun Residence......................(see 19)
Studio 9..................................(see 25)
Silpakorn University..................(see 9)
C5
C1
Bangkok Bank.............................
Bangkok Tourist Division (BTD)...
C4
D3
C2
B2
A1
C3
D2
C2
Amulet Market.......................(see 17)
Emerald Buddha......................(see 16)
Forensic Medicine Museum.........
Grand Palace..............................
Lak Meuang...............................
National Museum.......................
Reclining Buddha....................(see 14)
Royal Barges National Museum...
Silpakorn University....................
Statue of Mae Thorani..............
Thammasat University..............
C3 Siam City Bank...........................
Wat Arun.................................
Wat Mahathat..........................
Wat Mahathat's International
Buddhist Meditation Centre..(see 13)
Wat Pho...................................
Wat Pho Thai Traditional
Massage School...................
Wat Phra Kaew........................
Amulet Market..........................
Traditional Medicine Shops.......
Deck.........................................
Rachanawi Samosawn (Navy
Club Restaurant)..................
KO RATANAKOSIN & THONBURI
0 200 m
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Wat Arun
N8 Tha
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Rakang
N10 Wang
Lang (Siriraj)
N11 Thonburi
Railway
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Bangkok
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Soi Damnoen
Klang Neua
Soi Wat R
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Soi Ma Toom
See Banglamphu
Map pp689
See Chinatown
Map p84
KO RATANAKOSIN & THONBURI
56 57
of Rama I. The galleries extending between
the four chapels feature no fewer than 394
gilded Buddha images.
Encircling the main bt is a low marble
wall with 152 bas-reliefs depicting scenes
from the Ramakian. Youll recognise some
of these figures when you exit the temple
past the hawkers with the mass-produced
rubbings for sale; these are made from ce-
ment casts based on Wat Phos reliefs.
A collection of towering tiled stupas
commemorates the first four Chakri kings
and there are 91 smaller stupas. Rama IV
ordered that the four stupas be surrounded
by a wall to prevent future kings joining the
memorial. Note the square bell shape with
distinct corners, a signature of Ratanakosin
style. Other smaller chedi (stupa) clusters
contain the ashes of royal descendants.
Small rock gardens and hill islands inter-
rupt the tiled courtyards providing shade,
greenery and quirky decorations. Inherited
from China, these rockeries are cluttered
with topiary, miniature waterfalls and small
statues depicting daily life. Khao Mor is the
most distinctive of the rock gardens, fes-
tooned with figures of the hermit credited
with inventing yoga in various healing
positions. According to the tradition, a few
good arm stretches should cure idleness.
In the northwest corner of the site
youll find Wat Phos main attraction, the
enormous, tremendous Reclining Buddha.
The 46m-long and 15m-high supine figure
illustrates the passing of the Buddha into
nirvana. It is made of plaster around a brick
core and finished in the gold leaf that gives
it a serene luminescence that keeps you
looking, and looking again, from different
angles. The 3m-high feet are a highlight,
with mother-of-pearl inlay depicting 108
different auspicious lksn (characteristics
of a Buddha).
On the temple grounds, there are
nonair-conditioned massage pavilions; air-
con rooms are available in the massage school
( p197 ), across the street from the temple.
The two pavilions located nearby contain
visual depictions of the body meridians and
pressure points that were used to record
the oral knowledge of the practice and are
used as a teaching tool.

LAK MEUANG Map p56
.......
%0 2222 9876; Cnr Th Sanamchai & Th Lak
Meuang; admission free; h6am-6pm; fTha
Chang (N9), gair-con 508, 511 & 512, ordinary 15,
47, 53 & 59
What would otherwise be an uninterest-
ing mileage marker has both religious
and historical significance in Thailand. Lak
Meuang is the city shrine, a wooden pil-
lar erected by Rama I in 1782 to represent
the founding of the new Bangkok capital.
From this point, distances are measured to
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all other city shrines in the country. But its
importance doesnt stop there. The pil-
lar is endowed with a spirit, Phra Sayam
Thewathirat (Venerable Siam Deity of the
State), and is considered the citys guard-
ian. To the east of the main shrine are five
other idols added during the reign of Rama
V (King Chulalongkorn; r 18681910).
Like the sacred banyan trees and the
holy temples, Lak Meuang receives daily
supplications from Thai worshippers, some
of whom commission classical Thai dancers
to perform lkhon ke bon (shrine dancing)
as thanks for granted wishes. Offerings also
include those morbidly cute pigs heads
with sticks of incense sprouting from their
foreheads.
Lak Meuang is across the street from
the eastern wall of Wat Phra Kaew, at the
southern end of Sanam Luang.
THANON MAHARAT Map p56
....
Btwn Th Phra Chan, Th Na Phra Lan & Mae Nam
Chao Phraya; fTha Chang (N9), gair-con 503,
508 & 512, ordinary 47 & 53
The northern stretch of this street is one of
Bangkoks most interesting. On the oppo-
site side of Wat Mahathats whitewashed
walls, the street is monopolised by ancient
Thai industries: herbal apothecaries and
amulet dealers. In the cool season, medici-
nal bowls of ginger-infused broth are sold
from steaming cauldrons to stave off winter
colds. Outdoor displays of pill bottles are
lined up and dusted daily like prized an-
tiques. Each remedy bears a picture of a
stoic healer, a marketing pitch that puts a
human face on medicine. Further along,
the amulet market (talat phr khruang; p129 )
spills out of its medieval warren into the
street, forcing pedestrians to run zigzag
patterns through the spread blankets on
which the tiny images are displayed.
This is a great place to just wander and
watch men (because its rarely women)
looking through magnifying glasses at the
tiny amulets, seeking hidden meaning (and
value). The market stretches all the way to
the riverside, where a narrow alley leads
north to wooden kitchens overhanging the
water. Each humble kitchen garners a view
of the river; students from nearby Tham-
masat University congregate here for cheap
eats before heading off to class. The food
reflects Bangkoks peculiar student menu:
a motley mix of Thai comforts and Western
adaptations.
The municipal government has grand
plans for this area to be demolished and
redeveloped as a cultural theme park with
more river vistas and shops catering to
tourists. The proposal has met with fierce
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THE EMERALD BUDDHA
The Emerald Buddhas lofty perch in Wat Phra Kaew signifies its high status as the talisman of the Thai kingdom.
No-one knows exactly where the Buddha comes from or who sculpted it, but it first appeared on record in 15th-century
Chiang Rai in northern Thailand. Legend says it was sculpted in India and brought to Siam by way of Ceylon (Sri Lanka),
but stylistically it seems to belong to Thai artistic periods of the 13th to 14th centuries. Despite the name, the sacred
sculpture is actually carved from a single piece of nephrite, a type of jade.
Some time in the 15th century, this Buddha is said to have been covered with plaster and gold leaf and placed in
Chiang Rais own Wat Phra Kaew. Many valuable Buddha images were masked in this way to deter potential thieves
and marauders during unstable times. Often the true identity of the image was forgotten over the years until a divine
accident exposed its precious core. The Emerald Buddha experienced such a divine revelation when it was being trans-
ported to a new location. In a fall, the plaster covering broke off, revealing the brilliant green inside. But this coming
out was not the beginning of this Buddhas peaceful reign.
During territorial clashes with Laos, the Emerald Buddha was seized and taken to Vientiane in the mid-16th century.
Some 200 years later, after the fall of Ayuthaya and the ascension of the Bangkok-based kingdom, the Thai army
marched up to Vientiane, razed the city and hauled off the Emerald Buddha. The return of this revered figure was a
great omen for future fortunes of this new leadership. The Buddha was enshrined in the then capital, Thonburi, before
the general who led the sacking of Vientiane assumed the throne and had it moved to this location.
A tradition that dates back to this time is the changing of the Buddhas seasonal robes. There are now three royal
robes: for the hot, rainy and cool seasons. The three robes are still solemnly changed at the beginning of each season.
This duty has traditionally been performed by the king, though in recent years the crown prince has presided over the
ceremony.
TEMPLE ETIQUETTE
Wats are sacred places and should be treated with respect. At all wats you must remove your shoes as you enter if you
see empty shoes scattered around a doorway or threshold, this is your cue. At some temples, and especially at Wat Phra
Kaew and the Grand Palace grounds, dress rules are strictly enforced. If youre wearing shorts or a sleeveless shirt you will
not be allowed into the temple grounds this applies to men and women. Long skirts and three-quarter length pants
are not appropriate, either. If youre flashing a bit too much calf or ankle, expect to be shown into a dressing room and
issued with a sarong. Once suitably attired, youll be allowed in. For walking in the courtyard areas you are supposed
to wear shoes with closed heels and toes. Sandals and thongs (flip-flops) are not permitted, though the guards are less
zealous in their enforcement of this rule.
STONE COLD STARE: WAT PHOS ROCK GIANTS
Aside from monks and sightseers, Wat Pho is filled with an altogether stiffer crowd; dozens of giants and figurines carved
from granite. The rock giants first arrived in Thailand as ballast aboard Chinese junks and were put to work in Wat Pho
(and other wats, including Wat Suthat), guarding the entrances of temple gates and courtyards.
Look closely and youll see an array of Chinese characters. The giants with bulging eyes and Chinese opera costumes
were inspired by warrior noblemen and are called Lan Than; notice their swords tucked behind their ornate robes. The
political nobleman wears his hair and moustache below his shoulders and carries a scroll in one hand; his long cloak
indicates that he is a member of the aristocracy. The figure in a straw hat is a farmer, forever interrupted during his days
work cultivating the fields. And can you recognise the guy in the fedora-like hat with a trimmed beard and moustache?
Marco Polo, of course, who introduced such European styles to the Chinese court.
58 59
resistance from residents, and many hope
that this is one of the many Bangkok pipe
dreams that ultimately gets smoked. But
with Bangkoks love of reinvention, it is
better to savour its few remaining medieval
corners while they last.
NATIONAL GALLERY Map p56
.....
%0 2282 2639; Th Chao Fa; admission 30B;
h9am-4pm Wed-Sun; fTha Phra Athit (N13),
gair-con 508, 511 & 512, ordinary 47 & 53
Housed in a weather-worn early Ratana-
kosin-era building just north of Sanam
Luang, the National Gallery displays tradi-
tional and contemporary art, mostly by art-
ists receiving government support. Secular
art is a fairly new concept in Thailand and
some of the countrys best examples of fine
art reside in temples rather than galleries.
Most of the permanent collection docu-
ments Thailands homage to modern styles.
One noteworthy exception is the Musical
Rhythm sculpture, by Khien Yimsiri, which
is considered one of the most remarkable
fusions of Western and Thai styles of the
mid-20th century. More uniquely Thai
expressions can be seen in the rotating
exhibitions by young artists. The general
opinion is that this gallery is not Thailands
best, but with air-conditioning and its his-
toric setting it is a quiet place to escape the
crowds and the sun. A weekend art market,
set up in the museum courtyard, is acces-
sible without having to pay admission.
NATIONAL MUSEUM Map p56
r..-......
%0 2224 1402; www.thailandmuseum.com; Th Na
Phra That; admission 50B; h9am-4pm Wed-Sun;
gair-con 508, 511 & 512, ordinary 12, 47 & 53;
fTha Chang (N9)
Thailands National Museum is the larg-
est museum in Southeast Asia and covers
a broad range of subjects, from historical
surveys to religious sculpture displays.
The buildings were originally constructed
in 1782 as the palace of Rama Is viceroy,
Prince Wang Na. Rama V turned it into a
museum in 1884.
The history wing presents a succinct
chronology of events and figures from the
prehistoric, Sukhothai, Ayuthaya and Bang-
kok eras. Despite the corny dioramas, there
are some real treasures here: look for King
Ramakamhaengs inscribed stone pillar (the
oldest record of Thai writing), King Taksins
throne and the Rama V section.
The other parts of the museum arent
as well presented, but this might be part
of the charm. Dimly lit rooms, ranging in
temperature from lukewarm to boiling,
offer an attic-like collection of Thai art and
handicrafts.
In the central exhibits hall, there are
collections of traditional musical instru-
ments from Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and
Indonesia, as well as ceramics, clothing
and textiles, woodcarving, royal regalia,
and Chinese art and weaponry. The art and
artefact buildings cover every Southeast
Asian art period and style, from Dvaravati
to Ratanakosin. The collection is impressive
but hard to digest due to poor signage and
sheer volume.
The museum grounds also contain the
restored Phutthaisawan (Buddhaisawan) Chapel.
Inside the chapel (built in 1795) are some
well-preserved original murals and one of
the countrys most revered Buddha images,
Phra Phuttha Sihing. Legend claims the
image came from Ceylon, but art historians
attribute it to the 13th-century Sukhothai
period.
The museum runs (highly recom-
mended) free tours in English and French
on Wednesday and Thursday, Japanese
on Wednesday and German on Thursday.
All tours start from the ticket pavilion at
9.30am.
SANAM LUANG Map p56
......
Bounded by Th Na Phra That, Ratchadamnoen Nai
& Na Phra Lan; gair-con 503, 508, 511 & 512,
ordinary 15, 47, 53 & 59, fTha Chang (N9)
On a hot day, Sanam Luang (Royal Field) is
far from charming a shadeless expanse
of dying grass ringed by flocks of pigeons
and homeless people. Despite its shabby
appearance, however, it has been at the
centre of both royal ceremony and politi-
cal upheaval since Bangkok was founded.
Indeed, the yellow-shirted masses who
protested for months before Thaksin Shina-
watra was ousted in a coup dtat often
used this field to air their grievances.
Less dramatic events staged here include
the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony, in
which the king (or more recently the crown
prince) officially initiates the rice-growing
season ( p13 ). After the rains, the kite-flying
season (mid-February to April) sees the
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open space filled with butterfly-shaped
Thai kites. Matches are held between teams
flying either a male or female kite in a
particular territory; points are won if they
can force a competitor into their zone.
Large funeral pyres are constructed here
during elaborate, but infrequent, royal
cremations.
In a way the park is suffering a career
crisis, having lost most of its full-time
employment to other locales or the whims
of fashion. Until 1982 Bangkoks famous
Weekend Market was regularly held here
(its now at Chatuchak Park; see p140 ). Previ-
ously the wealthy came here for imported
leisure sports; these days they head for the
country club. Today the cool mornings and
evenings still attract a health-conscious
crowd of joggers, walkers and groups
playing tkrw. If you fancy a big-crowd
experience, Sanam Luang draws the masses
in December for the Kings Birthday (5 De-
cember), Constitution Day (10 December)
and New Year.
Across Th Ratchadamnoen to the east
is the statue of Mae Thorani, the earth god-
dess (borrowed from Hindu mythologys
Dharani), which stands in a white pavilion.
Erected in the late 19th century by Rama V,
the statue was originally attached to a well
that provided drinking water to the public.
SARANROM ROYAL GARDEN
Map p56
.....
Btwn Th Ratchini & Charoen Krung; h5am-9pm;
fTha Tien (N8), gair-con 503, 508 & 512,
ordinary 12, 25 & 53
Easily mistaken for a European public
garden, this Victorian-era green space was
originally designed as a royal residence
in the time of Rama IV (King Mongkut; r
185168). After Rama VII abdicated in 1935,
the palace served as the headquarters of
the Peoples Party, the political organisa-
tion that orchestrated the handover of the
government. The open space remained and
in 1960 was opened to the public.
Today a wander through the garden
reveals a Victorian gazebo, paths lined with
frangipani and a moat around a marble
monument built in honour of Rama Vs
wife, Queen Sunantha, who died in a boat-
ing accident. The queen was on her way
to Bang Pa-In Summer Palace in Ayuthaya
when her boat began to sink. The custom
at the time was that commoners were for-
bidden to touch royalty, which prevented
her attendants saving her from drowning.
The satellite corners of the park are filled
with weightlifting equipment where a
tk-tk driver might do some leg crunches
in between telling tourists that the sights
they are looking for have closed. As the day
cools various aerobics and dance classes
practise their synchronisation.
SILPAKORN UNIVERSITY Map p56
......
%0 2623 6115; www.su.ac.th; 31 Th Na Phra Lan;
fTha Chang (N9), gair-con 508 & 512, ordinary
47 & 53
Thailands universities arent usually re-
positories for interesting architecture, but
the countrys premier art school breaks the
mould. Partly housed in a former palace,
the classical buildings form the charming
nucleus of what was an early Thai aristo-
cratic enclave and the traditional artistic
temperament still survives. The building
immediately facing the Th Na Phra Lan gate
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FOR CHILDREN
Aside from the play centres found on the top floors of
several major shopping centres, Bangkok has plenty to
keep kids amused (at least until they're exhausted by
the heat).


Tha Thewet (Map p79 ; Th Krung Kasem; h7am-
7pm) Join the novice monks and Thai children as
they throw food (bought on the pier) to thousands
of flapping fish.


Wat Prayoon (Map p84 ; 24 Th Prachathipok, cnr
Thetsaban Soi 1; h8am-6pm; f from Tha Pak
Talat/Atsadang) This artificial hill beside the
Memorial Bridge is cluttered with miniature
shrines and a winding path that encircles a pond
full of turtles.


Childrens Discovery Museum ( p123 ) Fun, and
they might learn something too.


Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (Snake
Farm; p107 ) Cool snake shows and a chance to
touch some cool snake skin.


Lingam Shrine ( p101 ) Face it, your kids are prob-
ably going to love this stand of giant stone and
wooden phalluses.


Theme parks ( p248 ) There are plenty to choose
from.
60 61
was once part of a palace and now houses
the Silpakorn University Art Centre (Map p56 ; %0
2218 2965; www.art-centre.su.ac.th; h9am-7pm
Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat), which showcases faculty
and student exhibitions. To the right of
the building is a shady sculpture garden
displaying the work of Corrado Feroci
(also known as Silpa Bhirasri), the Italian
art professor and sculptor who came to
Thailand at royal request in the 1920s and
later established the university (which is
named after him) and sculpted parts of the
Democracy Monument ( p73 ), among other
works.
Not surprisingly, the campus has an arty,
contemporary vibe and is a good place to
sit and watch sketchers doing their thing.
Stop by the Art Shop beside the gallery for
unique postcards and books.
THAMMASAT UNIVERSITY Map p56
...r....
%0 2221 6111; www.tu.ac.th; 2 Th Phra Chan;
fTha Chang (N9), gair-con 508, 511 & 512,
ordinary 47 & 53
Much of the drama that followed Thailands
transition from monarchy to democracy has
unfolded on this quiet riverside campus.
Thammasat University was established in
1934, two years after the bloodless coup
that deposed the monarchy. Its remit was
to instruct students in law and political
economy, considered to be the intellectual
necessities for an educated democracy.
The university was founded by Dr Pridi
Phanomyong, whose statue stands in Pridi
Ct at the centre of the campus. Pridi was the
leader of the civilian Peoples Party that suc-
cessfully advocated a constitutional mon-
archy during the 1920s and 30s. He went
on to serve in various ministries, organised
the Seri Thai movement (a Thai resistance
campaign against the Japanese during
WWII) and was ultimately forced into exile
when the postwar government was seized
by a military dictatorship in 1947.
Pridi was unable to counter the dis-
mantling of democratic reforms, but the
university he established continued his
crusade. Thammasat was the hotbed of
prodemocracy activism during the student
uprising era of the 1970s. On 14 October
1973 (sp-si t-laa) 10,000 protesters con-
vened on the parade grounds beside the
universitys Memorial Building demanding
the government reinstate the constitution.
The military and police opened fire on the
crowd, killing 77 and wounding 857. The
massacre prompted the king to revoke
his support of the military rulers and for
a brief period a civilian government was
reinstated. Thammasat was the site of more
bloody protests on 6 October 1976 (hk
t-laa), when at least 46 students were shot
dead while rallying against the return from
exile of former dictator Field Marshal Than-
om Kittikachorn. A plaque on the parade
grounds commemorates these events.
Walk south from Th Phra Athit in
Banglamphu and youll go straight through
Thammasat, emerging at the south end
near Tha Chang pier.
WAT MAHATHAT Map p56
...r.
%0 2222 6011; Th Mahathat; admission by dona-
tion; h7am-6pm; fTha Chang (N9), gair-con
503, 508 & 512, ordinary 47 & 53
While other temples in the area claim all
the fame, Wat Mahathat goes about the
everyday business of a temple. Saffron-
robed monks file in and out of the white-
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washed gates, grandmas in their best silks
come to make merit, and world-weary soi
dogs haul themselves out of the shade in
search of food, if not nirvana.
Founded in the 1700s, Wat Mahathat is a
national centre for the Mahanikai monastic
sect and is home to the first of Bangkoks
two Buddhist universities, Mahathat Raja-
vidyalaya. The university is the most impor-
tant place of Buddhist learning in mainland
Southeast Asia the Lao, Vietnamese and
Cambodian governments send selected
monks to further their studies here.
Entered through the Thawornwathu
Building, Mahathat and the surrounding
area have developed into an informal
Thai cultural centre. The monastery of-
fers meditation instruction in English (see
p257 ).
Ko Ratanakosin Stroll
WALKING TOUR
Bangkoks most famous sites are cradled
in Ko Ratanakosin (Ratanakosin Island),
which owes its island status to the hand-dug
Khlong Banglamphu and Khlong Ong Ang
canals. When Rama I moved the capital from
Thonburi to here he had the canals enlarged
in an effort to re-create the island city of Ay-
uthaya (Thailands former capital, which was
sacked by the Burmese).
This circular walk starts at Tha Chang, ac-
cessible by Chao Phraya river ferries or, if
youre staying in Banglamphu, by an easy walk
from Th Phra Athit through Thammasat Uni-
versity. Its best to start this walk soon after
lunch, so you can be sure of seeing the palace
before it closes at 3.30pm. Alternatively, start
early and you can do this walk and the China-
town walk ( p86 ) in a single day.
1 Silpakorn University From the pier, file
east past the market towards Th Na Phra Lan.
On your left-hand side turn into Silpakorn Uni-
versity ( p61 ), Thailands first fine-arts university.
The campus includes part of an old Rama I
palace and an art gallery showing works by
students and professors.
2 Wat Mahathat Continue north through
the campus and left to get back to Th Maha-
rat. Turn right on Th Maharat and wander
past the blankets and tables displaying herbal
apothecaries and amulets. On your right is Wat
Mahathat ( opposite ), Thailands most respected
Buddhist university.
3 Amulet Market ( p129 ) Turn into the nar-
row alley immediately after Trok Mahathat to
the amulet market (p129), a warren of vendors sell-
ing phr khruang (religious amulets) repre-
senting various Hindu and Buddhist deities.
4 Food Vendors If youre hungry, snake your
way back to Th Maharat (or weave your way
north along the riverside part of the market)
and continue to the next alley, Trok Nakhon.
This leads past more amulet stalls and stores
selling graduation gowns, eventually coming to
food vendors, serving delicious Thai dishes.
5 Sanam Luang Take Th Phra Chan east
past Thammasat University to the vast open
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BANGKOK STREET SMARTS
Keep the following in mind and you wont join the list of tourists sucked in by Bangkoks numerous scam artists, and
will survive the traffic.


Good jewellery, gems and tailor shops arent found through a tk-tk driver.


Skip the 10B tk-tk ride unless you have the time and will-power to resist a heavy sales pitch in a tailor or gem
store.


Ignore helpful locals who tell you that tourist attractions and public transport are closed for a holiday or clean-
ing; its the beginning of a con, most likely a gem scam.


Dont expect any pedestrian rights; put a Bangkokian between you and any oncoming traffic, and yield to
anything with more metal than you.


Walk outside the tourist strip to hail a taxi that will use the meter tell the driver meter. If the driver refuses to
put the meter on, get out.
WALK FACTS
Start Tha Chang (river ferry, N9)
End Tha Tien (river ferry, N8)
Distance 4.6km to 5.7km
Duration 3 to six hours, depending on how much
time you spend looking, eating, drinking and getting
massaged
Fuel Stops Rub Aroon ( p154 ), the Deck ( p154 ) and
the Trok Nakhon food vendors
START
END
0 200 m
0 0.1 miles
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Wat Arun
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Phahurat
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Saranrom
Royal
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KO RATANAKOSIN
STROLL
62 63
royal field of Sanam Luang ( p60 ). Turn right along
Th Na Phra That and walk to the end.
6 & 7 Wat Phra Kaew & Grand Palace
Cross Th Na Phra Lan and turn left to the
official tourist entrance to Thailands holi-
est temple, Wat Phra Kaew, and the formal royal
residence, the Grand Palace ( p55 ). All visitors to
the palace and temple grounds must be ap-
propriately attired; see p59 for details.
8 Lak Meuang Exiting via the same gate,
take a right and cross Th Ratchadamnoen Nai
to reach Lak Meuang (City Pillar; p58 ), a shrine to
Bangkoks city spirit and the foundation stone
embodying the citys guardian deity. This
shrine is one of Bangkoks most important
sites of animistic worship; watch as believers
offer flowers, incense, fruit and even the odd
bottle of fiery local whisky.
9 Wat Pho From Lak Meuang, follow Th
Sanam Chai beside the white palace wall until
you come to Th Chetuphon (the second street
on your right after the palace walls end, ap-
proximately 600m from the pillar). Turn right
onto Th Chetuphon and enter Wat Pho ( p57 )
through the second portico. Meander through
the grounds on your way to the massive Re-
clining Buddha.
Options, options Okay, so now you have
to decide. Depending on the time, levels of
interest, energy, hunger and thirst and how
many litres of sweat youve already lost today
you can finish your walk in various ways. Get
your timing right and you can do some or all
of these and still watch the sun set behind Wat
Arun with a cold drink and a freshly de-knot-
ted body. Remember that the last ferry leaves
Tha Tien soon after 7pm, and taxis around
here are notorious for refusing to put the meter
on if you need one, insist on the meter.
10 Deck Exit beside the Reclining Buddha,
turn left on Th Maharat and then right at Th
Soi Pratu Nok Yung. Walk past the old Chi-
nese godowns to the end of the soi and the Deck
( p154 ), a restaurant with spectacular views of
the river and Wat Arun. The upstairs bar here
is easily the best place to finish this tour, but
unfortunately it doesnt open until 6pm.
11 Rub Aroon Exit beside the Reclining
Buddha, turn left on Th Maharat and settle
into Rub Aroon ( p154 ), a friendly caf serving Thai
standards and fresh fruit drinks.
12 Wat Arun Exit beside the Reclining Bud-
dha, walk to Tha Tien (N8) and take the regu-
lar cross-river ferry to Wat Arun (p65) to see its
striking Hindu-Khmer stupa.
13 Get a massage Wat Pho (see stop 9) is
the national repository for traditional massage
and offers massages on the wat grounds (no
air-con) and at the nearby training school ( p197 ).
A thoroughly sensible choice, and its very
conveniently open until 6pm.
THONBURI
Thonburi has lived in the shadow of Bangkok
for more than 200 years and is today a not
entirely fashionable suburb of the capital. Fash-
ion, of course, is a subjective thing. There arent
that many raised freeways, expensive cars or
modern transportation systems on this side of
Mae Nam Chao Phraya. Instead Thonburi re-
tains enough of the traditional transport corri-
dors the khlong that once caused Bangkok to
be known as the Venice of the East and Thais
to call themselves jo nam (water lords)
to give it a decidedly different feel. A day ex-
ploring them is likely to be one of the most
memorable of your stay in the Thai capital.
The network of canals and river tributaries
still carries a motley fleet of watercraft, from
paddled canoes to rice barges. Homes, trading
houses and temples are built on stilts with front
doors opening out to the river. According to
residents, these waterways protect them from
the seasonal flooding that plagues the capital.
Khlong Bangkok Noi is lined with greenery
and historic temples, reaching deep into the
Bang Yai district, a brief five-minute ride from
the concrete entanglements of central Bangkok.
Khlong Bangkok Yai was in fact the original
course of the river until a canal was built to
expedite transits. Today the tributary sees a
steady stream of tourists on longtail boat tours
en route to floating markets, the Royal Barges
Museum ( opposite ) or Wat Intharam, where a
chedi contains the ashes of Thonburis King
Taksin, assassinated in 1782. Fine gold-and-
black lacquerwork adorning the main bt doors
depicts the mythical naariiphn tree, which
bears fruit shaped like beautiful maidens.
Most tourists meet only the river-facing
part of Thonburi between Khlong Bangkok
Noi and Khlong Bangkok Yai, directly across
from Ko Ratanakosin, leaving the interior
of the community predominantly Thai with
hardly an English sign or pestering tk-tk
driver in sight. As the river ferries ricochet
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from stop to stop, a steady stream of commut-
ers is shuttled to and from jobs in downtown
Bangkok, impatient for the Skytrain to be
extended to their dormitory community.
Two major bridges fuse the two banks to-
gether Saphan Phra Pin Klao and Saphan
Phra Phuttha Yot Fa (Memorial Bridge) and
husky cross-river ferries plod from one side to
another in stress-relieving slow motion. The
few major roads include those delivering pas-
sengers to the southern bus station. Thonburi
has two minor rail services: one departs from
Bangkok Noi (near Siriraj Hospital and about
900m from the Thonburi Railway ferry pier)
and trundles west to Kanchanaburi; the other
is a commuter line that goes from Wong Wian
Yai to the gulf coast suburbs (see p236 ).

WAT ARUN Map p56
...
%0 2891 1149; www.watarun.org; Th Arun
Amarin; admission 20B; h8am-6pm; ffrom Tha
Tien (N8) to Tha Thai Wang
The missile-shaped temple that rises from
the banks of the Mae Nam Chao Phraya
is known as Temple of Dawn and named
after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna. It was
here that, in the wake of the destruction
of Ayuthaya, King Taksin stumbled upon a
small shrine used by the local population
and interpreted the discovery as an auspi-
cious sign for building a new Thai capital.
King Taksin built a palace beside the shrine,
which is now part of Navy Headquarters,
and a royal temple that housed the Emer-
ald Buddha for 15 years before Taksin was
assassinated and the capital moved across
the royal river to Bangkok.
The central feature is the 82m-high
Khmer-style praang (spire), constructed
during the first half of the 19th century by
Rama II (King Buddha Loetla; r 180924)
and Rama III. From the river it is not appar-
ent that this corn-cob shaped steeple is
adorned with colourful floral murals made
of glazed porcelain, a common temple
ornamentation in the early Ratanakosin pe-
riod, when Chinese ships calling at Bangkok
used broken porcelain as ballast.
Also worth a look is the interior of the
bt. The main Buddha image is said to have
been designed by Rama II; you can judge his
artistic ability. The murals date to the reign
of Rama V; impressive is one that depicts
Prince Siddhartha (the Buddha) encounter-
ing examples of birth, old age, sickness and
death outside his palace walls, an experi-
ence that led him to abandon the worldly
life. The ashes of Rama II are interred in the
base of the bts presiding Buddha image.
On the periphery of the temple grounds
are simple wooden cut-outs of Thai danc-
ers, luring visitors to photograph each
other with their mugs above the figures
for an extra 40B.
Wat Arun is located directly across from
Wat Pho on the Thonburi side of the river. A
lot of people visit the wat on expensive river
tours, but its dead easy and more rewarding
to just jump on the 3.50B cross-river ferry
from Tha Tien. For our money, visiting Wat
Arun in the late afternoon is best, with the
sun shining from the west lighting up the
praang and the river behind it. Photogra-
phers or indeed anyone with a romantic
bone in their body can then take the ferry
back to Tha Tien, walk south for five minutes
and perch on a stool in the Amarosa Bar,
upstairs at the Deck ( p154 ) restaurant. Wat Arun
is directly across the river and there are few
sights in Bangkok as serene as watching
the sun sink below the horizon as the lights
on the praang come spectacularly up while
barges and ferries motor past in the twilight.
If you come earlier, consider taking a
stroll away from the river on Th Wang
Doem, a quiet tiled street of wooden
shophouses.
ROYAL BARGES NATIONAL MUSEUM
Map p56
...
%0 2424 0004; Khlong Bangkok Noi; admission
30B, still/video camera fee 100/200B; h9am-5pm;
ftourist shuttle boat from Tha Phra Athit (N13)
or Tha Saphan Phra Pin Klao (N12)
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TRANSPORT: THONBURI
Bus Air-con 507 and 509, ordinary 21, 42 and 82
Ferry A tour of Thonburi by longtail boat is fun and
easy, but for a more local experience thats also
much cheaper consider taking the public ferries.
Bang Yai-bound boats from Tha Chang leave every
30 minutes between 6am and 8am, every hour
from 9am to 3pm, and depart when the boat is full
between 3pm and 9pm. The main Chao Praya Ex-
press ferries stop at a few key Thonburi piers, most
notably Wang Lang (Siriraj, N10), Thonburi Railway
(N11) and Saphan Phra Pin Klao (N12). Several
cross-river ferries also connect to Bangkok piers.
64 65
Every foreign country has its famous reli-
gious monuments and museums, but how
many have their own fleet of royal boats on
display? As a former riverine culture, Thai-
land still maintains the royal barges, once
used daily by the royal family for outings
and events and now used only for grand
ceremonies.
The royal barges are slender like their
mainstream cousins, the longtail boats, and
are fantastically ornamented with religious
symbolism. The largest is more than 45m
long and requires a rowing crew of 50 men,
plus seven umbrella bearers, two helms-
men and two navigators, as well as a flag
bearer, rhythm keeper and chanter.
Suphannahong, or Golden Swan, is
the kings personal barge and is the most
important of the boats. Built on the orders
of Rama I after an earlier version had been
destroyed in the sacking of Ayuthaya,
this barge is made from a single piece of
timber, making it the largest dugout in
the world. Appropriately, a huge swans
head is carved into the bow. More recent
barges feature bows carved into other
Hindu-Buddhist mythological shapes such
as the seven-headed naga (sea dragon) and
Garuda (Vishnus bird mount).
To mark auspicious Buddhist calendar
years, the royal barges in all their finery set
sail during the royal kthn, the ceremony
that marks the end of the Buddhist retreat
(or phansa) in October or November.
During this ceremony, a barge procession
travels to the temples to offer new robes
to the monastic contingent and countless
Bangkokians descend on the river to watch.
The museum consists of sheds near the
mouth of Khlong Bangkok Noi. Getting
here is easiest by regular tourist boat from
N13 Tha Phra Athit, but is also possible on
foot from Saphan Phra Pin Klao (N12) river
ferry pier.
FORENSIC MEDICINE MUSEUM
Map p56
r..-.................
%0 2419 7000; 2nd fl, Forensic Medicine Bldg,
Siriraj Hospital; admission 40B; h9am-4pm Mon-
Sat; fTha Rot Fai ( Thonburi Railway Pier, N11) or
Tha Wang Lang ( Tha Siriraj, N10)
Pickled body parts, ingenious murder weap-
ons and other crime-scene evidence are on
display at this medical museum, intended
to educate rather than nauseate. Among
the grisly displays is the preserved cadaver
of Si Ouey, one of Thailands most prolific
and notorious serial killers who murdered
and then ate more than 30 children
in the 1950s. Despite being well and truly
dead (he was executed), today his name is
still used to scare misbehaving children into
submission: Behave yourself or Si Ouey will
come for you. There are another five dusty
museums on the hospital premises, all with
variations on the medical theme.
Given the huge construction project at
the northern edge of the hospital grounds,
the best way to get here is by express ferry
or cross-river ferry to Tha Wang Lang (Tha
Siriraj) in Thonburi, then walk north through
the hospital grounds almost to the end, turn
left and follow the signs; or just say Si Ouey
and youll be pointed in the right direction.
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WAT SAKET & GOLDEN MOUNT
Map pp689
......
%0 2223 4561; soi off Th Boriphat; admission to
summit of Golden Mount 10B; h7.30am-5.30pm;
gair-con 511 & 512, ordinary 2, fkhlong boat
to Tha Saphan Phan Fah
Before glass and steel towers began grow-
ing out of the flat monotony of Bangkoks
riverine plain, the massive Golden Mount
(Phu Khao Thong) was the only structure to
make any significant impression on the ho-
rizon. At the eastern entrance to Banglam-
phu, the mount was commissioned
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YOU, YOU, WHERE YOU GO?
A direct translation of a standard Thai inquiry Pai nai?,
the English phrase Where you go? will be hurled at
you by money-struck tk-tk and taxi drivers as if it
were a military interrogation. Despite that nagging
feeling of rudeness, you dont have to respond and the
best answer is to master the public transport system,
which is cheap and reliable, and wont steer you to
its cousins tailor shop. If that doesnt work, you can
always retaliate with a playground comeback like Ive
come to see you.
BANGLAMPHU
Eating p155 ; Shopping p130 ; Sleeping p203
Banglamphu is old Bangkok. Once an aristocratic and artistic enclave of teak houses and tended
gardens, here trees still outnumber high-rises, fashion comes from the market not the malls
and youre more likely to see monks than chauffeurs.
Most of the district is a mazelike circuit board of streets and two-storey shophouses, each deco-
rated with terracotta water gardens or potted plants and low-hanging shades that block out the sun.
During the Chinese New Year, merchants do a little spring cleaning. Workers scour pavements,
mop floors and polish neon signs. Once all the soap is rinsed away, the scene looks inexplicably
just like it did before. These shops sell ordinary items that fill wardrobes, utility closets and kitchen
pantries in a typical Thai home.
But the most famous draw is Th Khao San,
the backpacker enclave of guesthouses and
amenities that has become the benchmark
by which backpacker ghettos are measured
the world over. These days ghetto is a little
bit harsh, as the lodgings increasingly cater
to flashpackers, and the lodgings themselves
have spread in a 1km radius from its name-
sake street. (For the Khao San story see p72 .)
Long before Banglamphu landed on travel-
lers itineraries, this was the original residen-
tial district for farmers and produce merchants
from Ayuthaya who followed the transfer of
the royal court to Bangkok in the late 18th
century. The name means Place of Lamphu,
a reference to the lamphuu tree (Duabanga
grandiflora) that was once prevalent in the
area. By the time of King Rama IV, Banglam-
phu had developed into a thriving commercial
district by day and an entertainment spot by
night, a role it continues to fulfil today.
Banglamphu spreads from the river north of Th Phra Pin Klao and eventually melts into
Dusit and Thewet beyond Khlong Padum Kaseng. The royal boulevard of Th Ratchadamnoen
Klang (royal passage), suitably adorned with billboard-sized pictures of the king, queen and
other royal family members, links the Grand Palace in Ko Ratanakosin with the new palace in
Dusit. This central section of the royal road is lined by identical Art Decoinfluenced low-rise
buildings that were built in the early 1940s to house the administration of the new democratic
Thailand. Plans to upgrade them and make Th Ratchadamnoen Klang a cultural promenade
documenting Thailands transition to democracy have stalled, with only King Prajadhipok Museum
( p73 ) and the long-established Queens Gallery ( p192 ) currently welcoming visitors. Running south
from Th Ratchadamnoen Klang is Th Tanao, one of Bangkoks most famous food streets.
Running parallel to the river to the west of Th Khao San, Th Phra Athit is known as the avenue of
mansions built to house Thai nobility during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Among the most
splendidly restored Ratanakosin-era buildings is Ban Phra Athit (201/1 Th Phra Athit), which once belonged
to Chao Phraya Vorapongpipat, finance minister during the reigns of Rama V, VI and VII. It now
belongs to a private company, but a coffee shop within the grounds is open to the public.
BANGLAMPHU


Th Khao San ( p72 ) Soak up the atmosphere in this
backpacker mecca thats unlike any other place on
earth (or beyond).


Wat Saket & Golden Mount ( left ) Take in the
panoramic views and divine your future on this
artificial mount.


Chote Chitr ( p155 ) Taste genuine Bangkok-style
food especially the mi krwp (sweet-and-spicy
crispy fried noodles).


Taksura ( p177 ) Join the Thai artsy crowd in this old
mansion-cum-bar.


Wat Suthat ( p71 ) Sit and gaze at the huge Buddha
and sky-high murals in this peaceful temple.
66 67
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N9 Tha
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(Banglamphu)
Banglamphu
Market
Boonsiri
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National
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Th Khao
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Banglamphu
Phra
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Ko Ratanakosin
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See Ko Ratanakosin
& Thonburi
Map p56
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Map p79
68 69
by Rama III. He ordered that the earth that
was dug out to create Bangkoks expand-
ing khlong network be piled up to build an
enormous, 100m-high, 500m-wide chedi. As
the hill grew, however, the weight became
too much for the soft soil beneath and the
project was abandoned until Rama IV built
a small gilded chedi on its crest and added
trees to stave off erosion. Rama V later
added to the structure and interred a
Buddha relic from India (given to him
by the British government) in the chedi.
The concrete walls were added during
WWII.
Today serpentine steps wind through
gnarled trees, past small tombstones and
up to two platforms that afford pano-
ramic views across the city. At the top-
most level Thais pray to a central Buddha
shrine and test their fortune at a shrine
to the Chinese goddess of mercy, Kuan
Im. Make a small donation then shake
the numbered siem see sticks until one
falls to the floor. The piece of paper with
the corresponding number gives a no-
nonsense appraisal of your future in Thai,
English and Chinese. Its a fun diversion,
but hopefully you receive a more positive
prognosis than ours, which included, Lost
items could never be recovered. Illness
condition unfavourable. No lucks. Should
be careful. Well, great! At least we now
know that: Forthcoming child shall be
baby girl. When Thais are the subject of
such a dire forecast (ahm, try not to shake
out stick number 10) they burn it on the
spot (the fortune, not the stick), or at least
leave it at the temple.
If your fortune is so disturbing you feel
the need to seek assistance from a higher
power, its comforting to know that peace-
ful Wat Saket is just next door. In November
the grounds host a festival that includes an
enchanting candlelight procession up the
Golden Mount, and a similar procession is
held at Makha Bucha in February.
MAHAKAN FORT Map pp689
...
Th Ratchadamnoen Klang; h8.30am-6pm; gair-
con 511 & 512, ordinary 2, fkhlong boat to Tha
Saphan Phan Fah
The area around white-washed Mahakan
Fort, one of two surviving citadels that
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defended the old walled city, has recently
been converted into a small park over-
looking Khlong Ong Ang. The octagonal
fort is a picturesque stop en route to
Golden Mount, but the story of its con-
version is probably more interesting. For
more than 13 years the community of 55
simple wooden houses that surrounded
the fort fought for its survival against the
Bangkok municipal government, which
wanted to demolished it in order to create
a tourist park, the modern term for urban
renewal. The community blocked progress
and even proposed the development of
another tourist attraction: a l-keh museum
honouring the dance tradition that traces
its creation to a school located here in
1897. Some of the homes were demol-
ished, resulting in the park you see today.
But behind the fort others remain, and
just before we went to print residents, city
authorities and tourism authorities were
still arguing about the creation (or not) of
a living museum.
MONKS BOWL VILLAGE Map pp689
..
Soi Ban Baat, Th Boriphat; gordinary 12 & 42,
fkhlong boat to Tha Saphan Phan Fah
This is the only remaining village of three
established in Bangkok by Rama I for the
purpose of handcrafting bat (monks
bowls), the ceremonial bowls used to col-
lect alms from the faithful every morning.
As cheaper factory-made bowls are now
the norm, the artisanal tradition has shrunk
to about half a dozen families. You can
usually observe the process of hammering
the bowls together from eight separate
pieces of steel said to represent Buddhisms
Eightfold Path. The joints are then fused
with melted copper wire, and the bowl is
beaten, polished and (usually) coated with
several layers of black lacquer. A typical
bat-smiths output is one large bowl per
day; more for smaller bowls.
The alms bowls are sold for between
600B and 2000B and make great souvenirs.
But the village itself is just as interesting.
When we visited, an elderly woman in-
tercepted us just nanoseconds after wed
walked into the soi and quickly ushered us
through her living room, and out the back
door down a series of tiny lanes populated
by kids, sleeping cats and cockroaches,
and delivered us to one of the bowl mak-
ers, who showed us his bowls and others
making them. Competition is certainly
keen for your tourist baht, but you
wouldnt call it touristy. More a raw, poor
Bangkok community, and a chance for you
to experience that side of life and maybe
buy a bowl. To find the village, walk south
on Th Boriphat, south of Th Bamrung
Meuang, then follow the signs into narrow
Soi Ban Baat.

WAT SUTHAT Map pp689
.....
%0 2224 9845; Th Botphram; admission 20B;
h8.30am-9pm; gordinary 12 & 42, fkhlong
boat to Tha Saphan Phan Fah
Wat Suthats truly remarkable Buddha
image, acres of colourful murals and dur-
ing most of the year relative tranquillity
make it arguably the most attractive of all
of Bangkoks Buddhist temples. The main
attraction is Thailands largest whan (main
chapel). Set inside a large cloister that is
itself lined with gilded Buddha images, it
houses the 8m-high Phra Si Sakayamuni,
Thailands largest surviving Sukhothai-pe-
riod bronze, a serene-looking gilded mas-
terpiece that was cast in the former capital
in the 14th century. In 1808 it was retrieved
from Sukhothai and floated on a barge
down Mae Nam Chao Phraya to be installed
in this temple and serve as both the centre
of Bangkok and a representation of Mt
Meru, the mythical centre of the universe.
Today the ashes of Rama VIII (King Ananda
Mahidol, the current kings older brother; r
193546) are contained in the base of the
image.
The colourful, if now somewhat faded,
Jataka (murals depicting scenes from the
Buddhas life) cover every wall and pillar;
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& NIGHTLIFE
DRINKING
(pp6777)
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29
31
32
30
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60
61
62
63
64
(pp17385)
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(pp20121)
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(pp14372)
SLEEPING
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51
(pp18893)
54
2
1
INFORMATION
4
3
6
5
7
9
8
EATING
11
13
12
18
17
16
15
14
10
SIGHTS
21
22
20
19
(pp12741)
25
24
23
ENTERTAINMENT
27
28
& THE ARTS
26
SHOPPING
Shop......................................
E4
G4
C3
E3
D3
D6
C1
Caf Democ..............................
Gazebo.....................................
Queen's Gallery.......................
D3
D3
D3
D3
D4
D3
C3
D3
D3
D3
D4
D3
C2
E2
D4
F2
D3
C1
E4
C2
D2
D5
G5
D5
D4
C1
E3
D1
C2
Bua Sa-ad.................................
Buddy Bar...............................(see 71)
deep.........................................
Hippie de Bar............................
Lava Club.................................
Molly Bar..................................
Phranakorn Bar.........................
Roof Bar...................................
Sa-Ke Coffee Pub.....................
Shamrock Irish Pub...................
Silk Bar.....................................
Susie Pub..................................
Taksura....................................
Boworn BB................................
Buddy Lodge............................
Erawan House...........................
F3
C2
B2
G4
F3
D3
F2
C4
C3
D3
D1
D3
D2
D3
C3
C1
D3
D3
G5
D2
Lamphu House.........................
Lamphu Treehouse....................
New Siam Riverside...................
Old Bangkok Inn......................
Prakorp's House........................
Prasuri Guest House..................
Rikka Inn..................................
Roof View Place........................
Royal Hotel...............................
Shambara.................................
Viengtai Hotel..........................
Villa Guest House.....................
E3
E1
Chana Songkhram
Bangkok Bank..............................
Banglamphu Post Office..............
E3
C3
H3
D2
F4
G4
G5
G6
E4
C1
F6
H2
F6
E2
E5
G4
Ratchadamnoen Stadium............
Velo Thailand............................
Thewa Sathaan.........................
Sao Ching-Cha..........................
Saan Jao Phitsanu.....................
Phra Sumen Fort.......................
October 14 Memorial...............
Monk's Bowl Village.................
Mahakan Fort..........................
King Prajadhipok Museum..........
Golden Mount............................
Democracy Monument...............
TAT Information Compound......
Siam Commercial Bank...............
Post Office..................................
Police Station............................
F4
E3
E6
G5
E5
D2
C3
E4
D3
F3
Saraban....................................
Rim Khob Fah Bookstore...........
Passport....................................
Nittaya Curry Shop...................
It's Happened To Be A Closet...
Charoen Chaikarnchang
Wat Suthat...............................
Wat Saket................................
Wat Ratchanatda......................
Wat Bowonniwet......................
Shaman Bookstore....................
Shaman Bookstore....................
Suksit Siam...............................
Taekee Taekon..........................
Thai Nakorn..............................
Thalon Khao San Market..........
Ann's Sweet..............................
Arroi.........................................
Baan Phra Arthit.......................
Caf Primavera.........................
Chote Chitr..............................
Hemlock...................................
It's Happened To Be A Closet..(see 24)
Jay Fai......................................
Kaiyang Boran..........................
Kim Leng..................................
Krua Noppharat........................
May Kaidee...............................
May Kaidee..............................
May Kaidee's Vegetarian Thai
Cooking School..................(see 46)
Oh My Cod!.............................
Pan...........................................
Ranee's Guesthouse..................
Roti-Mataba..............................
Scoozi.......................................
Shoshana..................................
Thip Samai...............................
Ad Here the 13th.....................
Brick Bar.................................(see 71)
BANGLAMPHU
TRANSPORT: BANGLAMPHU
Bus Air-con 511 and 512, ordinary 3, 15, 32 and 53
Ferry Tha Phra Athit (aka Tha Banglamphu)
Khlong boat Pier at Th Lan Luang and Th Ratchad-
amnoen Klang
From Banglamphu to anywhere by road can be a
traffic nightmare, so using the river ferry (for China-
town, riverside and the Skytrain at Central Pier)
is both fast and much more fun. For the shopping
megaplexes around Siam Sq, walk to Tha Saphan
Phan Fah and take a khlong boat. For the royal
sights of Ko Ratanakosin, its easiest to just walk.
70 71
see how many crabs (or crab claws) you
can find, and not just in the murals. The
deep-relief wooden doors are also impres-
sive and were carved by artisans including
Rama II himself.
Behind the whan, and accessed via a
separate entrance on Th Burapha, the ordi-
nation hall is the largest in the country. Wat
Suthat holds the rank of Rachavoramahavi-
han, the highest royal temple grade, and
maintains a special place in the national
religion because of its association with the
Brahman priests who perform important
ceremonies, such as the Royal Ploughing
Ceremony ( p13 ) in May. These priests also
perform religious rites at two Hindu shrines
near the wat the Thewa Sathaan (Devi
Mandir) on Th Siri Phong, and the smaller
Saan Jao Phitsanu (Vishnu Shrine) on Th Din
So. The former shrine contains images of
Shiva and Ganesha while the latter shrine is
dedicated to Vishnu.
SAO CHING-CHA Map pp689
...
%0 2222 6951; Th Botphram, btwn Th Tri Thong &
Th Burapha; gordinary 12, 42, fkhlong boat to
Tha Saphan Phan Fah
It is easy to forget the powers of the Brah-
mans in Thai Buddhism, unless you happen
upon the giant red poles of Sao Ching-
Cha (the Giant Swing). During the second
lunar month (usually in January), Brahman
beliefs dictate that Shiva comes down to
earth for a 10-day residence and should
be welcomed by great ceremonies (and
apparently great degrees of daring) includ-
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ing the acrobatics of the Great Swing. The
ceremony saw the brave or foolish swing in
ever-higher arcs in an effort to reach a bag
of gold suspended from a 15m bamboo
pole.
The Brahmans enjoyed a mystical posi-
tion within the royal court, primarily in
the coronation rituals. But after the 1932
revolution the Brahmans waning power
was effectively terminated and the festival,
including the swinging, was discontinued
during the reign of Rama VII.
Sao Ching-Cha is two long blocks south
of the Democracy Monument and outside
Wat Suthat. Despite no longer being used,
the Giant Swing was recently replaced with
a newer model, made from six giant teak
logs. The original is kept at the National
Museum.
DEMOCRACY MONUMENT Map pp689
...r`.
Traffic circle of Th Ratchadamnoen Klang & Th Din
So; gair-con 511 & 512, ordinary 2 & 82
The Democracy Monument is the focal
point of the grand, European-style boule-
vard that is Th Ratchadamnoen Klang.
It was designed by Thai architect Mew
Aphaiwong and the relief sculptures were
created by Italian Corrado Feroci who, as
Silpa Bhirasri, gives his name to Silpakorn
University. As the name suggests, it was
erected to commemorate Thailands mo-
mentous transformation from absolute to
constitutional monarchy. Feroci combined
the square-jawed heroes of socialism style
popular at the time with an Art Deco influ-
ence and a keen sense of relevant revolu-
tionary dates.
There were 75 cannonballs around the
base, to signify the year BE (Buddhist Era)
2475 (AD 1932). The four wings of the
monument stand 24m tall, representing 24
June, the day the constitution was signed,
and the central plinth stands 3m high (June
was then the third month in the Thai calen-
dar) and supports a chiselled constitution.
Each wing has bas-reliefs depicting soldiers,
police and civilians who helped usher in
the modern Thai state.
During the era of military dictatorships
demonstrators often assembled here to
call for a return to democracy, protests that
ended in violence and death on 17 May
1972 and 14 October 1973.
While youre in this area, if you head
north from the Democracy Monument
on Th Din So youll see many shophouses
that date to the reigns of Rama V (King
Chulalongkorn; r 18681910) and Rama VII
(King Prajadhipok; r 192535). As the entire
block to the northwest of the Democracy
Monument belongs to Wat Bowonniwet ( p74 ),
the shop owners pay rent directly to the
temple.
OCTOBER 14 MEMORIAL Map pp689
....+...
Th Ratchadamnoen Klang; gair-con 511 & 512,
ordinary 2 & 82
A peaceful amphitheatre commemorates
the civilian demonstrators who were killed
on 14 October 1973 by the military during
a prodemocracy rally. Over 200,000 people
assembled at the Democracy Monument
and along the length of Th Ratchadamnoen
to protest against the arrest of politi-
cal campaigners and continuing military
dictatorship. More than 70 demonstrators
were killed when the tanks met the crowd.
The complex is an interesting adaptation
of Thai temple architecture for a secular
and political purpose. A central chedi is
dedicated to the fallen and a gallery of
historic photographs lines the interior wall.
The stalled redevelopment of Th Ratchad-
amnoen Klang called for a museum to be
created in the underground portion of the
amphitheatre.
KING PRAJADHIPOK MUSEUM
Map pp689
r..-........
..
%0 2527 7830; www.kpi.ac.th/museum; 2 Th
Lan Luang; h9am-4pm Tue-Sun; admission 40B;
fkhlong boat to Tha Saphan Phan Fah, gair-
con 511 & 512, ordinary 2
A visit to a royal museum might sound
like a royal bore, but this collection uses
modern techniques to relate the rather
dramatic life of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII;
r 192535) and neatly documents Thai-
lands transition from absolute to consti-
tutional monarchy. As you wander among
the exhibits in the neocolonial-style former
administrative building, youll learn that
Prajadhipok did not expect to become king.
However, once on the throne he showed
considerable diplomacy in dealing with
what was, in effect, a revolution fomented
by a new intellectual class of Thais who had
returned home from European educations
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WHATS SO LONELY ABOUT THE KHAO SAN ROAD?
Thanon Khao San, better known as the Khao San Road, is genuinely unlike anywhere else on earth. Its an international
clearing house of people either entering the liberated state of travelling in Southeast Asia or returning to the coddling
bonds of first-world life, all together in a neon-lit melting pot in Banglamphu. Its uniqueness is probably best illustrated
with a question: apart from airports, where else could you share space with the citizens of dozens of countries at the
same time, people ranging from first-time backpackers scoffing banana pancakes to 75-year-old grandparents ordering
G&Ts, via hippies, trendies, squares, style queens, package tourists, global nomads, people on a weeks holiday and those
taking a gap year, people of every colour and creed looking at you looking at them looking at everyone else?
Th Khao San pronounced cow sarn and meaning uncooked rice is perhaps the most high-profile bastard child
of the age of independent travel. Of course, it hasnt always been this way. For its first two centuries or so it was just
another unremarkable road in old Bangkok. The first guesthouses appeared in 1982 and as more backpackers arrived
through the 80s, so one by one the old wooden homes were converted into low-rent dosshouses. By the time Alex
Garlands novel The Beach was published in 1997, with its opening scenes set in the seedier side of Khao San, staying
here had become a rite of passage for backpackers coming to Southeast Asia.
The publicity from Garlands book and the movie that followed pushed Khao San into the mainstream, romanticis-
ing the seedy and stereotyping as unwashed and counter-culture the backpackers it attracted. It also brought the
long-simmering debate about the relative merits of Th Khao San to the top of backpacker conversations across the
region. Was it cool to stay on KSR? Was it uncool? Was this real travel or just an international anywhere surviving on
the few baht Western backpackers spent before they headed home to start their high-earning careers? Was it really
Thailand at all?
Perhaps one of Garlands characters summed it up most memorably when he says: You know, Richard, one of these
days I'm going to find one of those Lonely Planet writers and Im going to ask him, what's so fucking lonely about the
Khoa San Road?
Today more than ever the answer would have to be: not that much. With the help of all that publicity Khao San con-
tinued to evolve, with bed-buginfested guesthouses replaced by boutique hotels, and downmarket TV bars showing
pirated movies transformed into hip design bars peopled by flashpackers in designer threads. But the most interesting
change has been in the way Thais see Khao San.
Once written off as home to cheap, dirty farng ki ngk (stingy foreigners), Banglamphu has become just about the
trendiest district in Bangkok. Attracted in part by the long-derided independent travellers and their modern ideas, the
citys own counter-culture kids have moved in and given the whole area a decidedly more hip feel. Indeed, Bangkoks
indie crowd has proved to be the Thai spice this melting pot always lacked.
Not that Khao San has moved completely away from its backpacker roots. The strip still anticipates every traveller
need: meals to soothe homesickness, cafs and bars for swapping travel tales about getting to the Cambodian border,
tailors, travel agents, teeth whitening, secondhand books, hair braiding and a new generation of Akha women trying
to harass everyone they see into buying wooden frogs.
72 73
with dreams of democracy. Prajadhipoks
reign eventually ended when he abdicated
while in England in 1935, just two months
after the sesquicentenary of the Chakri
dynasty.
PHRA SUMEN FORT &
SANTICHAIPRAKAN PARK Map pp689
........r.....
Cnr Th Phra Athit & Th Phra Sumen; h5am-10pm;
fTha Phra Athit, gordinary 15, 30 & 53
Beside Mae Nam Chao Phraya in Banglam-
phu stands one of Bangkoks original
18th-century forts. Built in 1783 to defend
against potential naval invasions and
named for the mythical Mt Meru (Phra
Sumen in Thai) of Hindu-Buddhist cosmol-
ogy, the octagonal brick-and-stucco bunker
was one of 14 city watchtowers that punc-
tuated the old city wall alongside Khlong
Rop Krung (now Khlong Banglamphu but
still called Khlong Rop Krung on most
signs). Apart from Mahakan Fort, this is the
only one still standing.
Alongside the fort and fronting the river
is a small, grassy park with an open-air
pavilion, river views, cool breezes and a
bohemian mix of alternative young Thais
and backpackers, the latter often wearing
fisherman pants and trying to learn the cur-
rent backpacking fad of twirling fire sticks.
Its an interesting place to sit, people-watch
and see what are said to be the last two
lamphu trees in Banglamphu.
From the park a walkway zigzags south
along the river and in some cases is
suspended right over it from the fort all
the way to Saphan Phra Pin Klao. Follow
this walk and along the way you can catch
glimpses of some of Th Phra Athits classic
old Ratanakosin-style mansions that are
not visible from the street, including those
housing parts of the Buddhist Society of
Thailand and the UNs Food & Agriculture
Organization.
WAT BOWONNIWET Map pp689
.......
%0 2281 2831; www.watbowon.org; Th Phra
Sumen; admission free; h8.30am-5pm; fTha
Phra Athit, gair-con 511
Founded in 1826, Wat Bowonniwet (com-
monly known as Wat Bowon) is the na-
tional headquarters for the Thammayut
monastic sect, a reformed version of Thai
Buddhism. The Thammayuts focused on
reinstating purer rituals (based on Mon tra-
ditions) and orthodox theology expunged
of folk beliefs. Rama IV, who set out to be
a scholar, not a king, founded the Tham-
mayuts and began the royal tradition of
ordination at this temple. In fact, Mongkut
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was the abbot of Wat Bowon for several
years. Rama IX (King Bhumibol; r 1946)
and Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, as well
as several other males in the royal family,
have been temporarily ordained as monks
here.
Bangkoks second Buddhist university,
Mahamakut University, is housed at Wat
Bowon. Selected monks are sent from India,
Nepal and Sri Lanka to study here. Because
of its royal status, visitors should be par-
ticularly careful to dress properly for admit-
tance to this wat shorts and sleeveless
clothing are not allowed.
WAT RATCHANATDA Map pp689
.....
%0 2224 8807; Th Mahachai; admission free;
h8am-5pm; gair-con 511 & 512, ordinary 2,
fkhlong boat to Tha Saphan Phan Fah
Across Th Mahachai from the Golden
Mount, this temple is most stunning at
night when the 37 spires of the all-metal
Loha Prasat (Metal Palace) are lit up like
a medieval birthday cake. Displaying Bur-
mese influences, it dates from the mid-19th
century and was built under Rama III in
honour of his granddaughter. The design is
said to derive from metal temples built in
India and Sri Lanka more than 2000 years
ago.
Behind the formal gardens is a well-
known market selling Buddhist phr
khruang in all sizes, shapes and styles.
The amulets feature images not only of the
Buddha, but also famous Thai monks and
Indian deities. Full Buddha images are also
for sale.
PHRA NAKHON MEANDER
Walking Tour
If the tourist buses and touting tk-tks
around the Ko Ratanakosin sights threaten
to do your head in, the more local feel of this
part of Banglamphu should be more appeal-
ing. The area south of Wat Saket combines
old wooden and terrace houses, parks, shops
selling religious paraphernalia aimed purely
at locals and a wat that will leave you wonder-
ing why no-one else is there. Begin at the Tha
Saphan Phan Fah khlong boat pier, or walk
from the Khao San area accommodation. If
you dont have much time and dont mind
sweating, you could follow this walk with the
Chinatown tour ( p86 ) or Ko Ratanakosin walk ( p63 ).
1 King Prajadhipok Museum Opposite
the khlong boat pier is the handsome, modern
King Prajadhipok Museum ( p73 ), whichdetails Thai-
lands turbulent pre-democracy years.
2 Golden Mount From the museum, cross
over Saphan Phan Fah to Golden Mount ( p67 ) for
a panoramic view of the city and a chance
to have your fortune foreseen: your trip to
Bangkok might have you discovering a mate
who could become a satisfactory match, but
then again, you might also like being dumb
and have to be careful. Chok dee! (Good
luck!)
3 Monks Bowl Village Leave the Golden
Mount and turn left (south) along Th
Boriphat, where youll walk past shops sell-
ing carved teak lintels and other decorations
for turning your apartment into a Thai res-
taurant. Cross Th Bamrung Meuang and turn
left at Soi Ban Baat to see (actually, its more
of an experience) Monks Bowl Village ( p71 ), the
artisan village of beaten steel bowls and life
amid atmospheric, eye-opening alleys.
4 Religious Shops Backtrack to Th Bam-
rung Meuang, turn left across the bridge and
go straight ahead. The religious shops on this
stretch, and others in the crescent-shaped area
of shophouses on the corner of Th Din So and
Bamrung Meuang, are where Bangkokians
come to buy the sort of goods needed in tem-
ples. These are primarily Buddha images of
all shapes and sizes, though usually only one
colour gold. Wealthy families make merit
by donating these items to their local temples.
Of course, you cant actually own a Buddha
image so technically these Buddhas are rented,
not sold. If youre lucky youll see a new Bud-
dha shipment arrive, the huge figures de-
livered aboard pick-ups, all wrapped up like
abductees in monks robes. Then begins the
touch-up process on their golden paint jobs,
and the wait for an adoption.
5 Sao Ching-Cha Continue to the spindly
red Sao Ching-Cha (Giant Swing; p72 ), a gatelike
structure that once hosted a death-defying (or
sometimes not) Brahmain spectacle.
6 Marble Sign To the right of the Giant
Swing is the Bangkok City Hall (BMA build-
ing), which is thoroughly unremarkable ex-
cept for the marble sign in front of the square
spelling out Bangkoks official Thai name; a
quirky photo-op recommended for travellers
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WHATS A WAT?
Bt A consecrated chapel where monastic ordinations are held.
Chedi (stupa) A large bell-shaped tower usually containing five structural elements symbolising (from bottom to
top) earth, water, fire, wind and void; relics of the Buddha or a Thai king are housed inside.
Praang A towering phallic spire of Khmer origin serving the same religious purpose as a chedi.
Wat Temple monastery.
Whaan The main sanctuary for the temples Buddha sculpture and where laypeople come to make their offerings.
Classic architecture typically has a three-tiered roof representing the triple gems, Buddha (the teacher), Dharma (the
teaching) and Brotherhood (the followers).
Buddha Images
Elongated earlobes, no evidence of bone or muscle, arms that reach to the knees, a third eye: these are some of the 32
rules, originating from 3rd-century India, that govern the depiction of Buddha in sculpture and denote his divine nature.
Other symbols to be aware of are the postures, which depict periods in the life of Buddha.
Sitting Teaching or meditating. If the right hand is pointed towards the earth, Buddha is shown subduing the
demons of desire. If the hands are folded in the lap, Buddha is meditating.
Reclining The exact moment of Buddhas passing into parinibbana (postdeath nirvana).
Standing Bestowing blessings or taming evil forces.
Walking Buddha after his return to earth from heaven.
74 75
with very wide-angle lenses. If youre hungry,
wander north on Th Din So to choose from
several long-established restaurants in old
shophouses.
7 Wat Suthat Passing the Giant Swing, turn
left into Wat Suthat ( p71 ), one of the biggest, holi-
est, most beautiful and most undertouristed
temples in Thailand.
8 Rommaninat Park Leave Wat Suthat via
the east entrance onto Th Burapha and turn
right (south). You can re-enter Wat Suthat to
see the Ordination Hall, or continue for a few
minutes and turn left into Rommaninat Park, a
pretty green space of fountains, walking paths,
piped music, sleeping people and soi dogs. On
the far side of the park is the Corrections Museum
(admission by donation; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri), a reha-
bilitated colonial building covering the parks
former career as a prison in the early 1900s.
Most displays are in Thai but the maintenance
staff and other hangers-on turn the tour into a
social event, giggling at the gruesome displays
of torture used in the good old days.
9 Khlong Exit the park at the southwest cor-
ner, cross the street and follow the small khlong
through the neighbourhood on Soi Long Tha,
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past fruit vendors, drying laundry, the neigh-
bourhood shrine, a newly renovated Chinese
temple and noodle and soup vendors. This is
what Bangkok looked like when the citys foot-
paths were riverbanks and, provided the khlong
isnt having one of its especially stinky days, this
is a good place to stop for a real local meal.
10 Shopfronts At Fuang Nakhon turn left
and then right on Soi Phra Si past the heavily
ornamented shopfronts decorated in a style often
referred to as Sino-Portuguese. In the early
20th century these buildings were the height of
fashion and sold new luxury goods, like motor
cars, to the modernising country. Today the
fashions have shifted to downtown malls and
the old buildings are either warehouses or offer
more mundane items like car parts.
11 Saphan Hok Cross Th Atsadang to
Saphan Hok, a simple lever bridge across
Khlong Lawt, the inner-city moat that cut
off royal Ko Ratanakosin from the plebeian
Bangkok. Small trading ships from Mon set-
tlements would dock near here on trading
missions.
12 Saranrom Royal Garden Enter the
Saranrom Royal Garden ( p61 ), a park favouring Eng-
lish Victorian gardens with tropical perfumes
and earnest exercisers.
13 Pak Khlong Market Exit near the foun-
tain to the old ministry buildings and turn left
on Th Sanam Chai all the way to Th Triphet
and Pak Khlong Market ( p132 ), Bangkoks wholesale
flower and vegetable market.
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WALK FACTS
Start Tha Saphan Phan Fah (khlong boat)
End Tha Saphan Phut (river ferry)
Distance 4km
Duration Two to three hours
Fuel Stops Khlong-side noodle shops and Thai restau-
rants on Th Din So
76 77
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Eating p157 ; Sleeping p207
Formerly a fruit orchard north of the royal
island of Ratanakosin, Dusit was transformed
into a mini-European city by Rama V (King
Chulalongkorn), complete with wide avenues
and shady walkways. The area begins east of
Th Samsen and follows Th Phitsanulok and
Th Sri Ayuthaya to the districts most famous
sites: Dusit Park ( p80 ), Dusit Zoo ( p81 ) and Wat Bencham-
abophit ( p81 ). Further east is the present mon-
archs residence of Chitralada Palace, which is
open to the public only by appointment and
with a good reason.
But for all the elegance of Dusit Park and
the European-style grandeur of its buildings
and boulevards, the district is hollow in spirit
precisely because this is Bangkok, not London
or Paris. You can walk for blocks without
spotting any of the things that make Bangkok
wonderful: street vendors, motorcycle taxis,
random stores selling random stuff. Or, as
Somerset Maugham put it when driving through Dusits streets in 1923, They seem to await cer-
emonies and procession. They are like the deserted avenues in the park of a fallen monarch.
Devotion to the venerated monarch is the primary purpose of an average Bangkokians visit
to Dusit. Many people come to make merit at the bronze equestrian statue of Rama V, which
stands in military garb at the Royal Plaza. Although originally intended as mere historical
commemoration, the statue has quite literally become a religious shrine, where every Tuesday
evening Bangkok residents come to offer candles, flowers (predominantly pink roses), incense
and bottles of whisky.
Rama V is also honoured with an annual festival on 23 October that celebrates his accom-
plishments in modernising the country, abolishing slavery and maintaining the countrys
independence when all other Southeast Asian countries were being colonised avoiding such
a fate is a matter of enormous pride to Thais. During this festival thousands of visitors converge
on the plaza, accompanied by cacophonous loudspeakers and attendant food vendors, briefly
disrupting Dusits aloofness with Bangkoks engaging chaos. For visitors accustomed to more
subdued places, Dusit and its well-maintained green spaces will provide a necessary break from
Bangkoks incessant noise. Dusit is also home to the prime ministers residence at Government
House (Map p79 ; Th Phitsanoluk), several ministries and the UNESCAP complex, the United Na-
tions vast Southeast Asian headquarters.
Cradled between Th Samsen and the river, the riverside section of the district is referred to
as Thewet, after the nearby temple, Wat Ratchathewet. Thewet shelters Thewet Flower Market (Map
p79 ; Th Krung Kasem; h8am-6pm), a popular flower market beside the khlong, and a refreshingly quiet
backpacker scene existing cheek-by-jowl with a lively wet market selling vegetables, meat, fish
and other sundries that makes a great local breakfast or lunch experience. In spite of the scores
or sometimes hundreds of backpackers staying here at any one time, the neighbourhood has
resisted the temptation to transform its businesses into the internet cafs, tattoo parlours, bars
or souvenir shops that usually pop up where travellers go. Instead vendors prefer the traditional
course of business with the Thais, allowing the foreigners to adjust to local customs. Largely a
residential neighbourhood, at rush hour Thewet is packed with uniform-clad residents climbing
aboard rickety buses for a sweaty commute to the office districts of Silom or Sukhumvit, while
Th Samsen is a near-continuous stream of rattletrap buses and screaming tk-tk.
Street stalls and food markets are most prolific near Thewet, but be sure to be well watered
and fed before venturing into food-free Dusit on foot.
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9
THEWET & DUSIT


Dusit Park ( p80 ) Witness the Victorian sense and
Thai sensibilities merging in this royal enclave.


Ratchadamnoen Stadium ( p199 ) Makes Steven
Seagal look soft as a pillow.


Kaloang Home Kitchen ( p157 ) Soak up the view
of the Saphan Rama VIII while chowing down on
cheap seafood.


Wat Benchamabophit ( p81 ) Does this Italian-
marble temple remind you of an ice palace?


Dusit Zoo ( p81 ) Where kids can stretch their legs
and imaginations.
78 79
DUSIT PARK Map p79
......
%0 2628 6300; bounded by Th Ratchawithi, Th U
Thong Nai & Th Ratchasima; admission adult 100B,
with Grand Palace ticket free; h9.30am-4pm;
g510 & 70, 72
Please note: because this is royal property,
visitors should wear long pants (no capri
pants) or long skirts and shirts with sleeves.
A modern country, King Chulalongkorn
pronounced, needed a modern seat of
government. And so the king moved the
royal court to Dusit, where he had built
Beaux Arts institutions and Victorian manor
houses. The royal residence was removed
from the cloistered city of Ko Ratanakosin
to the open and manicured lawns of Dusit
Park. Confectioneery buildings of Euro-
pean and Thai fusions housed members of
the royal family in a style that must have
seemed as futuristic as todays skyscrapers.
The maturing art of architecture has been
kind to the romantic Victorian period and
Dusit Park is a worthwhile escape from
Bangkoks chaos and egg-carton Bauhaus
and blue-glass buildings.
The highlight of the park is Vimanmek
Teak Mansion , said to be the worlds largest
golden teak mansion, built with nary a
single nail. For all of its finery, grand stair-
cases, octagonal rooms and lattice walls
that are nothing short of magnificent, it
is surprisingly serene and intimate. The
mansion was originally constructed on Ko
Si Chang in 1868 as a retreat for Rama V;
the king had it moved to its present site in
1901. For the following few years it served
as Rama Vs primary residence, with the
81 rooms accommodating his enormous
extended family. The interior of the man-
sion contains various personal effects of the
king and a treasure-trove of early Ratanako-
sin and European art objects and antiques.
Compulsory English-language tours of the
building start every 30 minutes and last an
hour, though its a lucky dip as to whether
your guide will actually speak decent
English or not. Try to time your visit to see
the Thai classical and folk dances staged in
an open-sided sala beside the mansion at
10.30am and 2pm.
Immediately behind Vimanmek mansion
is Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall. Visions of Moorish
palaces and Victorian mansions must have
still been spinning around in the kings
head when he commissioned this intricate
building of porticoes and fretwork fused
with a distinctive Thai character. Built as
the throne hall for the palace in 1904, it
opens onto a big stretch of lawn and flow-
erbeds, just like any important European
building.
Inside, the heavy ornamentation of the
white main room is quite extraordinary,
especially if youve been visiting a lot of
overwhelmingly gold temples or tradi-
tional wooden buildings. Look up to just
below the ceiling to see the line of brightly
coloured stained-glass panels in Moorish
patterns. The hall displays regional handi-
work crafted by members of the Promotion
of Supplementary Occupations & Related
Techniques (SUPPORT) charity founda-
tion sponsored by Queen Sirikit. Among
the exhibits are mt-mistyle (a form of
tie-dying) cotton and silk textiles, mlaeng
thp collages (made from metallic, multi-
coloured beetle wings), damascene and
nielloware, and yaan lphao basketry (made
with a type of vine).
Built in the early 1900s by Italian archi-
tects, the great neoclassical dome of the
Ananta Samakh anchors Royal Plaza. The
building is still used for its intended pur-
pose: hosting foreign dignitaries. Frescoes
on the gilded dome ceiling depict the
monarchs and the important works of the
early Chakri dynasty. The first meeting
of the Thai parliament was held in this
building before being moved to a facility
nearby.
Beside the Th U Thong Nai gate, the
Royal Elephant Museum ( opposite ) showcases
two large stables that once housed three
white elephants; its more interesting than
it sounds.
Near the Th Ratchawithi entrance, two
residence halls display the HM King Bhumibol
Photography Exhibitions, a collection of photo-
graphs and paintings by the present mon-
arch a man who even today is rarely seen
without a Canon SLR camera slung around
his neck. Among the many loving photos
of his wife and children are pictures of the
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king playing clarinet with Benny Goodman
and Louis Armstrong in 1960. The Ancient
Cloth Museum presents a beautiful collection
of traditional silks and cottons that make
up the royal cloth collection.
DUSIT ZOO Map p79
............
%0 2281 9027; www.zoothailand.org; Th Ratcha-
withi; adult/child 100/50B; h8am-6pm; gair-
con 510, ordinary 18 & 28
The collection of animals at Bangkoks
19-hectare zoo comprises more than 300
mammals, 200 reptiles and 800 birds,
including relatively rare indigenous spe-
cies. Originally a private botanic garden
for Rama V, Dusit Zoo (Suan Sat Dusit or
kho din) was opened in 1938 and is now
one of the premier zoological facilities in
Southeast Asia though that doesnt mean
all the animal enclosures are first-rate.
The shady grounds feature trees labelled
in English plus a lake in the centre with
paddle boats for rent. Theres also a small
childrens playground.
If nothing else, the zoo is a nice place
to get away from the noise of the city and
observe how the Thais amuse themselves
mainly by eating. There are a few lakeside
restaurants that serve good, inexpensive
Thai food. Be warned, Sundays can be aw-
fully crowded.
WAT BENCHAMABOPHIT Map p79
........
%0 2282 7413; cnr Th Si Ayuthaya & Th Phra
Ram V; admission 20B; h8.30am-5pm;
gordinary 72
The closest Thailand will come to an ice
palace, this temple of white Carrara marble
(hence its alternative name, Marble Tem-
ple) was built at the turn of the century
under Rama V. The large cruciform bt is a
prime example of modern Thai temple ar-
chitecture. The base of the central Buddha
image, a copy of Phra Phuttha Chinnarat in
Phitsanulok, holds the ashes of Rama V. The
courtyard behind the bt has 53 Buddha
images (33 originals and 20 copies) rep-
resenting every mudra (gesture) and style
from Thai history, making this the ideal
place to compare Buddhist iconography. If
religious details arent for you, this temple
offers a pleasant stroll beside landscaped
canals filled with blooming lotus and Chi-
nese-style footbridges.
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TRANSPORT: THEWET & DUSIT
Bus Air-con 505 and 510, ordinary 3, 16, 18, 32, 53,
70 and 72
Ferry Tha Thewet
With no Skytrain or Metro connections, peak hour
traffic gets very busy around here.
THE ORIGINAL WHITE ELEPHANTS
Think white elephant and things like Howard Hughes Spruce Goose wooden plane and the Millennium Dome/O2 Arena
in London come to mind. But why is it that these and other supposedly valuable, but hugely expensive and basically
useless items are known as white elephants? The answer lies in the sacred status given to albino elephants by the kings
of Thailand, Laos and Burma.
The tradition derives from the story in which the Buddhas mother is said to have dreamt of a white elephant
presenting her with a lotus flower a symbol of purity and wisdom just before she gave birth. Extrapolating this, a
monarch possessing a white elephant was regarded as a just and benign ruler. Across the region any genuinely albino
elephant automatically became crown property; the physical characteristics used to rank white elephants are outlined
in the Royal Elephant Museum (Dusit Park; h9.30am-4pm). Laws prevented sacred white elephants from working,
so despite being highly regarded they were of no practical use and still cost a fortune to keep.
In modern Thailand the white elephant retains its sacred status, and one is kept at Chitralada Palace, home to the
current Thai king. The museum houses sculptural representation of that elephant. Draped in royal vestments, the statue
is more or less treated as a shrine by the visiting Thai public.
80 81
CHURCH OF SANTA CRUZ Map p84
%0 2466 0347; Soi Kuti Jiin, Thonburi;
hSat & Sun; ffrom Tha Pak Talat/
Atsadang
Centuries before Sukhumvit became the
international district, the Portuguese
claimed farng (Western) supremacy
and built the Church of Santa Cruz in
the 1700s. The land was a gift from King
Taksin in appreciation for the loyalty the
Portuguese community had displayed after
the fall of Ayuthaya. The surviving church
dates to 1913. Very little activity occurs on
the grounds itself, but small village streets
break off from the main courtyard into the
area known as Kuti Jiin. On Soi Kuti Jiin 3,
several houses sell the Portuguese-inspired
cakes.
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HUALAMPHONG RAILWAY STATION
Map p84
....`...
Th Phra Ram IV; bair-con 501, ordinary 25 & 75;
mHualamphong
At the southeastern edge of Chinatown,
Bangkoks main train station was built by
Dutch architects and engineers just before
WWI. It is one of the citys earliest and most
outstanding examples of the movement to-
wards Thai Art Deco. If you can zone out of
the chaos for a moment, look for the vaulted
iron roof and neoclassical portico that were
a state-of-the-art engineering feat, and the
patterned, two-toned skylights that exem-
plify pure de Stijl Dutch modernism.
PHAHURAT Map p84
.
West of Th Chakrawat; fTha Saphan Phut (Me-
morial Bridge, N6), gordinary 53 & 73
Fabric and gem traders set up shop in this
small but bustling Little India, where every-
thing from Bollywood movies to bindis
is sold by enthusiastic small-time traders.
Behind the more obvious storefronts are
winding alleys that criss-cross Khlong Ong
Ang, where merchants grab a bite to eat or
make travel arrangements for trips home
its a great area to just wander, stopping for
masala chai or lassi as you go.
Just off Th Chakraphet is Sri Gurusingh Sabha
(Th Phahurat; h6am-5pm), a gold-domed Sikh
temple best viewed from Soi ATM. Basically
its a large hall, somewhat reminiscent of
a mosque interior, devoted to the worship
of the Guru Granth Sahib, the 17th-century
Sikh holy book, which is itself considered the
last of the religions 10 great gurus. Prasada
(blessed food offered to Hindu or Sikh tem-
ple attendees) is distributed among devo-
tees every morning around 9am, and if you
arrive on a Sikh festival day you can partake
in the langar (communal Sikh meal) served
in the temple. If you do visit this shrine, be
sure to climb to the top for panoramic views
of Chinatown. Stores surrounding the tem-
ple sell assorted religious paraphernalia.

TALAT NOI Map p84
....
Bounded by the river, Th Songwat, Th Charoen
Krung & Th Yotha; fTha Si Phraya
This microcosm of soi life is named after a
noi (little) market that sets up between Soi
22 and Soi 20, off Th Charoen Krung, selling
goods from China. Wandering here youll
find streamlike soi turning in on themselves,
weaving through peoples living rooms,
noodle shops and grease-stained machine
shops. Opposite the River View Guesthouse,
San Jao Sien Khong (unnamed soi; admission by donation;
h6am-6pm) is one of the citys oldest Chi-
nese shrines, which is guarded by a playful
rooftop terracotta dragon. A former owner
of the shrine made his fortune collecting
taxes on bird-nest delicacies.

WAT MANGKON KAMALAWAT (LENG
NOI YEE) Map p84
..........
Th Charoen Krung; h6am-5.30pm; gair-con
508, ordinary 16, 73, 75 & 93, fTha Ratchawong
Explore the cryptlike sermon halls of this
busy Chinese temple (also known as Leng
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CHI NATOWN
Eating p158 ; Shopping p131 ; Sleeping p207
Although many generations removed from the mainland (see boxed text, opposite ), Bangkoks
China-town could be a bosom brother of any Chinese city. The streets are crammed with
shark-fin restaurants, gaudy yellow-gold and jade shops and flashing neon signs in Chinese
characters. But these characteristics are just window dressing for the relentlessly entrepreneurial
soul of the neighbourhood.
Chinatown fans out along Mae Nam Chao Phraya between Saphan Phra Phuttha Yot Fa
to the west and Hualamphong Railway Station ( opposite ) to the southeast, near where are the relatively
quite lanes of Talat Noi ( opposite ). Th Yaowarat and
Th Charoen Krung are the main arteries and
provide the greatest diversity of services, from
shopping and eating to promenading (as much
as you can when the pavements are heaving
with vendors) in the latest mainland Chinese
styles. The whole district is buzzing from dawn
until after dusk, with only the overfed soi dogs
splayed out on footpaths seeming in any way
relaxed. And where the narrow market soi can
be a world of elbows during the day, things
are marginally more mellow by night, when
banquet dining and dazzling neon contribute
to a carnival atmosphere.
Until the 1970s Chinatown was, in effect,
the countrys most important market, sup-
plying and wholesaling pretty much anything
that could be bought in the kingdom from
stores self-segregated by profession whole streets or blocks are dedicated to sign making,
gold and jewellery stores, and machine and tyre shops. However Bangkoks ongoing affair with
consumerism, and its resulting brood of lust children in the form of multistorey megamalls, have
seen a steady decline in the areas commercial importance. Much of the middle class has moved
out of the cramped district to the villas and condos of Bangkoks new suburbs (mu ban).
Its a slow process, though, and after shouldering your way through the claustrophobic com-
mercial chaos of Trok Itsaranuphap ( p86 ) youll find it difficult to imagine it could ever have been
busier. Chinese remains the districts primary language, and goods, people and services are on
a continuous conveyor belt into and out of the area. All of which makes this one of Bangkoks
most rewarding areas to simply set out and explore.
To do this you could follow the walking tour ( p86 ), or perhaps starve yourself for two days
before embarking on a voyage of street food discovery, or just make it up as you go along.
Whichever option you choose, expect it to be memorable.
At the western edge of Chinatown, near the intersection of Th Phahurat and Th Chakraphet,
is a small but thriving Indian and Islamic district, generally called Phahurat or Little India. The
dim alleys and affinity for commerce tie these two heritages together, although their particular
expressions provide a fascinating diversity. Th Chakraphet is home to several cheap Indian
restaurants ( p159 ) that serve delicious food .
CHINATOWN


Talat Noi ( opposite ) Stroll through this cramped
neighbourhood of oil-stained machine shops.


Phahurat ( opposite ) Bollywood-style markets of
flashy colours and sequins galore.


Sampeng Lane ( p131 ) Regimented chaos and
commerce are staged deep in the bowels of this
outdoor market.


Wat Traimit ( p85 ) Meet the temples Buddha
made of 5.5 tonnes of gold.
BANGKOK: A CHINESE STORY
The longer you spend in Thailand the more you realise that, unlike most of the rest of the country, the face of Bangkok
has a noticeable Chinese look. Indeed, the influence of the Chinese and their integration within the Bangkok community
means that as many as half of all Bangkokians claim some Chinese ancestry.
For many that ancestry dates to a mass migration from Chinas Teochew region in the late 1700s, when peasants
came to labour first on the new capital of Thonburi and, later, on Bangkok. The Chinese, who had lived in the Ko
Ratanakosin area while working in Thonburi, were moved outside the walls of the new capital to a neighbourhood
that went on to become Chinatown. In the best Chinese traditions, impoverished peasants started menial jobs and
worked their way up eventually to establish business empires. A pepper grinder who had a stall on Th Charoen Krung
tugged at his bootstraps hard enough to corner the countrys herbal export trade. Chinatown was a breeding ground
for such rags-to-riches stories, and many immigrant families names are now affixed to some of the countrys largest
businesses and economic engines.
Thais have been ambivalent about their long-running relationship with Chinese immigrants. The peasant newcomers
were despised until their fortunes turned; today attitudes are complimentary, now that affluence, rather than poverty, is
the norm. The umbilical cord to the cultural motherland is still strong and can be seen in such events as the Vegetarian
Festival ( p13 ). But many descendants of immigrants consider themselves 100% Thai.
82 83
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Noi Yee) to find Buddhist, Taoist and
Confucian shrines. During the annual Veg-
etarian Festival ( p13 ), religious and culinary
activities are centred here. But almost any
time of day or night this temple is busy
with worshippers lighting incense, filling
the ever-burning altar lamps with oil and
making offerings to their ancestors. Of-
fering oil is believed to provide a smooth
journey into the afterlife and to fuel the
fire of life. Mangkon Kamalawatt means
Dragon Lotus Temple. Surrounding the
temple are vendors selling food for the
gods steamed lotus-shaped dumplings
and oranges that are used for merit
making.
WAT TRAIMIT Map p84
..`...
%0 2225 9775; cnr Th Yaowarat & Th Charoen
Krung; admission Golden Buddha/temple 20B/free;
h8am-5pm; fTha Ratchawong, gordinary 25
& 53, mHualamphong
Wat Traimit (Temple of the Golden Bud-
dha) is home to the worlds largest gold
Buddha image, a gleaming, 3m-tall, 5.5-
tonne behemoth whose story is probably
the most interesting aspect of a visit here.
Sculpted in the graceful Sukhothai style
(notice the hair curls and elongated ear-
lobes), the image was only rediscovered
some 50 years ago when it was dropped
from a crane while being moved. This
divine act cracked a plaster exterior that
was, it is thought, applied to disguise it
from marauding hordes in either the late
Sukhothai or the Ayuthaya period, when
the Burmese repeatedly threatened and
eventually pillaged Siam.
Wat Traimit is on every tour guides itin-
erary, and the seemingly endless proces-
sion of tour groups seems to have scared
off most of the genuine worshippers. The
spectacle can be underwhelming. After
viewing the image, head to the main bt
and the mechanical horoscope machines
outside, which look like an import from a
boardwalk amusement strip. Put a coin in
the machine that corresponds to the day
of the week you were born, lights flash
mystically and then a number appears that
corresponds to a printed fortune.
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& NIGHTLIFE
DRINKING
1
2
SIGHTS (pp828)
3
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6
7
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9
10
11
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13
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15
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(pp14372) EATING
19
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(pp17385)
30
SLEEPING (pp20121)
31
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28
& THE ARTS
INFORMATION SHOPPING (pp12741) (pp18893) ENTERTAINMENT
C1 Police..........................................
A2 Police Station..............................
C2 Bangkok Bank.............................
D3 Chao Sua Son House..................
D3 Chinatown Gate.........................
A2 Church of Santa Cruz.................
D4 Holy Rosary Church....................
D3 San Jao Sien Khong....................
B1 Sri Gurusingh Sabha....................
B1 Talat Khlong Ong Ang..............
C1 Talat Khlong Thom...................
C2 Wat Mangkon Kamalawat........
A3 Wat Prayoon............................
D3 Wat Traimit (Golden Buddha)...
A1 Johnny's Gems..........................
A2 Pak Khlong Market...................
B1 Phahurat Market.......................
C2 Sampeng Lane..........................
Thai Charoen............................ C2
Tang Jai Yuu............................. C2
Shangarila Restaurant............... C2
Royal India................................ B2
Old Siam Plaza.......................... B1
Hua Seng Hong........................ D2
Hong Kong Noodles................. C2
Chiang Kii................................. C2
A2
Saphan Phut Night
Bazaar...................................
Hotel.....................................
Krung Kasem Srikung
E2
Train Inn................................... E2
Shanghai Inn............................ D2
River View Guest House........... D3
B1
B2
E3 Baan Hualampong.....................
C2 Grand China Princess................
D2
About Caf/About
Studio...................................
Nang Nual Riverside Pub..........
Sala Chalermkrung...................
CHINATOWN
TRANSPORT: CHINATOWN
Bus Air-con 507 and 508, ordinary 53, 73 and 75
Ferry Tha Ratchawong (N5), Tha Saphan Phut (Memorial Bridge, N6)
Metro Hualamphong
While we list bus numbers here, traffic in Chinatown is so dire that youre strongly advised to avoid all forms of road
transport. Instead, plan your route and arrive by river ferry to Tha Ratchawong or Tha Saphan Phut, or take the Metro
to Hualamphong and walk. Following the walking tour ( p86 ), or just making up your own as you wander, is undoubt-
edly the most interesting (and, ahm, hot, crowded, slow and sweaty) way to get around. If it all gets too much, at
weekends a hop-on hop-off tourist bus loops from opposite Hualamphong station up Th Yaowarat and back down Th
Charoen Krung.
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84 85
HOLY ROSARY CHURCH Map p84
%0 2266 4849; 1318 Th Yotha, near River City;
hMass Mon-Sat 6am, Sun 6.15am, 8am & 10am;
fTha Si Phraya
Portuguese seafarers were among the first
Europeans to establish diplomatic ties with
Siam and their influence in the kingdom was
rewarded with prime riverside real estate.
When a Portuguese contingent moved
across the river to the present-day Talat Noi
district of Chinatown in 1787 they were
given this piece of land and built the Holy
Rosary Church, known in Thai as Wat Kala-
wan, from the Portuguese Calvario. Over the
years the Portuguese community dispersed
and the church fell into disrepair. However,
Vietnamese and Cambodian Catholics dis-
placed by the Indochina wars adopted it and
now constitute most of the parish. This old
church has a splendid set of Romanesque
stained-glass windows, gilded ceilings and
a Christ statue that is carried through the
streets during Easter celebrations.
CHINATOWN WANDER
Walking Tour
Chinatown is packed every inch of it is used
to make a living. From the fresh-food market
festooned with carcasses to alleys full of end-
less bling, the commerce never rests. This
walking tour plunges into the claustrophobic
alleys of chaotic dealing for which the district
is famous, some quiet hidden lanes and the
touristy but impressive Golden Buddha before
finishing in the relatively peaceful soi of Talat
Noi. Be prepared for crowds and smells, and
bring your camera. Depending on where you
want to go afterwards and what time it is (the
ferries stop soon after 7pm), finish either at
the Tha Marine Department river ferry or
Hualamphong MTR, a 10-minute walk back
from Talat Noi.
1 Phahurat (Little India) Starting from
the river ferry at Tha Saphan Phut (Memorial
Bridge Pier), walk north along jam-packed Th
Chakraphet, past the Constitutional Court
and into Phahurat, aka Little India. If its al-
ready lunchtime you could stop for a curry,
or plunge into the retail madness of Trok
Huae Med.
2 Trok Huae Med Theres no sign, but the old
stores, street stalls and mass of people reveal
youre at the beginning of Trok Huae Med,
a largely Indian extension of Sampeng Lane.
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After 50m cross a khlong (or wander right for
more informal curry houses) and continue.
3 Sampeng Lane Youll soon be in Sampeng
Lane, signposted (if you can see it) as Soi
Wanit 1. This is Chinatowns oldest shopping
strip, where the Chinese first set up shop after
being moved from Ko Ratanakosin in 1782.
Today its a shopping fun house, where the
sky is completely obscured and bargains lie in
ambush that is, if you really want 500 Hello
Kitty pens or a tonne of stuffed animals. This
initial stretch is now dominated by Indian
fabric merchants.
4 Chinese shophouses After a few minutes
youll come to Th Mahachak, where to the
right dozens of battered old Vespas wait for
their next delivery job (theres no space for
trucks around here). Turn left (northeast),
walk about 30m and turn left again through
a covered passage. On the far side are rows of
photogenic, stuccoed yellow Chinese shop-
houses. Its pretty peaceful here, so it makes a
nice intermission in the market tour.
5 Bangkok Bank Return to Sampeng Lane
and continue east. This stretch is dominated
by a mind-boggling array of cheap plastic stuff
from China; a thousand different varieties
of hair-pin, anyone? When you come to Th
Mangkon, find somewhere you wont be run
over by a trolley full of overstuffed boxes and
admire two of Bangkoks oldest commercial
buildings, a Bangkok Bank and the venerable
Tang To Kang gold shop, both more than
100 years old. The exteriors of the buildings
are classic early Ratanakosin, showing lots of
European influence; the interiors are heavy
with hardwood panelling.
6 Trok Itsaranuphap Turn left (north)
on Th Mangkun and walk up to manic Th
Yaowarat, Chinatowns main drag. Turn right
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CHINATOWNS SHOPPING STREETS
Chinatown is the neighbourhood version of a big-box store divided up into categories of consumables.
Th Charoen Krung (Map p84 ) Chinatowns primary thoroughfare is a prestigious address. Starting on the western end of
the street, near the intersection of Th Mahachai, is a collection of old record stores. Talat Khlong Ong Ang consumes the
next block, selling all sorts of used and new electronic gadgets. Nakhon Kasem is the reformed thieves market where
vendors now stock up on nifty gadgets for portable food prep. Further east, near Th Mahachak is Talat Khlong Thom, a
hardware centre. West of Th Ratchawong, everything is geared towards the afterlife and the passing of life.
Th Yaowarat (Map p84 ) A hundred years ago this was a poultry farm; now it is gold street, the biggest trading centre
of the precious metal in the country. Shops are always painted like the interior of a Chinese shrine: blood red and
decorated with well-groomed toy dogs that look down on the neighbourhoods fat soi dogs in every way except liter-
ally. Near the intersection of Th Ratchawong, stores shift to Chinese and Singaporean tourists tastes: dried fruit and
nuts, chintzy talismans and accoutrements for Chinese festivals. The multistorey buildings around here were some of
Bangkoks first skyscrapers and a source of wonder for the local people. Bangkoks skyline has grown and grown, but
this area retains a few Chinese apothecaries, smelling of wood bark and ancient secrets.
Th Mittraphan (Map p84 ) Sign makers branch off Wong Wian 22 Karakada, near Wat Traimit and the Golden Buddha;
Thai and Roman letters are typically cut out by a hand-guided lathe placed prominently beside the pavement.
Th Santiphap (Map p84 ) Car parts and other automotive gear make this the place for kicking tyres.
Sampeng Lane (Soi Wanit 1; Map p84 ) Plastic cuteness in bulk, from pencil cases to pens, stuffed animals, hair
flotsam and enough bling to kit out a rappers convention, all hang out near the eastern end of the alley. Closer to
Phahurat, the main merchandise changes to bolts of fabric from India.
Soi 16, Th Charoen Krung (Trok Itsaranuphap; Map p84 ) This ancient fresh market splays along the cramped alley
between Th Yaowarat and Th Charoen Krung. Its fascinating, but anyone who suffers even the mildest form of
claustrophobia should not contemplate it. North of Th Charoen Krung funerary items for ritual burnings dominate the
open-air stalls.
WALK FACTS
Start Tha Saphan Phut (Memorial Bridge, river ferry
N6)
End Tha Marine Department (river ferry, N4) or
Hualamphong Metro
Distance 4km
Duration three hours
Fuel Stop Hong Kong Noodles ( p159 ) or the streetside
kitchens on Th Plaeng Naam
START
END
0 200 m
0 0.1 miles
5
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River View
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CHINATOWN
86 87
past the streets famous gold shops (gold is
sold by the bat, a unit of weight equal to 15g,
and prices are good). After 100m or so, gird
your loins and cross Th Yaowarat, then head
straight into a tiny lane known variously as Soi
Charoen Krung 16 and Trok Itsaranuphap.
Theres no sign, but youll know by the queue
of people shuffling into the alley one at a time.
If you thought Soi Sampeng was busy, this
crush of humanity, also known as Talaat Mai
(New Market), will have your head spinning
like Linda Blair in The Exorcist.
7 Talat Leng-Buai-la A short way along
on the left is Talat Leng-Buai-la. A spry 80
years old, it was once the citys central veg-
etable market but today sells mainly Chinese
ingredients such as fresh cashews, lotus seeds
and shiitake mushrooms. The first section is
lined with vendors purveying cleaned chick-
ens, plucked ducks, scaled fish, unnaturally
coloured vats of pickled food and prepackaged
snacks hungry yet? Hong Kong Noodles ( p159 ),
on the left side of the alley, does a rollick-
ing business catering to appetites aroused by
such sights.
8 Wat Mangkon Kamalawat You will,
eventually, pop out the far end onto Th Cha-
roen Krung. Cross over and go a short way
down Soi Charoen Krung 21 to Wat Mangkon
Kamalawat ( p83 ), one of Chinatowns largest
and liveliest temples. Along this stretch of
the street neighbouring shops sell fruit, cakes,
incense and ritual burning paper, all for of-
fering at the temple.
9 Thanon Plaeng Naam Head back to Th
Charoen Krung, turn left (east) and walk one
block and turn right on Th Plaeng Naam.
This atmospheric street of shophouses and
street food is a more leisurely place for a feed,
particularly at the two streetside kitchens at
the north end.
10 Thanon Yaowarat Continue south,
then turn left onto hectic Th Yaowarat.
This is the neon-side of Chinatown; great
for photos in the late afternoon and early
evening. After passing a couple of old Art
Deco buildings that have seen better days,
turn left at the Odeon Circle, with its distinc-
tive Chinese gate, onto Th Mitthaphap (aka
Th Traimit).
11 Wat Traimit & the Golden Buddha A
couple of minutes along this street of brushes
and wicker furniture is Wat Traimit and its
5.5 tonnes of Golden Buddha ( p85 ). If youve timed
your run to get here in late afternoon (but
before it closes at 5pm), it should be free of the
usual tour buses and make a welcome respite
from all those markets.
12 Talat Noi If youre knackered, its a short
walk eastwards to Hualamphong and the
Metro. But if its anywhere near sunset, we
strongly recommend heading back to Odeon
Sq, braving the traffic and heading down
Soi Yaowarat 1. Follow this road of machine
shops, then continue onto Soi Charoen Phanit
into the local Talat Noi neighbourhood. Fol-
low the signs to the River View Guest House ( p208 ),
where the 8th-floor restaurant-bar has cheap
beer and amazing sunset views. Its not far
from here to the Tha Maritime Department
ferry pier, but remember the last boats pass a
little after 7pm.
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JIM THOMPSONS HOUSE Map pp989
.....
%0 2216 7368; www.jimthompsonhouse.org; 6
Soi Kasem San 2, Th Phra Ram I; adult/concession
100/50B; h9am-5pm; fkhlong boat Hua Chang
Pier; dNational Stadium
In 1959, 12 years after he discovered the
fine silks being woven across the khlong
in Baan Krua and single-handedly turned
Thai silk into a hugely successful export
business, American Jim Thompson bought
this piece of land on Khlong Saen Saeb
and built himself a house. It wasnt, how-
ever, any old house. Thompsons love of
all things Thai saw him buy six traditional
wooden homes and reconstruct them in
the jungle-like garden here. Some of the
homes were brought from the old royal
capital of Ayuthaya; others were pulled
down and floated across the khlong from
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GOING WITH THE FLOW
For a day of sightseeing, youll need a good map, comfortable shoes, patience, and coins and small notes to buy water.
Dont bring your Western concept of pavement etiquette. Youre in Asia now, and the rules of personal space not to
mention the laws of physics are completely different. Human traffic in Bangkok acts like flowing water: if there is
an empty space, it will quickly be filled with a body, regardless of who was where in some unspoken queue. With an
increase of mass (a motorcycle or pushcart), a solid state is achieved and the sea of pedestrians can be pushed out of
the way in a textbook example of might-makes-right or size matters. Once you master these simple concepts, you
can enjoy shuffling along with the flow.
SI AM SQUARE, PRATUNAM, PLOENCHI T
& RATCHATHEWI
Eating p160 ; Shopping p132 ; Sleeping p209
Its not often that youll see Bangkok and organisation used in the same sentence. But this
central shopping district is surprisingly well connected, and it can be dangerously convenient
for unleashing cash. At first glance this neighbourhood is all about shopping, a shrine to
modern consumerism where mega-malls cater to every whim and exclusive brands outbid
each other for the prime, ground-floor storefronts in the most exclusive malls (currently thats
Siam Paragon, p132 ).
This is modern Bangkok, where flimsy fashion is no longer a saffron monks robe but a
flouncy skirt and clicky heels. Packs of teenagers shuffle across the concrete pathways, breaking
all the social mores their ancestors ever created. Female students wear miniskirts that could
easily be mistaken for wide belts, cutesy couples stroll hand in hand, hipsters (dk naew) as-
sume gangster styles from ghettos theyve only heard rapped about. Give Bangkok another 10
years of disposable income and the city which is rightly proud of its creative side will rival
Tokyo and New York for pop power.
The centre of the action is Siam Skytrain station, the interchange for both Skytrain lines,
which acts as the heart of the district. Through its network of concrete walkway veins it pumps
thousands of passengers into nearby Siam Sq ( p135 ), an ageing ground-level mall peopled by baht-
flexing students in black and white uniforms who trawl through the closet-sized boutiques
that dictate whats hot and whats not. Exit to the north and youll arrive in the air-conditioned
atmosphere of Siam Paragon ( p135 ), with its super-expensive boutiques, European sports cars and
world-class oceanarium ( p101 ) or the more affordable (and more funky) Siam Discovery Center ( p135 ).
Further along Bangkoks miracle mile of shopping centres on Th Phra Ram I (aka Rama I) are
Mahboonkrong (MBK, p134 ) to the west and the vast Central World Plaza ( p133 ), plus others, to the east.
Beware of consumer euphoria.
All the action here, coupled with the massive Skytrain station that looms above everything,
means the area is constantly buffeted by a cacophonous din and suffocating exhaust fumes,
which also make this area alone a significant contributor to Bangkoks image as an unpleasant
and difficult place to visit.
Mercifully, respite is near at hand. If you spend enough time youll find cinemas ( p190 ) abound.
For something more cerebral head to Bangkok Art & Culture Centre ( p191 ), which should be open by the
time you read this. And theres a chance to step out of the air-conditioned, international city
entirely and enter old Bangkok at the famous Jim Thompsons House ( below ) or, across Khlong Saen Saeb
in Pratunam district, the much less touristed and thoroughly original Muslim village of Baan Krua
( p100 ). Pratunam is also home to Thailands tallest skyscraper, the Baiyoke Tower II (Map pp523 ).
South of Th Phra Ram I and west of Th Phayathai the Pathumwan district is filled with the
National Stadium (Map pp989 ) and surrounding sports facilities, and the huge campus of Chulalong-
korn University, one of Thailands most prestigious universities.
Heading east at the intersection of Th Phra Ram I and Th Ratchadamri the area known as
Ratchaprasong supports a clutch of luxury hotels, more malls and the Erawan Shrine ( p102 ). The
area extending east along Th Ploenchit includes the tree-lined Soi Lang Suan, with its expensive
condos and serviced apartments, and Th Withayu (Wireless Rd), which is home to embassies
and expatriates.
88 97
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SIAM SQUARE, PRATUNAM & PLOENCHIT
0 400 m
0 0.2 miles
Ratchadamri
Chitlom
Ploenchit
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Tha
Withaya
Tha
Pratunam
Amari
Watergate
Kian
Gwan
Building
All Seasons
Place
Baiyoke
II Tower
Big C
Department
Store
Pattinum
Fashion Mall
Ratchathewi
Pratunam
Centre
Pratunam
Lumphini
Park
Khlong Saen Saeb
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See Lumphini & East
Sathon Map p112
See Thanon
Sukhumvit
Map pp11819
98 99
Baan Krua including the first building you
enter on the tour, which once belonged
to the parents of Khun Niphon Manuthas
(see p92).
Thompson became one of the first
Westerners to embrace the traditional Thai
home as a thing of beauty. Thai homes
would traditionally have been multipur-
pose affairs, with little room for luxuries like
separate living and sleeping rooms. Thomp-
son adapted his six buildings, joining some,
to create a larger home in which each room
had a more familiar Western function. One
room became an air-conditioned study,
another a bedroom and the one nearest
the khlong his dining room.
As well as having good taste in silk,
Thompson was an eagle-eyed collector of
Thai goods, from residential architecture to
Southeast Asian art. Today the house oper-
ates as a museum for his collection and a
tribute to the man. Viewing is by regularly
departing tour only, and photography
is not allowed inside the buildings. New
buildings house the Jim Thompson Art Center
( p192 ), a caf selling drinks and light meals
and a vast shop flogging Jim Thompson
branded goods. For a taste of the Bangkok
Thompson grew to love (and cheaper
drinks and silks), follow your visit here with
the walking tour, p105 .
Beware well-dressed touts in soi near
the Thompson house who will tell you it
is closed and then try to haul you off on a
dodgy buying spree.
BAAN KRUA Map pp989
Btwn Khlong Saen Saeb, Th Phayathai & Th Phra
Ram VI; fkhlong boat Tha Hua Chang
Baan Krua (literally Muslim Family Village)
is one of Bangkoks oldest communities.
It dates to the turbulent years at the end
of the 18th century, when Cham Muslims
from Cambodia and Vietnam fought on
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the side of the new Thai king and were
rewarded with this plot of land east of the
new capital. The immigrants brought their
silk-weaving traditions with them, and the
community grew with the arrival of other
Muslims and when the residents built the
khlong to better connect them to the river.
The 1950s and 60s were boom years for
Baan Krua, after Jim Thompson (see p102 )
hired the weavers and exported their silks
across the globe. Production was moved
elsewhere following Thompsons disap-
pearance, and many Muslims have moved
out of the area; today about 30% of the
population is Muslim, the rest primarily
immigrants from northeast Thailand.
However, it retains its Muslim character,
and one of the original families is still
weaving silk on old teak looms; see p92
for an interview with Niphon Manuthas.
The village consists of old, tightly packed
homes threaded by tiny paths barely wide
enough for two people to pass. It has
been described as a slum, but the house-
proud residents are keen to point out that
they might not live in high-rise condos,
but that doesnt make their old commu-
nity a slum.
The best way to visit Baan Krua is to
wander; see the DIY Walking Tour, p105 , to
get started.
SIAM OCEAN WORLD Map pp989
%2687 2000; www.siamoceanworld.com; base-
ment, Siam Paragon, Th Rama 1; adult/child
750/600B; h9am-10pm (last entry 9pm); dSiam
Southeast Asias largest oceanarium is also
one of its most impressive. Hundreds spe-
cies of fish, crustaceans and even penguins
populate this vast underground facility. The
oceanarium is divided into several zones
accommodating specific species. The main
tank is the highlight, with an acrylic tunnel
allowing you to walk beneath sharks, rays
and all manner of fish. Diving with sharks is
also an option if you have your licence (for
a fee), though youll have almost as much
fun timing your trip to coincide with the
shark and penguin feedings; the former
are usually at 1pm and 4pm, the latter at
12.30pm and 4.30pm check the website
for details.
LINGAM SHRINE (SAAN JAO MAE
THAP THIM) Map pp989
.......
Nai Lert Park Hotel, Th Withayu; fkhlong boat to
Tha Withayu; dPloenchit
Every village-neighbourhood has a local
shrine, either a sacred banyan tree tied up
with coloured scarves or a spirit house. But
it isnt everyday you see a phallus garden
like this lingam shrine, tucked back behind
the staff quarters of the Nai Lert Park Hotel.
Clusters of carved stone and wooden shafts
surround a spirit house and shrine built by
millionaire businessman Nai Loet to honour
Jao Mae Thap Thim, a female deity thought
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& NIGHTLIFE
DRINKING
53
54
(pp18893)
25
26
28
27
ENTERTAINMENT
& THE ARTS
55
56
57
58
(pp17385)
60
59
62
63
65
64
61
(pp20121)
30
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32
34
36
37
35
33
39
38
41
40
43
44
42
(pp14372)
SLEEPING
29
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68
70
(pp2505)
72
71
46
48
47
50
49
52
51
TRANSPORT
66 45
1
2
3
4
6
5
INFORMATION
7
8
10
11
9
EATING
12
13
15
14
17
18
19
16
SIGHTS (pp89115)
21
22
23
24
(pp12741) SHOPPING
20
B3
F5
G5
C3
F3
E3
Thailand (FCCT)...................(see 3)
Foreign Correspondents' Club of
EGV........................................(see 41)
Calypso Cabaret.....................(see 62)
Bangkok Art & Culture Centre...
100 Tonson Gallery...................
C3
B3
E5
G4
C3
A2
B2
G2
E4
E4
B2
C3
E3
E3
C3
D1
E4
E2
B3
G3
E1
B3
C3
G5
F5
C3
Lido Multiplex...........................
Nai Lert Park Hotel...................
Grand Hyatt Erawan.................
Four Seasons Hotel....................
Asia Hotel.................................
A-One Inn................................
To Sit........................................
Garimmin & Sobereen..............
Caf Trio...................................
Bacchus Wine Bar.....................
Whitespace............................(see 55)
SF Cinema City.......................(see 33)
Scala Multiplex..........................
Major Cineplex.......................(see 29)
Jim Thompson Art Center.......(see 18) E3
B2
F3
A2
F4
B2
F6
F5
C3
F4
F6
F4
G4
F4
Reno Hotel................................
United Airlines...........................
Malaysia Airlines.....................(see 71)
Hertz......................................(see 24)
China Airlines.........................(see 37)
Cathay Pacific Airways..............
Avis........................................(see 64)
Wendy House...........................
House....................................
VIP Guest House/Golden
Siam@Siam...............................
Pathumwan House.................... B2 H5
F6
D1
E3
F5
E3
G5
AAA Thai Language Center....(see 24)
EU Embassy.................................
Indonesian Embassy....................
Maneeya Centre.........................
Netherlands Embassy..................
New Zealand Embassy................
Police Station...............................
F3
G3
G3
G6
G4
E3
E3
B5
A5
A2
A4
A2
G2
South African Embassy...........(see 24)
Swiss Embassy............................
Thai Knowledge Park..............(see 29)
TOT Office..................................
UK & Northern Ireland Embassy..
US Embassy..............................
Vietnamese Embassy................
Absolute Yoga...........................
Art Centre................................
Baan Krua.................................
Chulalongkorn Thai Pavilion.....
Chulalongkorn University..........
Erawan Shrine...........................
Jim Thompson Art Center.......(see 18)
Jim Thompson's House.............
Lingam Shrine...........................
Siam Family Dental Clinic........(see 48)
E3
F3
G4
C3
Pilates Studio............................
Rachaprasong Intersection
Shrines................................(see 17)
Siam Ocean World...................
Trimurthi Shrine........................
Yoga Elements Studio................
Asia Books..............................(see 41)
Asia Books..............................(see 42)
Asia Books..............................(see 29)
Asia Books..............................(see 37)
B2S.........................................(see 28)
A3 National Stadium......................
B2S.........................................(see 29)
B2S...........................................
Bookazine...............................(see 25)
Bookazine...............................(see 32)
Bookazine.................................
Sanguan Sri..............................
Pan Pan.....................................
Paesano....................................
No 43........................................
MBK Food Court....................(see 33)
Kuaytiaw Reua Tha Siam..........
Gianni Ristorante......................
Four Seasons...........................(see 63)
Food Loft................................(see 28)
Fifth........................................(see 33)
Bao.....................................(see 31)
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long
Calderazzo................................
Bali...........................................
Air Plane...................................
Uthai's Gems............................
Siam Paragon...........................
Siam Discovery Center..............
Siam Center..............................
Promenade Arcade...................
Pratunam Market.......................
Peninsula Plaza..........................
Pantip Plaza..............................
Narayana Phand........................
Marco Tailors............................
Mahboonkrong (MBK)..............
Kinokuniya..............................(see 42)
Gaysorn Plaza...........................
Erawan Bangkok........................
DJ Siam.....................................
Central World Plaza..................
Central Chidlom........................
Bookazine (Bargain
Outlet)..................................
SIAM SQUARE, PRATUNAM & PLOENCHIT
TRANSPORT: SIAM SQUARE,
PRATUNAM & PLOENCHIT
Bus Air-con 141, 183, 204, 501, 508 and 547,
ordinary 15, 16, 25, 47 and 73, among other grid-
locked rattlers
Khlong boat Tha Hua Chang for Siam Sq shopping
centres, Jim Thompsons House and Baan Krua, Tha
Pratunam for Central World and Pantip Plaza, Tha
Withayu for Lingham Shrine and Central World
Skytrain Siam, National Stadium, Chitlom and
Ploenchit
Even by Bangkok standards, traffic around here is
nightmarish. If youre coming from the Silom, Sathon
or Sukhumvit areas, or from north towards Chatuchak
Market, take the Skytrain. Coming from Banglamphu
and the Th Khao San area, take the khlong boat.
SIAM SQUARE, PRATUNAM &
PLOENCHIT


Erawan Shrine ( p102 ) A splash of religion in the
midst of all the money


Jim Thompsons House ( p97 ) A teak mansion with
a jungle-like garden and informative tours


Baan Krua ( opposite ) The Muslim village where
Jim Thompson first encountered silk


Khlong Saen Saeb Canal Boats p253 Commute
with the locals the old-fashioned way, along this
atmospheric (in more ways than one) khlong


Mahboonkrong (MBK; p134 ) Indulge in air-con, junk
food, a million mobile phones, clothes and plastic stuff


Wang Suan Phakkat ( p104 ) Pretend youre a
minor Thai royal in the quiet museum grounds


Sanguan Sri ( p160 ) Ignore the surrounds and dive
in for the red curry with duck breast


Siam Sq ( p132 ) Immerse yourself in the epicentre of
Thai teen culture in the cafs and boutiques of Siam Sq
100 101
to reside in the old banyan tree on the site.
Someone who made an offering shortly
after the shrine was built had a baby, and
the shrine has received a steady stream of
worshippers mostly young women seek-
ing fertility ever since.
If facing the entrance of the hotel, follow
the small concrete pathway to the right,
which winds down into the building beside
the car park. The shrine is at the end of the
building next to the khlong.
RATCHAPRASONG INTERSECTION
SHRINES Map pp989
Cnr Th Ratchadamri & Th Ploenchit; dChitlom
A crowd in this part of town usually means
a bargain market is nearby. But in this case
the continuous activity revolves around
the Hindu shrines credited with making
this commercial corridor a success. Its a
fascinating place to come and just watch
the way modern Thais have pragmatically
adapted their beliefs and their hopes to
the perceived reality that success breeds
success, especially with the deities on your
side.
The primary focus is the Erawan Shrine
(Map pp989 ; San Phra Phrom; h6am-10.30pm), on
the corner beside the Grand Hyatt Erawan
Hotel. Brahma, the four-headed Hindu
god of creation, holds court here. Brahma
would normally command great respect
in Thai Buddhism but not nearly enough
to warrant this sort of idolatry. The human
traffic jam can be directly attributed to the
perceived powers of the shrine since it was
established in 1954. Originally, a simple
Thai spirit house occupied this spot during
the construction of the first Erawan Hotel
(named after Indras three-headed elephant
mount). After several serious mishaps
delayed the hotels construction, the devel-
opers erected this Brahman shrine to ward
off future injuries. The Erawan Hotel was
finished, business boomed and eventually
the shrine took on a cult of its own, being
seen as a harbinger of material success.
There is a constant cycle of worshippers
seeking divine assistance for good luck,
health, wealth and love. Most people offer
marigold garlands or raise a cluster of joss
sticks to foreheads in prayer. The flowers
are left on the shrine for a few minutes,
before attendants gather them up to be
resold. Not everyone goes for that, how-
ever, and one ex-student told us how, in
her university days, a Big Mac would be
offered, left for a few minutes and then
retrieved; why waste it?
When wishes are granted, the worship-
pers show their gratitude by commission-
ing shrine musicians and dancers for a
performance. The tinkling tempo, throaty
bass and colourful dancers are in marked
contrast to the ordinary street corner on
which the shrine stands, surrounded by
idling cars and self-absorbed shoppers
though most of them will still offer a pass-
ing wai (bringing the hands together in a
prayer-like manner at chest level).
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The businesses posted on the other
corners of the intersection have erected
their own Hindu shrines in order to counter
and/or copy the power of the Erawan Shrine.
This godly one-upmanship sees Lakshmi,
the wife of Vishnu, standing atop Gaysorn
Plaza while Vishnu himself is mounted
upon Garuda at the Intercontinental Hotel.
Another Garuda can be found in the Police
Hospital, while Indra is appropriately placed
outside the Amarin Plaza, beside the Erawan.
If your head is spinning, you could settle
for crossing diagonally from the Erawan
Shrine to the square outside Central World
for a look at elephant-headed Ganesha
whose presence is no great surprise given
his parents are Lakshmi and Vishnu. On the
same corner, most likely as a cosmic media-
tor between all these rival deities, is the
Trimurthi Shrine (San Trimurthi). This shrine
depicts the three supreme Hindu gods
(Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma) and symbolises
creation, destruction and preservation.
Note that love is not mentioned here, but
peace and love arent that far removed
and thats enough to have Thai teenagers
descending on the shrine on Thursdays to
seek romantic success.

CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY
Map pp989
.......
%0 2215 0871; www.chula.ac.th; 254 Th
Phayathai; gair-con 502, ordinary 21; dSiam;
mSamyan
Thailands oldest and most prestigious uni-
versity is nestled in a leafy enclave south of
busy Th Phra Ram I. The centrepiece of the
campus is the promenade ground on the
east side of Th Phayathai where a seated
statue of Rama V (King Chulalongkorn) is
surrounded by purple bougainvillea and
offerings of pink carnations. The showcase
buildings display the architectural fusion
the monarch favoured, a mix of Italian
revival and Thai traditional. The campus has
a parklike quality, with noble tropical trees
considerately labelled for plant geeks. Of
the many species that shade the campus,
the rain trees with their delicate leaves are
considered symbolic of the university, even
commemorated in a school song, and the
deciduous cycle matches the beginning
and ending of each school year.
The university has two art galleries,
Jamjuree and the Art Centre (Map pp989 ; %
0 2218 2911; www.car.chula.ac.th/art; Centre of Academic
Resources Bldg, 7th fl, Chulalongkorn University, Th Phay-
athai; h9am-7pm Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm Sat; dSiam,
mSamyan). The latter shows Chula profes-
sors as well as major names in the Thai and
international modern art scene; permanent
exhibits include Thai art retrospectives.
On the west side of Th Phayathai is the
teak Thai Pavilion, in which the Center of Arts
and Culture performs cultural displays on
the first Friday of each month.
RATCHATHEWI
Spreading north of Pratunam is Ratchathewi,
an area that attracts few tourists but does have
some sights. The area around Victory Monu-
ment is also an interesting area to find bars
and restaurants that are very much the staples
of the Thai middle class.
VICTORY MONUMENT Map pp523
.......
Th Ratchawithi & Phayathai; dVictory Monument;
gordinary 12, 62
A busy traffic circle revolves around this
obelisk monument that was built in 1941 to
commemorate a 1939 Thai victory against
the French in Laos. But the monument is
only a landmark for observing the social
universe of the local university students.
An elevated walkway circumnavigates the
roundabout, funnelling the pedestrian traffic
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JIM THOMPSON: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERYAND SILK
Born in Delaware in 1906, Jim Thompson was a New York architect who served in the Office of Strategic Services (a
forerunner of the CIA) in Thailand during WWII. After the war he found New York too tame compared to his beloved
Bangkok. When in 1947 he spotted some silk in a market and was told it was woven in Baan Krua (see walking tour,
p105 ), he found the only place in Bangkok where silk was still woven by hand.
Thompson thought he could sell the fine silk from Baan Krua to a postwar world with a ravenous appetite for luxury
goods. He attracted the interest of fashion houses in New York, Milan, London and Paris, and gradually built a worldwide
clientele for a craft that had, just a few years before, been in danger of dying out. They were heady days for the poor
Muslim weavers of Baan Krua. Thompson was noted for both his idealism and generosity, and when he set up the Thai
Silk Company in 1948 he insisted that his contract weavers became shareholders.
By 1967 Thai Silk had annual sales of almost US$1.5 million. In March that year, when Thompson went missing
while out for an afternoon walk in the Cameron Highlands of western Malaysia, his success as a businessman and
background as a spy made it an international mystery. Thompson has never been heard from since, but the conspiracy
theories fuelled even further by the murder of his sister in the USA during the same year have never stopped. Was it
communist spies? Business rivals? A man-eating tiger? The most recent theory is that the silk magnate was accidentally
run over by a Malaysian truck driver who hid his remains.
The Legendary American: The Remarkable Career & Strange Disappearance of Jim Thompson, written by his long-time
friend William Warren, is an excellent account of Thompsons life.
ITS FREE
The value of the Thai baht in international currencies
might turn misers into spendthrifts, but there are still
plenty of cheap and even free thrills in Bangkok.


Hotel river boats ( p113 ) Take a free hotel ferry
from Central Pier or River City to the plush hotel of
your choice; whether you have a drink when you
get there is up to you


Erawan Shrine ( opposite ) See traditional Thai
dancing, paid for by a Bangkokian making merit


Lumphini Park ( p106 ) Sweat in synchrony at the
free evening aerobics classes


Victory Monument Skytrain station (Map
pp523 ) See break dancers practising their moves,
young couples flirting, fashion trendies exhibiting
themselves, and illegal markets on the elevated
walkway leading to this station
102 103
in and out of the Skytrain station as well as
providing a gathering spot for break dancers,
flirters and lots of fashion experiments. The
neighbourhood around Victory Monument is
less cosmopolitan and more reminiscent of
provincial towns elsewhere in Thailand, but
that doesnt mean its hicksville. Nearby bars
and cafs cater to the university crowd try
the rooftop Skytrain Bar on the corner of
Th Rang Nam. If you wander down Th Rang
Nam youll find local luk thng and phleng
phua chii-wit (songs for life) places with live
music most evenings.
BAIYOKE II TOWER Map pp523
%2656 3000; 22 Th Ratchaprarop; admission
200B; h10am-10pm; fkhlong boat Tha Pra-
tunam
Thailands tallest tower, if not its most ar-
chitecturally attractive, the Baiyoke II tower
soars to 88 storeys, the upper of which are
often clad with some truly huge advertis-
ing. The main, and indeed the only, attrac-
tion here is the 77th floor observation deck.
The views are as impressive as youd expect
(unless its too smoggy) but only just com-
pensate for the tacky dcor and uninspiring
restaurant. If you have a choice, the rooftop
bars are better.
WANG SUAN PHAKKAT Map pp523
........
%0 2245 4934; Th Si Ayuthaya, btwn Th Phayathai
& Th Ratchaprarop; admission 100B; h9am-4pm;
gordinary 72; dPhayathai
Everyone loves Jim Thompsons house, but
few have even heard of Wang Suan Phakkat
(Lettuce Farm Palace), another noteworthy
traditional Thai house museum. Once the
residence of Princess Chumbon of Nakhon
Sawan, the museum is a collection of five
traditional wooden Thai houses linked by
elevated walkways containing varied dis-
plays of art, antiques and furnishings. The
landscaped grounds are a peaceful oasis
complete with ducks, swans and a semi-
enclosed, Japanese-style garden.
The diminutive Lacquer Pavilion at the back
of the complex dates from the Ayuthaya
period (the building originally sat in a
monastery compound on the banks of
Mae Nam Chao Phraya, just south of Ay-
uthaya) and features gold-leaf Jataka and
Ramayana murals as well as scenes from
daily Ayuthaya life. Larger residential struc-
tures at the front of the complex contain
displays of Khmer, Hindu and Buddhist
art, Ban Chiang ceramics and a collection
of historic Buddhas, including a beautiful
late-U Thongstyle image. In the noise and
confusion of Bangkok, the gardens offer a
tranquil retreat.
PHAYATHAI PALACE Map pp523
King Mongkut Hospital, %0 2354 7732; 315 Th
Ratchawithi; admission free; h9am-4pm Sat;
dVictory Monument
West of the Victory Monument roundabout,
Phayathai Palace was built by King Chu-
lalongkorn (Rama V) in 1909 as a cottage
for retreats into what was then the coun-
try. The surviving throne hall, encased in
French glass doors and a fanciful tiered
roof, is now part of a hospital complex
and is open to the public. Note the limited
hours; tours are conducted at 9.30am and
1.30pm on Saturdays. The grounds are
open at other times. There isnt much in the
way of tourist displays, but its worth a visit
to survey the architecture of the buildings
and escape the sightseeing masses.
BANGKOK DOLL FACTORY
& MUSEUM Map pp523
r..-........
%0 2245 3008; www.bangkokdolls.com; 85 Soi
Ratchataphan (Soi Mo Leng), Th Ratchaprarop;
admission free; h8.30am-5pm Mon-Sat; gordi-
nary 62 & 77
Khunying Tongkorn Chandevimol became
interested in dolls while living in Japan.
Upon her return to Thailand, she began
researching and making dolls, drawing
from Thai mythology and historical periods.
Today her personal collection of dolls from
all over the world and important dolls from
her own workshop are on display. You can
also view the small factory where family
members continue to craft the figures that
are now replicated and sold throughout
Thailands tourist markets. A large selection
of her dolls are also for sale.
It is difficult to find this well-hidden spot,
but perseverance will reward any doll lover,
especially the pint-sized connoisseurs. The
museum is in Ratchathewi and is best ap-
proached via Th Si Ayuthaya heading east.
Cross under the expressway past the inter-
section with Th Ratchaprarop and take the
soi to the right of the post office. Follow this
windy street until you start seeing signs.
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DIY BAAN KRUA
Walking Tour
We could tell you to take lefts and rights down
little alleys, but exploring this historic Muslim
village is more fun if you just venture forth
and find your own way. But we will get you
into the village Start this DIY tour when
you finish your tour of Jim Thompsons House ( p97 );
head left to the khlong and left again. Youll
soon come to Garimmin & Sobereen, a make-
shift, khlong-side place selling food and cold
drinks, which is a great spot to sit and watch
the khlong boats motor by while observing
village life on the other side: men dressed in
white dishdashas, exotic caged birds yapping
and women selling food and everyday items
from tiny stores that are a world away from
the nearby mega-malls.
Refreshed, cross the footbridge and dive
in. Wander around and try to keep a smile
on your face. The local people are welcom-
ing and enjoy a bit of banter, but dont enter
anyones house unless youre invited. You can
spend as little or long as you like wandering
through Baan Krua, but do try to see the silk
weavers in action. Youll probably hear the
clickety clack of the looms before you see
them; if you cant find them ask for direc-
tions (hint: they are in an alley leading off
the khlong-side path).
Of the two, Phamai Baan Krua (%0 2215 7458)
is the easiest in which to watch the weav-
ing and (if hes around) owner Niphon Ma-
nuthas speaks English and German; see p92
for an interview with him. The high-quality
handwoven silk that originally attracted Jim
Thompson is still sold here, and prices are
very reasonable compared with the chic store
across the khlong.
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WALK FACTS
Start Jim Thompsons House
End Wherever you like
Distance not very far
Duration 15 minutes to one hour
Fuel Stops Corner stores in Baan Krua, or Garimmin
& Sobereen across the footbridge.
104 105
LUMPHINI PARK Map p112
......
h5am-8pm; gair-con 505, ordinary 13; mLum-
phini & Silom; dSala Daeng & Ratchadamri
Named after Buddhas birthplace in Nepal,
this is Bangkoks largest and most popu-
lar park. An artificial lake in the centre is
surrounded by broad, well-tended lawns,
wooded areas, walking paths and, around
sunset, the odd ambling turtle its the
best outdoor escape from Bangkok without
leaving town.
One of the best times to visit the park
is in the early morning before 7am, when
the air is fresh (well, relatively so for Bang-
kok) and legions of Chinese are practis-
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ing tai chi, doing their best to mimic the
aerobics instructor or doing the half-run
half-walk version of jogging that, you have
to agree, makes a lot of sense in this op-
pressive humidity. Meanwhile, vendors set
up tables to dispense fresh snakes blood
and bile, considered health tonics by many
Thais and Chinese. A weight-lifting area in
one section becomes a miniature muscle
beach on weekends. Facilities include a
snack bar, an asphalt jogging track, a picnic
area, toilets and a couple of tables where
women serve Chinese tea. There are no
shops inside the park, but cold drinks are
available at the entrance.
During the kite-flying season (from
mid-February to April), Lumphini becomes
a favoured flight zone, with kites (wo) for
sale in the park.
OLD CUSTOMS HOUSE Map pp1089
......
Soi 36, Th Charoen Krung; fTha Oriental
The Old Customs House was once the
gateway to Thailand, levying taxes on
traders moving in and out of the kingdom.
Designed by an Italian architect and built in
the 1880s, the front door opened onto its
source of income (the river) and the grand
faade was ceremoniously decorated in
columns and transom windows. Today its
a crumbling yet hauntingly beautiful home
to the fire brigade, with sagging shutters,
peeling colonial yellow paint and laundry
flapping on the unpainted balconies. Plans
to resurrect this building as a luxurious
Aman Resort seem to have stalled, so
anyone with a large wad of spare cash and
ambitions as a hotelier should contact the
government. Its not open to the public, but
it is OK to wander aroundas long as you
dont get in the way of the volleyball game.
BANGKOKIAN MUSEUM Map pp1089
%0 2233 7027; 273 Soi 43, Th Charoen Krung,
Bangrak; admission free; h10am-4pm Wed-Sun;
fTha Si Phraya
This collection of three wooden houses
illustrates an often-overlooked period of
Bangkoks history, the 1950s and 60s. The
main building was built in 1937 as a home
for the Surawadee family and, as the signs
inform us, was finished by Chinese carpen-
ters on time and for less than the budgeted
2400B (which would barely buy a door
handle today). This building and the large
wooden one to the right, which was added
as a boarding house to help cover costs,
are filled with the detritus of family life and
offer a fascinating window into the period.
The third building, at the back of the block,
was built in 1929 as a surgery for a British
doctor, though he died soon after arriving
in Thailand.

QUEEN SAOVABHA MEMORIAL
INSTITUTE (SNAKE FARM) Map pp1089
.......
%0 2252 0161; 1871 Th Phra Ram IV, Lumphini;
adult/child 200/50B; h9.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri,
9.30am-1pm Sat & Sun; gair-con 507, ordinary 4,
47 & 50; dSala Daeng; mSilom
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RI VERSI DE, SI LOM & LUMPHI NI
Eating p160 ; Shopping p136 ; Sleeping p211
During Bangkoks shipping heyday, the city faced outward toward the river to welcome foreign
trading ships and European envoys. All along the Mae Nam Chao Phraya are the remnants of
this mercantile era: the ornate French and Portuguese embassies, crumbling Customs House
and the elegant Oriental Hotel ( p212 ). Little lanes wind through abandoned warehouses, gated
headquarters of historic shipping companies, and the Muslim and Indian communities that
replaced the European presence.
Th Charoen Krung, which runs parallel to the river and links Th Silom with Chinatown,
was Bangkoks first paved road built at the behest of European residents who wanted a place
for their horses and buggies. How times have changed. The water-based society was so taken
by this innovation that, one by one, nearly all the canal routes were concreted over to become
roads. Today the southern end of Th Charoen Krung is lined with silk and jewellery busi-
nesses that sell to wealthy tourists staying at the luxury riverside hotels. But not far away, back
behind the commercial faade, are the residential areas where curry shops are more likely to
serve Indian-style roti than rice, and silken headdresses distinguish Muslim Thais from their
Buddhist sisters.
As industries changed the financial district migrated inland along Th Silom, which runs
from Th Charoen Krung northeast to Lumphini Park and Th Phra Ram IV and was once the
outskirts of the riverside city. Windmills (silom) once dotted the landscape, conveying water
to the areas rice fields.
Today Silom experiences a daily tide of people. Workers flood into the office towers in the
morning, are released into the streets for lunch and return home aboard public transport in
the evening. Foreigners sweat in their imported suits, maintaining the corporate appearance of
New York and London in styles that are ill suited for the tropics. Thai secretaries prefer poly-
ester suits that are sold off the rack at small markets, alongside bulk toiletries and thick-heeled
sandals. Workers returning to the office after lunch are usually loaded down with plastic bags
of food for midafternoon snacks: in Thailand the snack table is the equivalent of the Western
water cooler.
Parallel to Th Silom are Th Surawong to the north and Th Sathon to the south, which is
divided into northbound Th Sathon Neua and southbound Th Sathon Tai, running either side
of the remains of the khlong it has now replaced. None of these streets is especially well blessed
with traditional sights, but wedged between Silom and Surawong, uncannily convenient to
the heart of the business zone, is Bangkoks most infamous attraction, the Patpong strip of bars
and clubs ( p111 ).
Th Sathon is home to several embassies ( p258 ), three of Bangkoks best hotels and endless
speeding traffic. One of those hotels hosts the dreamy, decadent Moon Bar at Vertigo ( p177 ), while
State Tower on the corner of Th Silom and Th Charoen Krung is crowned with Sirocco ( p177 ).
Both host some of the most breathtaking, cocktail-enhanced sunset views on earth.
At the eastern end of this neighbourhood is delightfully, mercifully green Lumphini Park, the
citys central green space where kids learn to ride bikes, grandmas stretch out stiff joints, office
workers work out and (relatively) fresh air never tasted so good. Lumphini Park is bounded by
Th Sarasin, Th Phra Ram IV, Th Withayu (Wireless Road) and Th Ratchadamri. East of the
park is Suan Lum Night Bazaar ( p137 ), a shopping mecca with an uncertain future, and Lumphini Stadium
( p199 ). Just off the southeastern corner of the park is the area known as Soi Ngam Duphli, the
backpacker predecessor of Th Khao Sans guesthouse scene.
RIVERSIDE, SILOM & LUMPHINI


Oriental Hotel ( p212 ) Relive the steamship era of
globetrotting aristocrats with tea and crumpets at
this legendary establishment


Lumphini Park ( opposite ) Relax Bangkok-style
among the exercisers and exercise-observers in this
peaceful park


Patpong ( p185 ) Ping pong? Well, not exactly


Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute ( right )
Confront your fear of snakes at this humanitarian
snake farm


Cyan ( p161 ) Eat where Bangkoks best chefs
choose to eat


Cocktail hour Soak up the sunset views and knock
back a cocktail or two at Bangkoks tower-top
bar-restaurants, Moon Bar at Vertigo ( p177 ) and
Sirocco ( p177 )
TRANSPORT: RIVERSIDE, SILOM
& LUMPHINI
Bus Air-con 502 and 505, ordinary 15, 22 and 62
Ferry Tha Si Phraya (N3), Tha Oriental (N1) and Tha
Sathon (Central Pier)
Skytrain Sala Daeng, Chong Nonsi and Surasak
Metro Silom and Lumphini
Th Silom is busy at almost every hour, and the Sky-
train is a better alternative for reaching destinations
on this street. Traffic moves more regularly on Th
Sathon, though U-turn possibilities are rare.
106 107
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0 400 m
0 0.2 miles
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74
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See Siam Square,
Pratunam & Ploenchit
Map pp989
See Lumphini &
East Sathon
Map p112
Surasak
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RIVERSIDE, SILOM & SURAWONG
See Chinatown
Map p84
108 109
Venomous snakes such as the formidable
cobra, banded krait and pit viper live a
peaceful and though they probably
dont know it altruistic existence at this
institute affiliated with the Thai Red Cross.
And watching the snakes being milked of
their venom (daily at 11am) or, in the case
of the python, draped around tourist necks
(2.30pm Monday to Friday) which feels
surprisingly pleasant, smooth and cool
has become such a tourist draw that a new
and very interesting serpentarium was
opened in early 2008.
Of course, all the fun isnt just for the
amusement of tourists. The institute was
founded in 1923, when it was only the
second of its kind in the world (the first was
in Brazil), and has gone on to become one
of the worlds leading centres in the study
of snakes. The venom collected during the
milkings is used to make snake-bite anti-
venins, which are distributed throughout
the country.
Its best to arrive 30 minutes before the
advertised show time to see a video pres-
entation about the institute and its work
(usually in Thai with English sub titles).
Outside show times you can stroll the
small garden complex where the snakes
are kept in escapeproof cages. The snakes
tend to be camera shy during nonperform-
ance times, though you could get lucky
and spot a camouflaged king cobra poised
to strike.
This institution is named in honour of
Queen Saovabha, wife of Rama V, who
championed a wide variety of medical
causes and education, including a school
for midwives and other modern birthing
practices.
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SRI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE Map pp1089
...........
%0 2238 4007; cnr Th Silom & Th Pan; admission
free; h6am-8pm; fTha Oriental; dChong
Nonsi or Surasak
Arrestingly flamboyant, this Hindu temple
is a wild collision of colours, shapes and
deities. Built in the 1860s by Tamil im-
migrants, the principal temple features
a 6m faade of intertwined, full-colour
Hindu deities. The temples main shrine
contains three supremes: Jao Mae Maha
Umathewi (Uma Devi; also known as
Shakti, Shivas consort) at the centre; her
son Phra Khanthakuman (Khanthakumara
or Subramaniam) on the right; and her
elephant -headed son Phra Phikkhanesa-
wora (Ganesha) on the left. Along the left
interior wall sit rows of Shivas, Vishnus and
other Hindu deities, as well as a few Bud-
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& NIGHTLIFE
DRINKING
64
65
66
63
35
37
36
(pp14372)
67
68
(pp17385)
69
71
72
73
74
75
76
(pp20121)
70
38
39
40
41
42
44
46
47
45
48
50
49
43
SLEEPING
78
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81
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85
86
82
87
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92
93
(pp2505)
52
53
55
56
57
54
58
59
60
(pp18893)
TRANSPORT
62
94 61
51
77
EATING
1
2
3
4
INFORMATION
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
13
14
15
16
17
(pp12741)
12
SHOPPING
SIGHTS (pp10615)
18
19
20
21
22
23
32
31
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
34
33
ENTERTAINMENT
& THE ARTS
E4
E3
G2
F5
D5
D5
D4
H Gallery...................................
Kathmandu Photo Gallery.........
Lucifer......................................
Neilson Hays Library Rotunda
Gallery..................................
G2
D4
G3
G2
H2
G3
G3
C5
G2
G2
F5
H4
B3
G3
D3
C4
G4
D4
G3
B3
G3
D4
B4
Noriega's..................................
Sala Rim Nam.........................(see 84)
Silom Village............................
Tang Gallery...........................(see 29)
Tapas Room.............................
Thavibu Gallery......................(see 29)
Three Sixty.............................(see 81)
Balcony.....................................
Barbican Bar.............................
Coyote On Convent.................
DJ Station.................................
Molly Malone's........................
Sirocco & Sky Bar......................
Telephone................................
D6
E3
E3
A3
F4
B4
B3
A4
B4
G2
B5
E4
G3
E3
F5
D4
C4
C3
F3
E4
D4
F4
E3
A2
D5
Ibrik Resort...............................
La Rsidence Hotel....................
Lub*D.......................................
Millennium Hilton.....................
New Road Guesthouse..............
Niagara Hotel............................
Oriental Hotel...........................
P&R Residence..........................
Peninsula Hotel.........................
Rose Hotel................................
Shangri-La Hotel.......................
Sofitel Silom Bangkok................
Triple Two Silom.......................
Urban Age................................
Air Canada................................
Air France.................................
A2 KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines.......(see 93)
F3 Air New Zealand....................... H3
G2
H2 Dusit Thani...............................
G3
B3
E5
B4
Bangkok Christian Hospital.........
French Embassy..........................
Main Post Office.........................
Myanmar Embassy......................
G4
B4
F5
E5
G5
B4
C3
H4
H4
G2
D4
C5
A4
Singapore Embassy.....................
Assumption Cathedral.................
Bangkokian Museum..................
Bank of Asia (Robot Building)......
Healthland Spa & Massage..........
Kukrit Pramoj House.................
Old Customs House..................
Oriental Spa.............................
Red Bull X Park.........................
Ruen-Nuad Massage & Yoga...
Sri Mariamman Temple............
State Tower..............................
Queen Saovabha Memorial
Institute (Snake Farm)...........
D4
G3
E3
F3
G2
B5
B4
E3
G3
B2
H3
F4
D4
C4
F3
B2S.........................................(see 18)
Baan Silom...............................
Bookazine.................................
Bookazine...............................(see 26)
Chiang Heng.............................
House of Chao..........................
Jim Thompson..........................
Sunny Camera..........................
Sunny Camera...........................
Soi Lalai Sap..............................
Silom Galleria...........................
River City..................................
Patpong Night Market..............
Orchid Press.............................
OP (Oriental Plaza) Place..........
Niks/Nava Import Export...........
Jim Thompson Factory
Outlet...................................
B4 Thai Home Industries................
Tamnan Mingmuang................ H3
Asia Books..............................(see 33)
Ban Chiang...............................
Blue Elephant...........................
Blue Elephant Cooking School..(see 36)
Chennai Kitchen.......................
Chocolate Bar.........................(see 86)
Circle of Friends........................
D'Sens....................................(see 77)
Eat Me Restaurant....................
Foo Mui Kee.............................
Harmonique..............................
Home Cuisine Islamic
Restaurant............................
Indian Hut................................
Jay So.......................................
Khrua Aroy Aroy......................
La Boulange..............................
Le Bouchon..............................
Le Normandie.........................(see 84)
Loy Nava...................................
Mashoor..................................
Mizu's Kitchen..........................
Muslim Restaurant...................
Naaz.........................................
Oriental Hotel Thai Cooking
School................................(see 84)
Ran Nam Tao Hu Yong Her.......
Scoozi.......................................
Shanghai 38...........................(see 89)
Silom Thai Cooking School........
Soi Pradit Market.....................
Somboon Seafood.....................
Wan Fah................................(see 49)
Yok Yor Restaurant...................
Gallery Ver...............................
G O D (Guys On Display).........
Eat Me Restaurant..................(see 39)
Bamboo Bar............................(see 84)
Ad Makers...............................
Epicurean Kitchen Thai
Cooking School.....................
RIVERSIDE, SILOM & SURAWONG
PUSSY GALORE
Super Pussy! Pussy Collection! The neon signs leave little doubt about the dominant industry in Patpong, the worlds
most infamous strip of go-go bars and clubs running exotic shows. There is enough skin on show in Patpong to make
Hugh Hefner blush, and a trip to the upstairs clubs could mean youll never look at a ping-pong ball or a dart the same
way again.
For years opinion on Patpong has polarised between those who see it as an exploitative, immoral place that is the
very definition of sleaze, and others for whom a trip to Bangkok is about little more than immersing themselves in
planet Patpong (or Nana, or Soi Cowboy p185 ). But Patpong has become such a caricature of itself that in recent
times a third group has emerged: the curious tourist. Whatever your opinion, what you see in Patpong or any of
Bangkoks other high-profile adult entertainment areas depends as much on your outlook on life as on the quality
of your vision.
Prostitution is actually illegal in Thailand but there are as many as 2 million sex workers, the vast majority of whom
women and men cater to Thai men. Many come from poorer regional areas, such as Isaan in the northeast, while
others might be students helping themselves through university. Sociologists suggest Thais often view sex through a
less moralistic or romantic filter than Westerners. That doesnt mean Thai wives like their husbands using prostitutes,
but its only recently that the gradual empowerment of women through education and employment has led to a more
vigorous questioning of this very widespread practice.
Patpong actually occupies two soi that run between Th Silom and Th Surawong in Bangkoks financial district. The
two streets are privately owned by and named for the Thai-Chinese Patpongpanich family, who bought the land
in the 1940s and initially built Patpong Soi 1 and its shophouses; Soi 2 was laid later. During the Vietnam War the first
bars and clubs opened to cater to American soldiers on R&R. The scene and its international reputation grew through
the 70s and peaked in the 80s, when official Thai tourism campaigns made the sort of sights available on Patpong
a pillar of their marketing.
These days Patpong has mellowed considerably, if not matured. Thanks in part to the popular tourist night market
that fills the soi after 5pm, it draws so many tourists that it has become a sort of sex theme park. There are still plenty
of the stereotypical middle-aged men ogling pole dancers, sitting in dark corners of the so-called blow-job bars and
paying bar fines to take girls to hotels that charge by the hour. But youll also be among other tourists and families
who come to see what all the fuss is about.
Most tourists go no further than stolen glances into the ground-floor go-go bars, where women in bikinis drape
themselves around stainless-steel poles, between bouts of haggling in the night market. Others will be lured by men
promising fucky show to the dimly lit upstairs clubs. But it should be said that the so-called erotic shows usually
feature bored-looking women performing shows that feel not so much erotic as demeaning to everyone involved.
Several of these clubs are also infamous for their scams, usually involving the nonperforming (ie clothed, if just barely)
staff descending on wide-eyed tourists like vultures on fresh meat. Before you know it youve bought a dozen drinks and
racked up a bill for thousands of baht, followed by a loud, aggressive argument flanked by menacing-looking bouncers
and threats of no money, no pussy.
Were we saying that Patpong had mellowed? Oh yes, there is a slightly softer side. Several bars have a little more,
erm, class, and in restaurants such as the French bistro Le Bouchon ( p162 ) in Patpong 2 and Mizus Kitchen ( p162 ), a
divey place that has been running more than 50 years, you could forget where you are almost.
110 111
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dhas. While most of the people working in
the temple are of Subcontinental origin,
youll likely see plenty of Thai and Chinese
devotees praying here because the Hindu
gods figure just as prominently in their
individualistic approach to religion.
The official Thai name of the temple is
Wat Phra Si Maha Umathewi, but some-
times it is shortened to its colloquial name
Wat Khaek khek is a common expres-
sion for people of Indian descent. The
literal translation is guest, an obvious
euphemism for any group of people not
particularly wanted as permanent residents;
hence most Indian Thais dont appreciate
the term.
BANK OF ASIA Map pp1089
r...
Cnr Th Sathon Tai & Soi Pikun
During the crazy 1980s, when no building
project was too outlandish or expensive,
architect Sumet Jumsai created his now-
famous Robot Building for the Bank of Asia.
Few were keen on it at the time, but now
it seems quaint and retro. The building is
not open to the public; its whimsical faade
is best viewed on the Skytrain between
Surasak and Chong Nonsi stations.
KUKRIT PRAMOJ HOUSE Map pp1089
.......r.
%0 2286 8185; Soi 7 (Phra Phinij), Th Narathiwat
Ratchankharin; admission adult/uniformed student
50/20B; h9.30am-5pm Sat & Sun; dChong Nonsi
Author and statesman Mom Ratchawong
Kukrit Pramoj once resided in this charm-
ing complex now open to the public for
tours. Surrounded by a manicured garden,
five teak buildings introduce visitors to
traditional Thai architecture and to the
former resident, who wrote more than 150
books (including the highly respected Four
Reigns) and served as prime minister of
Thailand.
ASSUMPTION CATHEDRAL Map pp1089
%0 2234 8556; Soi Oriental, Th Charoen
Krung, Bangrak; h7am-7pm; fTha Oriental;
dSaphan Taksin
Marking the ascendancy of the French
missionary influence in Bangkok during the
reign of Rama II, this Romanesque church
with its rich golden interior dates from 1910
and hosted a mass by Pope John Paul II in
1984. The schools associated with the cath-
edral are considered some of the best in
Thailand, and youll probably need to walk
through one to reach the red-brick building.

RIVERSIDE RAMBLE
Walking Tour
Theres more to the riverside district of
Bangrak than large luxury hotels. Once
Thailands gateway to the world, its quiet
tree-lined soi retain enough of their past
character in the form of old shophouses,
embassies and godowns converted into
antique stores for an interesting couple
of hours of walking and looking. The
starting point is one of the most accessible
in Bangkok, at the end of the Skytrain
and the main river ferry terminal. If you
plan to start after lunch it should be easier
to justify regular drink stops in the hotel
bars.
1 Bangrak Market Walk away from the
river and turn left onto Th Charoen Krung.
The street is lined with street food sellers and
eventually opens into Bangrak Market, either
of which makes a cheap, tasty pit stop.
2 Assumption Cathedral Continue along
Th Charoen Krung, past the monumentally
ugly neoclassical State Tower at the corner
of Th Silom. Turn left through a schoolyard-
cum-parking lot and walk through to red-
brick Assumption Cathedral ( above ), in the midst
of Bangkoks former centre of international
commerce.
3 East Asiatic Company building Exit
the cathedral through the front door, walk
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1
8

1
9
ON THE RIVER
Getting out on the Mae Nam Chao Phraya is a great
way to escape the Bangkok traffic and experience the
citys maritime past. So its fortunate that the citys
riverside hotels also have some of the most attractive
boats shuttling along the river. In most cases these
free services run from Tha Sathon (Central Pier) and
River City to their mother hotel, departing every 10
or 15 minutes. Theres no squeeze and no charge,
and the uniformed crew help you on and off. The
Millennium Hilton boat has arguably the most polite
crew and runs the most useful route. The boat services
usually finish at about 10pm.
112 113
through the small park and then right, be-
neath an overhead walkway linking two
buildings. Here, in front of Tha Oriental,
is the fading classical Venetian-style faade
of the East Asiatic Company, built in 1901.
Much of Thailands foreign trade was con-
ducted through this building, with goods
coming and going from the surrounding
godowns.
4 Oriental Hotel Walk east down Soi 40 and
turn left into the Oriental Hotel ( p212 ), Bangkoks
oldest and most storied hotel. Have a wander
around, stop for a drink in Lord Jims, and
be sure to check out the Authors Wing (note
that the smart, casual dress code bans open
shoes).
5 Old Customs House Exit the hotel, head
away from the river and turn left past the Ori-
ental Plaza (OP), built as a department store
in 1905 and now housing expensive antique
shops. Pass the walls of the French embassy
and turn left; local Muslim restaurants offer
sustenance here. Head towards the river and
the big, decrepit Old Customs House ( p107 ). Reha-
bilitation plans seem to have stalled and it
remains a fire station, but its OK to take a
look around.
6 Haroon Village Leave the way you en-
tered and turn left down a narrow lane behind
Old Customs House. Youre now in Haroon
village, a Muslim enclave full of sleeping
cats, playing kids, wooden houses and fam-
ily-run stores selling essentials (including
drinks and ice creams). Make your own way
through Haroon and youll eventually come
to a larger street running away from the river.
Follow this road, cross Th Charoen Krung
and turn right and immediately left into a
dead-end soi.
7 Naaz If you havent already found food in
Haroon Village, duck down the end of this
soi to Naaz ( p164 ) for one of the richest biryanis
in town.
8 Bangkokian Museum Returning to Th
Charoen Krung, turn right and walk past the
imposing, Art Deco General Post Office and
turn right on Soi 43. Walk beneath the ex-
pressway and past the street food vendors
to the Bangkokian Museum ( p106 ) for a taste of
postwar Bangkok. Once youre done, head
back the way you came and turn left down a
lane just before Th Charoen Krung. At its end
is Naaz ( p164 ), which serves one of the richest
biryanis in town.
9 River City Head back to Th Charoen Krung
to take your life in your hands again cross-
ing the street, and turn right. Continue to the
next corner and turn left on Soi 30, aka Soi
Captain Bush. Follow this road past the tacky
antique shops and the walls of the Portuguese
l
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.
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O
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O
D
S


R
I
V
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D
E
,

S
I
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O
M

&

L
U
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P
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I
N
I
embassy, Bangkoks oldest. You could finish
your tour here, and take the river express boat
from Tha Si Phraya, which is down a lane
before the Sheraton Hotel. Alternatively, con-
tinue to River City ( p137 ). This is a great place to
view artefacts from across Southeast Asia, but
be aware that anything of Cambodian origin
might not be strictly kosher, as Cambodian
law prohibits the export of most cultural arte-
facts in an attempt to maintain the cultural
heritage of the country. Other countries might
have different laws, but the effect of buying
is the same. For more information see www
.heritagewatch.org.'
10 Drinkies From River City you have sev-
eral options. This is a departure point for
Chao Praya dinner cruises, leaving at 7pm.
More appealing are the free shuttle boats to
the riverside hotels. Our recommendations:
if its after 5pm, you could take the ferry to
the Oriental and walk up to State Tower for
a rooftop cocktail at Sirocco ( p177 ), or take the
Hilton boat just across the river and head to
the penthouse jazz bar Three Sixty ( p180 ), which
is definitely better if its raining. For a lesser,
but still great, view and much cheaper drinks,
take the Hilton boat and walk left from the
l
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.
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S


R
I
V
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S
I
D
E
,

S
I
L
O
M

&

L
U
M
P
H
I
N
I
START
END
0 200 m
0 0.1 miles
Saphan
Taksin
5
6
3
8
1
4
2
9
7
Be My
Guest
Naaz
Sirocco
Saphan
Taksin
N3 Si
Phraya
N2 Wat
Muang Kae
N1 Oriental
Tha Sathon
(Central Pier)
Wat
Suwan
Royal
Orchid
Sheraton
Main Post
Office
State
Tower
Shangri-La
Hotel
S
o
i

3
6
S
o
i
3
0
Th Charoen W
iang
S
o
i

4
2
Soi 32
Soi 40
Soi 50
T
h

C
h
a
r
a
t

W
i
a
n
g
Soi 41
So
i
4
4
Soi 38
Soi 39
Soi 45
Soi 47
Soi 34
Soi 46
T
h
Y
o
th
a
S
o
i 3
0
Soi 43
Th Silom
Th Si Phraya
T
h

C
h
a
r
o
e
n

K
r
u
n
g
Th
Sathon
Tai (South)
Th Sathon Neua (North)
So
i
4
2
/
1
(S
o
i
W
a
t
S
u
a
n
P
h
lu
)
RIVERSIDE RAMBLE
WALK FACTS
Start Tha Sathon (Central Pier) or Skytrain Saphan
Taksin
End River City
Distance 4km walking, plus travel for drinking spot
Duration 1 to two hours
Fuel Stops Naaz ( p164 )
114 115
BENJAKITI PARK Map pp11819
......
Th Ratchadaphisek; h5am-8pm; mSirikit Centre
The latest addition to Bangkoks emaciated
green scene, this 130-rai (20.8-hectare)
park encircles a large lake on the former
grounds of the Tobacco Monopoly, just
behind the Queen Sirikit Convention Cen-
tre, and marks the queens sixth cycle (72nd
birthday). Another 300 rai (48 hectares) of
former factory buildings is earmarked for
transformation into a manmade rainforest,
though it hass yet to open. The park makes
a pleasant walk between the Sukhumvit
strip and the Lumphini area.

SIAM SOCIETY & BAN KAMTHIENG
Map pp11819
........
%02661 6470; www.siam-society.com; 131 Soi
Asoke (Soi 21), Th Sukhumvit; admission 100B;
h9am-5pm; dAsoke; mSukhumvit
Stepping off cacophonous Soi Asoke and
into the Siam Societys Ban Kamthieng
l
o
n
e
l
y
p
l
a
n
e
t
.
c
o
m
N
E
I
G
H
B
O
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R
H
O
O
D
S


T
H
A
N
O
N

S
U
K
H
U
M
V
I
T
house museum is as close to a northern
Thai village as youll come in Bangkok. Ban
Kamthieng is a traditional 19th-century
home that was located on the banks of
Mae Ping in Chiang Mai. Now relocated
to Bangkok, the house presents the daily
customs and spiritual beliefs of the Lanna
tradition. Communicating all the hard facts
as well as any sterile museum (with de-
tailed English signage and engaging video
installations), Ban Kamthieng instils in the
visitor a sense of place, from the attached
rice granary and handmade tools to the
wooden loom and woven silks. You cant
escape the noise of Bangkok completely,
but the houses are refreshingly free of
concrete and reflecting glass and make a
pleasant, interesting break.
Next door are the headquarters of the
prestigious Siam Society, publisher of the
renowned Journal of the Siam Society and a
valiant preserver of traditional Thai culture.
Those with a serious interest can use the
reference library, which has the answers to
almost any question you could have about
Thailand (outside the political sphere, since
the society is sponsored by the royal family).
THAILAND CREATIVE & DESIGN
CENTER Map pp11819
.........
%0 2664 8448; www.tcdc.or.th; 6th fl, Emporium,
Th Sukhumvit; h10.30am-9pm Tue-Sun; dPh-
rom Phong
Move over Scandinavian minimalism, this
is the dawning of Thai style. This centre is
a government-backed initiative intended
to incubate design innovation, which is
seen as Thailands next step in the global
marketplace now that labour is no longer
competitive. The centre acts as both show-
room and shop for Thai design, and is a
good place to buy quality (if more expen-
sive) Thai products and souvenirs. Rotating
exhibitions feature profiles of international
products and retrospectives of regional
handicrafts and creativity. Material ConneX-
ion is a permanent library of design-related
materials, the first of its kind in Asia. In
2008 it was suggested the centre could be
moving; call before you go.
MARKET, PARK & SPA
Walking Tour
This walk takes in the teeming commerce
of Bangkoks largest market, the con-
trasting quiet of one of the citys newer
parks, a bit of northern Thai culture and
a massage to help you recover from it all.
Khlong Toey market is busiest between
about 5am and 10am, so if you want to be
in the thick of the action start early. Its
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THANON SUKHUMVI T
Eating p165 ; Shopping p138 ; Sleeping p216
The Sukhumvit neighbourhood starts at the fleshpots of Nana in what could be loosely called
central Bangkok and tracks its namesake street for 20km all the way to the Gulf of Thailand.
Like Bangkok as a whole, it has no real centre and numerous distinct personalities. Apart
from the Skytrain, which looms above much of the street, the thing that brings it all together
is money. This is Bangkoks most exclusive residential area, one packed with the citys most
expensive apartments, villas, restaurants, shops, spas, cars, hospitals and, not surprisingly, its
wealthiest residents.
Sukhumvits two main personality blocks are either side of Soi 21 (Asoke). West of Soi
Asoke, the soi branching off the main road are dominated by the sleazy sex tourist scene
around Nana Entertainment Plaza ( p185 ) and Soi Cowboy ( p185 ), which tends to attract the expat (sexpat)
and repeat visitor market. On Th Sukhumvit itself the scantily clad bargirls share space with
men using battered laminated cards to tout eye-opening shows and a night market flogging
fake DVDs, T-shirts and other junk to tourists. But its not all sex and souvenirs. Several chic
boutique hotels embellish these soi, and the citys most fashionable nightclubs, including Bed
Supperclub ( p183 ) and Q Bar ( p184 ), can be found on Soi 11. Meanwhile down at Soi 3/1 you can
feast on cheap Middle Eastern food in what is known as Little Arabia, where we recommend
Nasser el Massry ( p168 ).
West of Soi Asoke is where the bulk of the international residents and wealthy Thais live.
During the postwar period, the green swathes of rice paddy were initially developed into large,
contemporary villas occupying even larger blocks; for a prime example dine at Spring ( p167 ). Over
the years these huge blocks have proved prime targets for developers looking to cash in on the
Thai infatuation with the high-rise apartment building. Its a continuing trend there is almost
nowhere in the neighbourhood where you cant hear the sweet sounds of construction.
This area is the primary address for the citys most recent expat arrivals, from Japanese
engineers to Lebanese importers. Whole neighbourhoods are populated by company families
temporarily transplanted to the tropics. Middle-class lives in the West are transformed into
upper-class status in Thailand, and families are expected to contribute to the local economy by
hiring maids, gardeners and other household staff. However, the majority of residents are still
Thai, from both the established old families who run Thailand and the ranks of wannabe young
professionals. Mixed Thaifarng households are also very common in this area.
Most farng live between Soi 21 (Asoke) and Soi 63 (Ekamai), near the Eastern bus station.
Beyond here is primarily Thai, though that could change as the Skytrain extension comes online
from 2009 (hopefully). And while the long noses, expensive restaurants and air-conditioned
shops can sometimes have you wondering what country youre in, you only need to walk to the
mouth of almost any soi to be reminded youre in a Thai city: street food vendors, motorcycle
taxis waiting to cart you home for 10B and the ubiquitous 7-Eleven store, known hereabouts
as a severrn. For street food, soi 20, 23, 33 and 38 are particularly good.
Sukhumvit doesnt boast much in the way of bona fide sights, with temples to mammon and
bacchanalian pleasure more prevalent than those to the Buddha; the restaurants are probably
the main draw.
THANON SUKHUMVIT


Ban Kamthieng ( opposite ) An informative, well-
presented taste of northern Thailand in this pretty
teak building


Tuba ( p178 ) If you fancy a drink in a used furniture
store, look no further


Soi 11 Clubs Dance your way down Bangkoks
premier clubbing soi, where new compete with
favourites Bed Supperclub ( p183 ) and Q Bar
( p184 )


International restaurants ( p165 ) Pasta, sushi,
tapas, hommus Sample Sukhumvits huge selec-
tion of foreign cuisine


Skytrain ( p254 ) Peek into the neighbourhoods
many fortressed mansions from this moving
vantage point
TRANSPORT: THANON SUKHUMVIT
Bus Air-con 501, 508, 511 and 513, ordinary 2, 25, 30 and 48
Skytrain Fom Nana east to On Nut stations are all along Th Sukhumvit. Stations beyond On Nut are due to open by
2009
Metro Sirikit Centre, Sukhumvit & Phetchaburi (Phetburi)
All odd-numbered soi branching off Th Sukhumvit head north, while even numbers run south. Unfortunately, they
dont line up sequentially (eg Soi 11 lies directly opposite Soi 8, Soi 39 is opposite Soi 26). Some larger soi are known
by alternative names, such as Soi Nana (Soi 3), Soi Asoke (Soi 21), Soi Phrom Phong (Soi 39) and Soi Thong Lor (Soi 55).
Traffic on Th Sukhumvit is notorious; use the Skytrain if you can.
116 117
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See Lumphini & East
Sathon Map p112
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most easily reached via the Khlong Toei
Metro station and a walk.
1 Khlong Toey Market Despite being
Bangkoks biggest market, and the distribu-
tion point for countless goods going to count-
less other stores, Khlong Toey market sees very few
tourists. Its authentic and a photographers
dream.
2 Benjakiti Park Once youve had enough
of the market, head out and cross busy Th
Phra Ram IV, then west across Th Ratcha-
daphisek and north past the Stock Exchange
of Thailand and finally into Benjakiti Park ( p116 ).
Head across to the far side of the lake and
walk north.
3 Ban Kamthieng At the far north end of the
park, step back out onto Th Ratchadaphisek
and continue north to Th Sukhumvit. Cross
over (the new overpass should be finished by
now), and continue north on busy Soi Asoke
to Ban Kamthieng ( p116 ), the traditional Lanna
wooden home relocated to Bangkok. Adjoin-
ing is the welcome air-con of Black Canyon
Coffee, which also serves cheap, tasty light
lunches.
4 Massage time Refreshed enough that
you're no longer dripping with sweat, brave
the traffic and cross Soi Asoke, then walk
through the Grand Millennium Hotel drive-
way to Soi 23. Turning right, there are a few
local restaurants, and you have a choice of
massage places. Those on Soi 23 itself are
cheap (less than 300B an hour) but the women
wear suspiciously short skirts so asking for an
oil massage might get you more than you
bargained for (foot massages are a safer bet).
If you walk along to the T-junction and turn
left, just beyond the next corner Mulberries
offers a more spa-like experience, with more
professional English-speaking masseuses.
5 Soi Cowboy Rejuvenated, return to Soi
23, turn left (north) and walk along until
you come to neon-filled Soi Cowboy ( p185 ). De-
pending on the time, youll find the bars
sleepy or just warming up fun photos if
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ENGLISH: BEYOND EXPECTATION
Peppering documents, ad campaigns, magazine covers and pop songs with English is a sure-fire status symbol in Thai-
land. This isnt unconscious fluency but premeditated posturing. The thinking goes like this: the language associated
with the richest nations of the world will surely divert just a little of that wealth to the business venture that masters
a few key phrases.
The most creative and excessive uses of English as a good omen are found on billboard ads for new condominiums.
Beyond expectation is a common sales pitch. The ultimate in luxury living in prestige village is another superlative-
laden line that might make Muhammad Ali blush. The residents in the ads are always beautiful luk khrung (half-Thai,
half-farng) impeccably dressed and enjoying a sweat-free existence in the tropics. They stare out at a misty future
enjoying the best of tomorrow today, in the most extravagant, exciting, trendy place in the universe.
WALK FACTS
Start Khlong Toei Metro station
End Asoke Skytrain station
Distance 4km
Duration Two to four hours
Fuel Stops Naaz ( p164 )
0 200 m
0 0.1 miles
Asoke
4
2
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1
5
Grand Millenium Hotel
Queen Sirikit
Convention
Centre
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Toei
Sirikit
Centre
Sukhumvit
Khlong
Toey
Tobacco
Monopoly
Benjakiti
Park
Chuvit
Garden


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To Soi 11
(50m)
MARKET, PARK & SPA
& NIGHTLIFE
DRINKING
20
21
SHOPPING (pp12741)
23
24
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26
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28
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31
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SIGHTS (pp11622)
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& THE ARTS
ENTERTAINMENT
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TRANSPORT
SLEEPING
(pp18893)
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(pp14372) EATING
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INFORMATION
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(pp2505)
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(pp20121)
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(pp17385)
D4
C1
G6
B2
B2
B3
D3
B3
E6
B2
A2
C4
B2
C5
F6
C3
C4
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G3
PB Air.....................................
Lufthansa Airlines....................
Eastern Bus Terminal..............
Swiss Park Hotel......................
Suk 11......................................
Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.....
Seven.......................................
S15...........................................
Napa Place Bed & Breakfast......
Miami Hotel..............................
Majestic Suites..........................
Ma Du Zi..................................
Le Fenix....................................
House By The Pond..................
HI Sukhumvit............................
Grand Millennium Sukhumvit...
Grand Mercure Park Avenue....
Federal Hotel.............................
Eugenia....................................
Dream.......................................
Davis........................................
Citichic......................................
Bangkok Centre Sukhumvit 25..
Bangkok Boutique Hotel............
Atlanta.....................................
Tuba.........................................
Ship Inn....................................
Opera Riserva Winetheque.......
Jool's Bar & Restaurant.............
Cheap Charlie's.........................
Steakhouse...........................
Bull's Head & Angus
Black Swan...............................
Witch's Tavern.........................
Twisted Republic.......................
Tokyo Joe's..............................
Soi Cowboy..............................
Santika.....................................
Kamthieng.............................
Siam Society & Ban
C3
Thailish Language School.......... C3
Center................................(see 28)
Thailand Creative & Design
Asia Books..............................(see 28)
B3 Asia Books................................
Asia Books..............................(see 31)
G2 Basheer.....................................
A2 Bookazine.................................
E4 Dasa Book Caf.........................
D4 Elite Used Books.......................
D4 Emporium Shopping Centre......
Kinokuniya..............................(see 28)
C3 L' Arcadia.................................
C3 Nandakwang............................
B3 Times Square............................
D4
World Fellowship of
Buddhists...............................
Hainanese Chicken Rice........
Boon Tong Kiat Singapore
Office......................................
Indian Visa Outsourcing
C3
C2 Israeli Embassy............................
D4 Norwegian Embassy...................
Rutnin Eye Hospital...................(see 0)
E3 Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital......
A2 Swedish Embassy......................
B1 TAT Main Office.......................
F5 Absolute Yoga..........................
Ambassador Hotel Fitness
B2 Centre...................................
B2 Buathip Thai Massage...............
C3 Mulberries................................
E1 Ozono Complex........................
Pirom Spa: The Garden Home
A2 Spa.......................................
G3 Play Gallery..............................
E4 Rasayana Retreat......................
Bangkok Playhouse................... G2
B2 Bed Supperclub.........................
Gallery F-Stop.........................(see 56)
C3 Glow........................................
Living Room...........................(see 98)
D4 Mambo Cabaret.......................
A2 Nana Entertainment Plaza.........
G4 Nang Len.................................
C3 Narcissus...................................
B2 Q Bar........................................
Yuy Lee.................................... D3
Thonglee.................................. C4
Tapas Caf.............................(see 99)
Tamarind Caf.......................... C4
Spring....................................... E3
Soi 38 Night Market.................. F5
Scoozi....................................... F5
Ruen Mallika............................ C5
Rang Mahal.............................. C4
Ramentei.................................. D4
Park Food Hall........................(see 28)
Nasser Elmassry Restaurant....... A2
Memay Caf............................. C2
Marriott Caf............................ A2
Le Banyan................................. B3
La Piola..................................... B2
Kuppa....................................... C4
Komala's................................... C4
Kalapapreuk on First...............(see 28)
Je Ngor..................................... C4
Imoya....................................... D4
Greyhound Caf.....................(see 28)
Great American Rib Company... E6
Face.......................................... F6
Emporium Food Hall...............(see 28)
Duc de Praslin.......................... D4
Crpes & Co............................. B3
Cabbages & Condoms.............. B3
Bourbon St Bar & Restaurant.... D4
G3
Bei Otto.................................... C4
Bed Supperclub.......................(see 60)
Ana's Garden............................ F5
Indian Embassy........................... C2
Foodland Pharmacy..................... B2
Dental Hospital............................ F3
Hospital................................... A1
Bumrungrad International
Bangkok Dental Spa.................... C2
Air India.................................(see 10)
Nest........................................(see 91)
Teo+Namfah Gallery..............(see 16)
SFV.........................................(see 28)
THANON SUKHUMVIT
WORKING FROM HOME: ARTISAN VILLAGES
Long before multinational factories, Bangkok was a town of craftspeople who lived and worked in artisan villages,
inheriting their skills and profession from their parents. Many villages made stylised arts and crafts for the palace and
minor royalty living along the fashionable avenues of the time. Today most of the villages still remain, but the descend-
ants of the craftspeople have become office workers commuting to jobs no longer based in their homes.
Soi Ma Toom (Map p56 ; off Th Arun Amarin) is a surviving example of the old home-and-factory paradigm. This
quiet lane, just off a traffic-clogged artery in Thonburi, across from the Naval Department, is where the ma toom (bael
fruit) is peeled, cut into horizontal slices and soaked in palm sugar to make a popular candy.
Surviving primarily on tourist patronage, the Monks Bowl Village ( p71 ) dates back to the first Bangkok king and
continues to create ceremonial pieces used by monks to collect morning alms.
The silk weavers of Baan Krua ( p100 ) no longer weave for Jim Thompson, but a couple of families are still producing
high-quality silks from looms in their living rooms.
Near the old timber yards and saw mills, Woodworking Street (Map pp1245 ; Soi Pracha Narumit, Th Pracharat,
Bang Sue) is still going strong with small Thai-Chineseowned factories fashioning wooden eaves, furniture and shrines.
Shops are open daily, and an annual street fair is celebrated in January.
120 121
the neon is on. At the far end turn left and
after a few metres left again into the Metro
station, which connects under Soi 21 (Asoke)
to Asoke Skytrain.
We apologise for not ending this tour with
a drinking spot with a view (though some will
want to stop for the views in Soi Cowboy),
but it is supposed to start early. If youve
managed to stretch it out to the end of the
day, consider walking down to Cheap Charlies
( p175 ) in Soi 11, and be sure to check out the
Sukhumvit restaurants ( p165 ).
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B
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BANG KWANG & KHLONG PREM
PRISONS Map pp1245
...........
Bang Kwang %0 2967 3311; fax 0 2967 3313;
Th Nonthaburi, Nonthaburi; fNonthaburi
Khlong Prem %0 2580 0975; 33/3 Th Ngam
Wang Wan, Chatuchak; fNonthaburi; dMo
Chit
Thailands permissive reputation is juxta-
posed by strict antidrug laws that often
land foreign nationals in a prison system
with feudal conditions. A sobering and
charitable expedition is to visit an inmate,
bringing them news of the outside, basic
supplies and reading materials. The regu-
lations for visits are quite involved and
require pre-arrival research (see p261 ). You
must dress respectfully (long sleeves and
long pants), bring your passport for regis-
tration purposes, and have the name and
building number of the inmate you plan to
visit. Inmate information can be obtained
from most embassies. Visiting hours and
days vary depending on the building the
inmate is housed in.
Male inmates who have received sen-
tences of 40 years to life (often for drug
offences) are detained in Bang Kwang
Prison, north of central Bangkok. To reach
the prison, take the Mae Nam Chao Phraya
ferry north to Nonthaburi (the last stop);
the prison is 500m from the pier.
Women sentenced to seven to 40 years
are detained in the Bang Khen section of
Khlong Prem Prison. From Nonthaburi, take
a minibus (15B) to the prison, or take the
Skytrain to Mo Chit and then a taxi to the
prison gates.
For more information, see www.phaseloop
.com/foreignprisoners/prisoners-thailand
.html or www.bangkwang.net.
CHILDRENS DISCOVERY MUSEUM
Map pp1245
r..-........
%0 2618 6509; www.bkkchildrenmuseum.com;
Queen Sirikit Park, Th Kamphaeng Phet 4; adult/
child 70/50B; h9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat
& Sun; dMo Chit
Through hands-on activities, learning is
well disguised as fun at this museum op-
posite Chatuchak Weekend Market ( p140 ).
Kids can stand inside a bubble, see how an
engine works, or role-play as a firefighter.
Most activities are geared to primary-
schoolaged children. There is also a tod-
dlers playground at the back of the main
building.
RAMA IX ROYAL PARK Map pp1245
.......
Soi 103 (Soi Udom Suk), Th Sukhumvit; admission
10B; h5am-6pm; gordinary 2, 23 & 25, transfer
to green minibus at Soi 103
Opened in 1987 to commemorate King
Bhumibols 60th birthday, this green area,
about 15km southeast of central Bangkok,
covers 81 hectares and has a water park
and botanic garden. Since its opening, the
garden has become a significant horticul-
tural research centre. A museum with an
exhibition about the kings life sits at the
parks centre. There are resident lizards,
tortoises and birds. A flower and plant sale
is held here in December. From Th Sukhum-
vit its about 7km along Soi 103, after it
bends left.
SAFARI WORLD Map pp1245
....
%0 2518 1000; www.safariworld.com; 99 Th
Ramindra 1, Miniburi; adult/child 750/450B;
h9am-5pm
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flat residential suburbs with a small number of scattered attractions. Some of these sights are
conveniently located along the Skytrain route, making them easily accessible from downtown.
Chatuchak and Victory Monument are both on the northern branch of the Skytrain, while
Rama IX Royal Park is in the far-eastern part of town, currently beyond the last Skytrain stop
but not for long.
The other attractions listed here will require several forms of public transport (and lots of
time and patience) or personal transport. The prisons are located west of Chatuchak and north
of central Bangkok.
122 123
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124 125
l
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G
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K
Claiming to be worlds largest open zoo,
Safari World is divided into two parts the
drive-through Safari Park and the Marine
Park. In the Safari Park, visitors drive
through different habitats with giraffes,
lions, zebras, elephants, orang-utans, and
other African and Asian animals. A panda
house displays rare white pandas. The
Marine Park focuses on stunts by dolphins
and other trained animals. Safari World is
45km northeast of Bangkok, and is best
reached by car.
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126