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in 1976. Another was on land that has recently been cleared, except for the magnificent
teak house built for the owners, which although dilapidated still stands on the riverfront
next to the church and is apparently due to be restored. The third can be found on the
other side of the Krung Thep Bridge, renovated and converted into a restaurant. The mill
came under the name of Long Heng Lee, and an original signboard hangs proudly inside
the restaurant. On this site, too, is a house built for the owners, which has been restored
and acts still as a residence. The mill dates from the 1880s or 90s, the timber construction
being very typical of the time. Wang Lee was not the only operator of rice mills in this
area: by 1903 there were eleven mills in this immediate area, out of a total of almost fifty
in Bangkok.
One of a pair of ancient Chinese shrines flanking the Krung Thep Bridge.
On the far side of the restaurant is a temple that, to the best of my knowledge, is the
only one in Thailand that is set on top of a three-storey building. Wat Bukkhalo was foun-
ded in 1767, and while the original ubosot is still here on the riverbank, a chapel and a
number of salas have been built on the roof of the community centre; the temple is a
striking sight for anyone passing across the Krung Thep Bridge or the Rama III Bridge in
a southerly direction, particularly early in the morning when the sun catches the red and
gold structures perched on top of their white platform.
It was probably the Chinese millers or sailors who built the two Chinese shrines on
either side of the Krung Thep Bridge, and they predate the bridge itself. Again, for anyone
passing over the bridge, in either direction, they present an intriguing flourish of red and
white gables and rampant dragons, but as with most Chinese shrines there is no known
history: they are simply modest places of worship. The Krung Thep Bridge was opened
in the middle of 1959, and at the time was only the second road bridge across the river.
Although lacking the splendour of the Memorial Bridge, it is still a fine example of steel
truss design, and it too has a bascule span for allowing the passage of large ships. Unlike
the older structure upriver, the bridge can still open. Fuji Car Manufacturing Co Ltd built
the bridge, which has a total length of 626.25 metres (2,053 ft). The neighbouring Rama III
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