Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIGHTS
Siam Square, Pratunam & Ploenchit
JIM THOMPSON HOUSE
See
Click here
.
HISTORICAL BUILDING
BAAN KRUA
( klorng boat to Tha Saphan Hua Chang, National Stadium exit 1)
This canal-side neighbourhood is
one of Bangkok's oldest communities. It dates back to the turbulent years at the end of the
18th century, when Cham Muslims from Cambodia and Vietnam fought on the side of the
new Thai king and were rewarded with this plot of land east of the new capital. The immig-
rants brought their silk-weaving traditions with them, and the community grew when the
residents built Khlong Saen Saeb to better connect them to the river.
The 1950s and '60s were boom years for Baan Krua after Jim Thompson hired the
weavers and began exporting their silks across the globe. The last 50 years, however,
haven't been so good. Silk production was moved elsewhere following Thompson's disap-
pearance and the community spent 15 years successfully fighting to stop a freeway being
built right through it. Through all this many Muslims moved out of the area; today it is es-
timated that only about 30% of the population is Muslim, the rest primarily immigrants
from northeast Thailand. However, Baan Krua retains its Muslim character, and one of the
original families is still weaving silk on old teak looms. The village, which is great for self-
guided exploration, 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 doesn't
make their old community a slum.
NEIGHBOURHOOD
ERAWAN SHRINE
(cnr Th Ratchadamri & Th Ploenchit; 6am-11pm; Chit Lom exit 8)
F
The Erawan Shrine was ori-
ginally built in 1956 as something of a last-ditch effort to end a string of misfortunes that
occurred during the construction of a hotel, at that time known as the Erawan Hotel. After
several incidents ranging from injured construction workers to the sinking of a ship carry-
MONUMENT
