Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SIGHTS
Riverside
OLD CUSTOMS HOUSE
(Soi 36, Th Charoen Krung; Tha Oriental)
Old Customs House was once the gateway to Thailand,
levying taxes on traders moving in and out of the kingdom. It was designed by an Italian
architect and built in the 1890s; the front door opened onto its source of income (the river)
and the grand facade was ceremoniously decorated in columns and transom windows.
Today it's a crumbling yet hauntingly beautiful home to the fire brigade with sagging
shutters, peeling yellow paint and laundry flapping on the balconies. For years the building
has been used as a base for the waterborne fire brigade and the firefighters' families, mean-
ing that the interior of the building can only be accessed by residents.
HISTORICAL BUILDING
ASSUMPTION CATHEDRAL
(Soi 40 (Soi Oriental), Th Charoen Krung; 7am-7pm; Tha Oriental)
Marking the ascendancy of the
French missionary influence in Bangkok during the reign of Rama II (King Phraphutthalo-
etla Naphalai; r 1809-24), this Romanesque church with its rich golden interior dates from
1910, and hosted a Mass by Pope John Paul II in 1984; his statue now stands outside the
main door. The schools associated with the cathedral are considered some of the best in
Thailand.
CHURCH
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Hard-core movie buffs with a keen eye will recognise the Old Customs House from its cameo appearance in Wong
Kar Wai's
In the Mood for Love
(2000).
Silom
SRI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE
TEMPLE
