Memories of Chinatown (Bangkok)

[PeteC]

Many photos at link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social ... -chinatown

As the surrounding world changes, Bangkok's venerable neighbourhood struggles to remain the same.

About 80 years ago, the Chinatown along Charoen Krung and Yaowarat roads was a bustling commercial centre. The places were like a gigantic department store selling everything. People from around the country knew they could find all types of goods there.

For more specific and peculiar merchandise, Plang Nam, a road linking Yaowarat and Charoen Krung roads, was the place to go. There were specialised shops non-existent elsewhere. For example, there were shops selling oil lamps that came in different sizes and brands; shops selling and repairing Chinese music instruments; stores selling kitchenware, cookery tools, Chinese-style enamel trays and earthenware for use in making soup or preparing Chinese traditional medicine. Several Chinese drug stores offered Chinese herbal products. A few shops provided all sorts of desserts and confectionery used in Chinese festivals and assorted offerings for Chinese shrines. A popular kun chiang shop making top-quality Chinese sausage was also located on Plang Nam Road.

Those who lived in Charoen Krung and Yaowarat shopped for food at a fresh market behind Plang Nam Road. The market opened as early as 4am. All types of ingredients for cooking Chinese dishes were available there. Shoppers had choices to buy small packets for home cooking or large packages for restaurant use. Some particular item such as shark meat was available solely at this market. The Chinese liked to cook shark meat by frying it with ginger.

After decades of existence, shophouses on both sides of Plang Nam Road have undergone some changes. Some traditional shops were closing and new shops took their places. Nai Mong Hoi Tod had moved to a new location and is now replaced by a stainless steel products shop. Several new shark fin soup restaurants opened. A khao tom shop and ready-to-eat food store located on the end of the road adjacent to Charoen Krung Road are open 24 hours. A stall selling nam pla wan and mangoes has remained at its original site on the Yaowarat side. A shop selling dumplings steamed in a brass steamer has stayed put in front of Wat Kusol Samakhom.

A fresh market behind Plang Nam Road opens in the morning and closes at midday. A section of the market then transforms to a large fishball making spot. Fishballs made here are distributed to noodle shops around Bangkok. In the afternoon, a stall selling fishball noodles is set up near the market exit on Charoen Krung Road.

More drastic changes have occurred with the construction of MRT station at the end of Plang Nam Road on Charoen Krung side. One of the two khao tom shops has relocated elsewhere. The other moved to the middle of the road. Chinese herbal shops have closed down as traditional remedies no longer suits the modern lifestyle. Several music instrument shops are still open, but some have switched to offering repair services only. Lamp shops have become more like lamp museums with old models kept for display only, not for sale.

Plang Nam Road has gained more popularity upon the opening of the MRT station. It has become one of the most popular walking streets. Every square inch of land in this area is worth like a gold mine.

Almost 100% of people coming to Plang Nam are keen on culinary stuff. They come to dine at restaurants, have some takeaways and buy home some food products. Kuang Hok Kee, a Chinese sausage shop is now operated by the second generation. Its sale has steadily increased thanks to its reputation accumulated by the parents. This shop makes different varieties of kun chiang including the extra-long, large-size with extra fat for serving with khao moo daeng dish.

Dumplings steamed in brass steamer sell like hot cakes. Customers even travel right to the home of the vendors to buy some before the shop is open.

The khao tom shop that had moved to the middle of Plang Nam Road sells even better than before. Chinese tourists who travel to the Chinatown love it.

Traditional and authentic khao tom ped (rice in duck soup), khao tom mu sab (rice in minced pork soup), and pig stomach soup attract a lot of tourists. Khao man kai, red pork noodle with crabmeat are also very popular. These are simple menus but diners are very much looking forward to.

Plang Nam in the old days was a trade centre as well as residential area. Majority of the residents were Chinese. Thus, there are a few original Chinese restaurants located in small alleys inside the communities. Some of them remain unknown to tourists.

For example, a Chinese-style made-to-order shop on Pipaksa 1, behind Plang Nam Road, called Raan Je Ju. It sells vegetarian in the morning and Chinese at lunchtime. It is credited with making ordinary dishes that people eat in everyday life, unlike the sophisticated dishes prepared by big Chinese restaurants. Plang Nam has been a special place for more than 80 years. It has undergone changes through time, but remains true to its roots despite the changing circumstances.

[Bamboo Grove]

Thanks, Pete. The stories you find on the newspapers are really interesting to read. For some years now I haven't bothered reading Thai newspapers regularly. My life in Thailand now belongs to a long gone era.

[PeteC]

I'll keep my eyes open. There always seems to be a good one every 1 or 2 weeks, but usually not easy to see unless specifically looking for them.

[Nereus]

I know the old fellow that writes these articles, but he moved away from the Condo complex where I am a couple of years ago and I have not seen him since. He speaks good English and lived in NZ at one time. He also writes a regular food column about old places all over Thailand.
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Last stretch of 'True' chinatown could vanish

https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/social ... uld-vanish

published : 3 Mar 2013 at 00:00
newspaper section: B Magazine writer: Suthon Sukphisit

Plaeng Nam Road embodies all of the Chinese culture that has taken root and grown here in the past, but modern development threatens to destroy it if compromises aren't made

Anyone who wants to understand Bangkok's past should take a journey down Plaeng Nam Road, a 200m-long street running between Yaowarat and Charoen Krung Road that is packed with the remnants and colour of earlier eras. But before entering this evocative world, it is important to have an overall view of the city's Chinatown. Although every part of it is important and has its special character, it is the area alongside the Chao Phraya River by Ratchawong Road, with its wharves and warehouses, that was the original financial, commercial, and entertainment centre of the Chinese community in Bangkok. There were Chinese opera theatres, tea houses and legal card-playing venues, as well as Thailand's first topless dancing clubs. On Suea Pa Road there were luxurious Chinese restaurants with big bands and dancing.

long article with photos>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[hin]

Have not been to Bkk in quite a while but years back in the days of prowling around there I always spent a lot of time exploring Chinatown. Always interesting and always easy to get lost - in alleyways and in thoughts and amazement. You can find anything you need or want there and in any quantity. From simple dressmaker pins to watchmaker tools to discrete electronics components to heavy industrial parts and equipment. There is a huge fabric and textile area too.

One early example of Chinatown’s changing times can be ‘Old Siam Mail’, GPS:13°44'45"N  100°30'0"E near Little India - possibly one of Bangkok’s earliest shopping centers and no similarity to modern ones. In westernmost building, 3rd floor, there is a large Amorn Shop. Sitting in the hallway outside of it there was a man with a small spot-welder repacking ni-cad and lithium battery packs. He repacked my Makita drill battery pack while I ate lunch in the cafeteria on the bottom floor.

Across the street was ‘Nightingale-Olympic’, Bangkok’s first ever department store. Back in the day the store’s overall focus was to sell foreign imports and it succeeded in becoming sole agents for many of the rising brands from Europe and America. When I was there it was packed mostly with unsold stock from decades past and still for sale but of course updates to the prices. There were old style mannequins and lots of women’s clothing and accessories, sporting goods, old board games, you name it. The open old time elegant structure of the building was interesting. I read somplace that a principal reason for remaining open was to provide employment for loyal long time employees. A rare motive in today’s world. I wonder if it still exists. There were no other customers in that big store when I was there, about 3 or 4 years ago.

This is west side of the heart of traditional old Chinatown and czn be an example of how the west creeps into the east...