Historic Bang Rak

Back in middle of the 19th century, King Rama 4 (1851 to 1868) declared that the Chinese should halt their spread from Rattanakosin south at Talad Noi and that Europeans would be allowed settle in Bangrak. The Europeans, so as to allow them to move around in the manner they had been accustomed, requested a road be laid – Charoenkrung Road became the first road in Bangkok. Since then, the district has gone through various eras, resulting in a hotbed of historical buildings. To name a few:

• Number 1 Captain Bush Lane, was the first villa to have a postal address
• The first office of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC)
• A European embassy row was established with the Portuguese, French, Dutch and British Embassies built in the locale
• King Rama IV built the Customs House where he greeted visiting diplomats and traders
• The Danish East Asiatic Trading Company’s building still sits adjacent to the Grande Dame of hotels, the Mandarin Oriental
• Japanese Warehouses at Charoenkrung Soi 30

With the post World War II boom, Bangkok spread east, first to Silom and Siam, then Sathorn and Sukhumvit. Charoenkrung Road, once considered a central area for social activities, was left behind.

The next generation of Talad Noi and Bangrak moved to the newer suburbs, leaving their parents behind. Luckily the development of new areas of Bangkok meant the riverside districts have been largely untouched. You can still find beautiful villas and traditional shop-houses along the narrow sois that join Charoengkrung Road.

In Bangrak today, you will find three aging communities still living in the area.

If you are interested in learning more, why not take a guided walk through Bang Rak.