Thailand > Bangkok > Samphanthawong District > Yaowaraj

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Yaowarat covers a large area between Charoenkurng Road (New Road) and Yaowarat Road. Charoenkrung was named as Prosperous City and is the first pave road of Thailand so it is translated in to English as "New Road".

In the old days, here is large numbers of opium dens, brothels (which hung green lanterns outside, giving it the name of the Green Light district), pawnshops and a fondness for gambling. Todate, as the main commercial road, it is renowned as a large billboard of the gold shops. Thai people come here to buy pieces of gold. In addition, pawnshops, mini-hotels, watch shops, dried-fruit market, noodle stalls are mostly found here.

Market here is aways lively. If you have a chance to visit Bangkok and would like to touch the Chinese life-style in Thailand, Yaowarat is a perfect place to walk and take a sight seeing tour. People in Yaowaraj is Chinese-speaking and know very little English.

Accommodation:
Shanghai Inn is a new boutique hotels decorated in a mini-sized room in old Chinese style, located in the heart of Yaowarat area.

For myself, food is the most interesting here. My home and workplace are not far from here. So I know quite well the streets and shops here. Most interesting places is Wat Traimitr.

Territory:
Yaowarat is linked area from Sampantawong district to Nakhon Kasem district (Thieves' Market), once the best source of Thai and Chinese antiques in a flea market environment, now offers a wide variety of brassware, imitation antiques, Chinese porcelain, musical instruments, car parts all crammed into one square block. Another vast wholesale and retail area adjacent to Yaowarat Road is "Sampeng". Sampeng stretches nearly the length of Chinatown and celebrates commerce as a way of life. The flashy, plaza-style shops that now line much of Sampeng lane offer almost everything imaginable: high-quality toys, Chinese products, textiles, temple figurines to sapphires and fishing gear.

Next from Sampeng, Pahurat is an shopping Indian are located on the western end of Chinatown. It is a very colourful treasure trove of imports from the subcontinent. Pahurat is known a textile market spreading in even a very tiny streets with a small shop. Unfortunately, car park is very rare.