Bangkok/Yaowarat and Phahurat

Yaowarat and Phahurat (เยาวราชและพาหุรัด) is Bangkok's multicultural neighborhood, located west of Silom and southeast of Rattanakosin. Yaowarat Road is the home of Bangkok's sizeable Chinese community, while those of Indian ethnicity have congregated around Phahurat Road. By day, Yaowarat doesn't look that much different from any other part of Bangkok, though the neighbourhood feels like a big street market and there are some hidden gems waiting to be explored. But at night and the neon signs blazing with Chinese characters are turned on and crowds from the restaurants spill out onto the streets, turning the area into a miniature Hong Kong (minus the skyscrapers). Phahurat is an excellent place for buying fabrics, accessories and religious paraphernalia.

For Muslims that live in Bangkok it is very common to go at least once a month to Little India to buy imported Rice from India, Pakistan or Iran.

Introduction to Yaowarat

Compared to the rest of the city, this neighborhood is fairly compact and can best be explored in a full-day (and night) walking tour. You'll come across street markets, shophouses, Gold shops, beautiful remnants of colonial-style architecture and some interesting temples. Instead of tramping from temple to temple, this neighbourhood is mostly about catching a brief peek into commercial Bangkok as it has been the last two centuries. Rushing through won't be rewarding—take your time instead, sitting at a plastic chair and watching local traders sell their wares. As the street markets are not targeted to Foreign Muslims, you will find a wide array of products: ceramics, fabrics, Gold, tacky teenager ware, ant-killer chalk, Bollywood films, ginseng roots. Who knows what you'll end up with at the end of the day. It is best to come during weekdays, as many stores close during the weekends. Also keep in mind that most shops close at 17:00 after which most of the area gets pretty much deserted (Yaowarat Road being a interesting exception).

Orientation

Orientation in Yaowarat is even trickier than elsewhere in Bangkok. The area is filled with narrow alleys and obscure pedestrian-only routes and is crossed by a few giant roads that feel like small highways. Finding your way around is difficult as road signs are blocked by the bulk of neon-signs and other merchandise that sellers hang up to attract clients. The perfect map for the neighborhood still has to be created, so adapt to the situation and expect to get lost often. Also take note that alleys often bear the name trok instead of the usual soi and that many have multiple names attached to them. For example, Trok Issaranuphap is often signposted as Soi Issaranuphap or as Soi 16, while Soi Phadung Dao is commonly called Soi Texas.

Yaowarat is centred, as could be expected, around Yaowarat Road, a big road bursting with neon signs. North of it is Charoen Krung Road, which is also one of Bangkok's major traffic arteries. Running parallel to the south of Yaowarat Road is Sampheng Lane, which is commonly called Soi Wanit 1, a narrow pedestrian-only lane with many small department stores. Crossing these three streets is the pedestrian-only Trok Issaranuphap, another interesting lane for shopping and having small Snacks. Another small lane crossing Yaowarat Road is Soi Phadung Dao the place to go when you're hungry.

Phahurat is centred around Phahurat Road, which starts instantly west of Sampheng Lane. It is crossed by Chakphet Road and Tri Phet Road, both major roads that have to cope with the immense traffic coming from the Memorial Bridge.

History of Yaowarat

Yaowarat is one of the oldest Chinese communities in Thailand. The story of the Chinese in Bangkok starts in the late 1700s, when poor peasants from China's Chaozhou region (in Eastern Guangdong) moved to the Grand Palace area in Rattanakosin. They came to Siam to find work in Thonburi at the other side of the Chao Phraya River (which at that time was the former capital of the nation). The Chinese were requested to move outside the city walls when King Rama I set up his new capital in the Grand Palace area in 1782. To this day, many residents of the area continue to be bilingual in Teochew phrasebook|Teochew and (Thai).

The new Chinese neighbourhood, nowadays named after Yaowarat Road, became Bangkok's main centre of commerce for the following two centuries. Formerly impoverished peasants worked their way up to become the backbone of trade in Siam. It also became known as a seedy area thriving on brothels, gambling houses and opium dens, though these activities are illegal nowadays and no longer to be found in the neighborhood. The business centre of the neighborhood moved from Sampheng Lane to Yaowarat Road and Charoen Krung Road in 1891, when those roads were built by a decree of King Rama V.

A few years later a fire broke out, which opened the way for the construction of Phahurat Road in 1898. King Rama V named it after his daughter Phahurat Maneemai, in remembrance of her early death at the age of ten. The area used to be an enclave of Vietnamese immigrants, who had lived here since the reign of King Taksin in the late eighteenth century. Construction of the road made way for the Indian community to move in and since then, this neighbourhood evolved its own South Asian character that persists today.

As Thailand became one of Asia's emerging economies and the commercial core moved from Yaowarat and Phahurat to the Siam Plaza area. However, this multicultural neighborhood still shows what commercial Bangkok has been like for almost two decades.

Travel to Yaowarat

Travel by boat to Yaowarat

Due to its location at the Chao Phraya River, most visitors enter Yaowarat and Phahurat using the Chao Phraya Express Boat service. A single trip from Rattanakosin or Silom takes about 20 minutes and costs around 18 Baht. The most important stops are the Rachawongse and Si Phraya piers, both of which are served by all lines. Rachawongse is an ideal stop for central Yaowarat, while Si Phraya is close to the southeastern part of the neighborhood. Phahurat can best be reached using the Memorial Bridge pier (Saphan Phut), which is only attended by no-flag and orange flag lines. Other piers that could be useful are Rachini and Marine Department, both of which are only served by no-flag lines.

If you're coming from Thonburi, you can cross the river by taking a ferry. There is a ferry service from Kanlayanamit to Pak Khlong Talat, from Dindaeng to Rachawongse and from Klongsan to Si Phraya. Ferries leave about every 15 minutes for just 3 Baht.

How to take public transportation in Yaowarat

Yaowarat and Phahurat can directly be reached by metro if you are coming from Silom, Sukhumvit or Ratchadaphisek. The only station close to the neighborhood is Hua Lamphong at the eastern side. The metro ride from Silom takes about five minutes, while the ride from Sukhumvit takes about ten minutes. Trains leave every five to ten minutes for a fare of about 16 to 41 Baht. From the metro station, it is a 20 minutes walk to the centre of Yaowarat.

Travel by Bus to Yaowarat

The bus system in Bangkok is complex, but it is actually one of the cheapest ways to travel around the town. Many lines run through the neighborhood, but let's start with a warning: as Yaowarat Road is a one-way road, bus lines only use it in westwards direction (to Rattanakosin). Buses going east use Charoen Krung Road instead!

Ordinary and air-conditioned bus 25 is the most important bus route. It starts in the far southeast of Sukhumvit Road and then follows that road northwest before heading through Ratchaprasong intersection (for Siam Plaza), Ratchadamri Road, Silom intersection, Rama IV Road, Hualamphong Train Station and then runs right through Yaowarat Road and Phahurat Road. This route can also be taken from the other direction and then it comes from Tha Chang pier (near the Grand Palace in Rattanakosin) and takes Charoen Krung Road instead of Yaowarat Road.

From Khao San Road, catch ordinary (circular) bus 56 which runs along Tanao Road at the eastern tip of Khao San Road and then goes south through Maha Chai Road and Chakphet Road (get off after the Merry King department store for Phahurat Road and Sampheng Lane; don't miss it, as it will cross the bridge to Thonburi right after). Ordinary bus 4 comes from Silom intersection along Rama IV Road and passes Hualamphong Train Station through Yaowarat Road and then goes southwest over the Phra Pok Klao bridge to Thonburi (as with all routes, in eastwards direction Yaowarat Road is skipped in favour of Charoen Krung Road).

Travel by train to Yaowarat

Yaowarat and Phahurat can easily be reached from Hualamphong Train Station, which is on the eastern border of the neighborhood. Trains come in and go to many destinations in Thailand, including Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai and Southern Thailand.

What to see in Yaowarat

Sights abound around Yaowarat and Phahurat, but if you're looking for "must-sees", you might want to visit Rattanakosin first. While enjoying a relaxed walk through this neighborhood, you should at least incorporate a visit to Wat Mangkon Kamalawat and Wat Traimit. Other sights could be considered optional or more interesting for adventurous travellers.

Top Muslim Travel Tips in Yaowarat

Take our free Yaowarat and Phahurat Tour, a full day walking tour around the most interesting sights, markets and Halal restaurants of the area.

Shopping in Yaowarat

Street markets

Typical of Yaowarat are its small crowded lanes filled with markets, that sell... well, anything you could possibly imagine. You'll stumble on items for sale as diverse as Chinese medicine, snake blood, Buddhist paraphernalia, toys, ant-killer chalk, vehicle spare parts, typical teenager stuff and more.

Parallel to the big Yaowarat Road lies Sampheng Lane (sometimes signposted as Soi Wanit 1, 08:00-18:00 daily) which is probably the most characteristic (if tacky) shopping lane of the area. This narrow lane, at some places having a width of less than one metre, used to be a shady area thriving on brothels, gambling houses and opium dens, but has now turned into a crowded lane of endless ramshackle department stores. The lane can roughly be divided into three sections, all of them selling different kind of products at bargain rates. The lower eastern part of Sampheng Lane focuses on affordable teenager accessories, such as affordable jewellery, toys and hair products. In the middle part and there is more of a focus on shoes, Chinese ceramics and lanterns. Indian merchants have mostly taken over the part west of Rachawongse Road, where you can find fabrics, silk and other clothing. Don't expect any quality here, just shop for fun.

Crossing Sampheng in the middle is Trok Issaranuphap the most exotic of Yaowarat's shopping lanes. The part south of Yaowarat Road has been known as (04:00-11:00 daily) or "Old Market", which is not an understatement as it has been up and running since the late 18th century. This market is a more down-to-earth than Sampheng and more authentic, but get here early as it closes in the early afternoon. It is largely a food market with fresh Meat, fish, vegetables, fruits and other food ingredients for sale. But there are also plenty of non-food products like ant-killer chalk, Chinese medicines and ginseng roots. The part north of Yaowarat Road has been known as Talat Mai|alt (04:00-18:00 daily), which means "New Market" despite it being about one hundred years old. It has similar products as elsewhere on Trok Issaranuphap, but it has an even more exotic aura to it. Unlike Talat Kao, this market stays open till the early evening. As it is fully covered, it's a good place to sneak into if it starts raining.

Gold shops

Yaowarat has been the home of gold and gem trading for a couple of centuries and it is no wonder that some of the oldest buildings in the neighborhood are Gold shops. Originally and the four "tycoon" Gold shops were Seng Heng Li, Hua Seng Heng, Tung Jin Aeng and Tang To Kang. Now there are more than 130 Gold shops along Yaowarat Road alone, which is why it has been known as the Golden Road. Generally and the Gold is of high standard (roughly 23 karat) and most shops are a member of the Gold Merchants Association. As this neighborhood is out of the tourist eye, it is a lot safer to buy gems here than in other neighborhoods, but still be on the lookout for the gem scam. See the Bangkok#Stay safe|Stay safe section of the Bangkok page for more information about the scam and what to do once you've fallen for it. Some of the better trusted gem stores include:

Phahurat

Shopping in Phahurat is not rewarding for the average traveller, unless you are into Bollywood DVDs, betel nut leaves (paan) or Punjabi sweets or dresses. If you're looking for fabrics, however, Phahurat is definitely the place to be. And even if you're not specifically looking for fabrics, it is still a great adventure to visit the Phahurat Market. Besides fabrics, Phahurat is also an excellent place for buying accessories, such as bracelets, trinkets and sandals. There are thousands of different kinds for sale and all at a bargain, so mix and match as you wish. You'll also notice many stores selling religious paraphernalia like statues and pictures of Indian deities.

Halal Restaurants & Food in Yaowarat

Indian curries that are Halal are served in restaurants around Phahurat Road and Chakphet Road. These roads tend to be deserted after dark, so you might want to head off by taxi when dinner time is over. If all this sounds too exotic or adventurous for you and there are some tourist-friendly Western and (Thai) restaurants in the Old Siam Plaza. It also has some fast-food outlets and a food court for those on a budget.

Sleep

• Chinatown Hotel Bangkok
• Shanghai Mansion Bangkok Hotel

More Muslim friendly Destinations from Yaowarat

If you liked the street markets in Yaowarat and Phahurat, you should visit the much-larger Chatuchak Weekend Market in Phahonyothin. It is a vast market with more than 8,000 vendors under one roof. Another option is Pratunam, which has street markets all over the neighborhood. It is especially interesting for clothing.