Chinatown, Bangkok

When King Taksin established the Thonburi Kingdom following the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, he enlisted the aid of Teochew merchants, with whom he shared ethnic ties, in supplying his new capital at Thonburi with rice and provisions. In return, he granted them many favours, including land on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, opposite his palace and enclosed by city walls, on which to settle their community. The Teochew prospered under Taksin, at the expense of the previously influential Hokkien, whose community was located in the area of Kudi Chin on the west bank south of the city. Taksin's reign ended in 1782 when the general Chao Phraya Chakri instigated a coup against him and established the Rattanakosin Kingdom, becoming King Rama I. He had the palace moved to the east bank of the river, which was more strategically secure. This necessitated the relocation of the Teochew community—a move probably motivated by the fact that the Teochew had been supporters of the Taksin, while Rama I had ties to the Hokkien. Rama I had the Teochew resettle in the area of Sampheng, on the river's east bank southeast and downstream from the city centre. The area, between Wat Sam Pluem (now Wat Chakkrawat) and Wat Sampheng (now Wat Pathum Khongkha), was then a swampy, inaccessible area. A small road, later to become Sampheng Lane, linked it to the fortified city. In the 20th century, Chinatown's commercial prominence gradually declined as businesses and well-off residents moved to newer areas of the expanding city. Those remaining, however, have continued to practice their culture, making Chinatown a centre of Chinese food, crafts and religion, despite the general Chinese population's gradual assimilation into Thai society. The direction of Chinatown's future again came into question the 2010s, with the construction of the Blue Line of the underground MRT, whose Wat Mangkorn station now serves the area. There have been calls for urban conservation, among concerns that old communities are being displaced by development. ==Areas==

• Yaowarat: Yaowarat Road is Chinatown's main artery. It runs from Odeon Circle, where it splits of Charoen Krung Road, to the old city moat of Khlong Ong Ang. • Odeon Circle: A former traffic circle at the beginning of Yaowarat Road, it is the site of the Chinatown Gate, built in 1999. • Sampheng: Now known as Soi Wanit 1, Sampheng Lane was the original street serving Chinatown. Today it is a busy market consisting of numerous shophouses lining a narrow pedestrian alley. • Charoen Chai: A historic community located in Soi Charoen Krung 23, it is Thailand's largest and oldest marketplace for Chinese joss paper, god-honoring items, Moon Festival offering items, and the last source of traditional Chinese wedding items. The community name comes from its location between Charoen Krung and Phlapphla Chai Roads. • Talat Noi: A fringe neighbourhood southeast of Yaowarat, it is home to several historic buildings. • Song Wat: The street runs alongside the Chao Phraya River, and used to be the site of numerous cargo piers. ==References==