The Ratchadaphisek district stretches from the junction with
Rama IX Road to the one with
Sutthisan Winitchai Road. It is a well-known entertainment area, including shopping complexes such as
The Esplanade, cinema complexes such as
Major Cineplex, a
night bazaar, and night markets as well as
love hotels. Along with
Royal City Avenue (RCA) and
Patpong, portions of the district are designated as "entertainment zones" and thus allowed to remain open until 02:00. Previously, in the 1980s, the same area was home to several large Thai restaurants in the form of garden restaurants. They were usually
traditional Thai wooden houses with waiters wearing distinctive
Thai costumes. The largest one was "Tamnak Thai" (ตำหนักไท, "Thai palace"). The restaurant was divided into four Thai houses, serving food from all
four regions of Thailand. The waiters wore traditional attire but skated around to provide speedy service. At night, a light and sound show featuring classical
Thai dance was performed on a central stage set over a pond, leaving an impression on guests. The restaurant eventually closed, and its owner reopened it under the name
Royal Dragon Restaurant on
Bang Na–Trat Road in the early 1990s, following a similar concept, which
Guinness Book of World Records has recorded as the world's largest restaurant. == Rapid Transit ==