Discovering Bangkok's Chinatown

Despite visiting Bangkok at least once a year from 2004 until the pandemic, there were several places I never got round to seeing. Once I arrived to live in Thailand in December 2021, it was time to put that right, with Chinatown near the top of the list.

About Chinatown in Bangkok

Chinatown, or Yaowarat as it is known locally, is one of the world's largest Chinatowns. Its history goes all the way back to 1782, when Bangkok became the capital of Thailand, with it becoming the home of the mainly Teochew immigrant Chinese population, who soon became the city's dominant ethnic group.

Spreading inland from Ratchawong Pier on the Chao Phraya River, its streets and narrow alleys stretch towards Hua Lamphong Railway Station. South of Yaowarat Road is a maze of lanes packed with shops, while restaurants line the main road and neighbouring streets. After dark, the whole district becomes a sea of colour.

My First Times in Chinatown

Before I arrived from the UK, I researched long and hard, looking for areas in Bangkok that contained recommended bars and places of interest. It seemed remarkable that I had never visited Chinatown before, although that probably reflected the type of holidays I used to enjoy, usually heading to Chiang Mai or Phuket for cricket while spending most of my Bangkok time around Sukhumvit.

My first visit was soon after I arrived in December 2021, not sure about where to go or what would be open. I wandered around and found the area with all the shops on one of my walking days. In January, a couple of months after settling into my new life in Minburi, my mate Steve and his good lady Fah agreed that it would be fun to catch the 113 bus all the way to Hua Lamphong. 

We arrived around 5.30 pm, with traffic still not back to peak levels, as many were still working from home. The fare for the 35km ride in the air-conditioned vehicle was just 25 THB (£0.55). At the time, it was as good a way as any to see the city in comfort, while saving cash.

Wat Traimit

Wat Traimit

Our first port of call was the magnificent Wat Traimit, a few minutes' walk south of the station. It offered some fantastic views and contained the famous Golden Buddha alongside the usual stunning décor and architecture. It was a good start as the sun began to set and Yaowarat Road came alive.

It was by no means at its busiest, but still the pavements took some walking along, as tables and chairs were put in any spare space, including any small junctions. We wandered along to check out the area before choosing somewhere to eat traditional food. 

Steve and I went for the noodles, while Fah chose the fish maw soup, letting us try some. Research revealed that it was a rich, gelatinous Chinese delicacy made from dried fish swim bladders. A good lesson in not knowing before trying. I might have been put off otherwise, rather than trying something quite tasty.

Soi Nana of Chinatown

The bustling streets, their smells, and the noise perfectly encapsulated Chinatown and created an ideal introduction for first-time tourists. We fancied a drink, which was one of the reasons for our evening out. While many Western tourists know Nana Plaza in Sukhumvit Soi 4, far fewer realise there's another Soi Nana tucked away in Chinatown with a completely different atmosphere.

On our visit, we needed to show that we had a negative PCR test at the first bar, which stamped our wrists so we could use other establishments along the street. Teens of Thailand and NNH - Never Not High were our selected bars. Both sold a wide range of gin cocktails and craft beers, and were expensive, catering to high-society Thais.

With the last bus departing the station terminus at 9 pm, we finished our drinks and returned to Minburi after an enjoyable and educational evening out. 

Shopping in Chinatown

Steve and I returned once more a few months later when I bought a football from a shop in the maze of alleys, while avoiding traders riding motorbikes in the confined areas. Something to consider when shopping there is that many stores sell in wholesale to stallholders from around the country, although it is possible to buy single items.

It is not unusual for them to travel to Bangkok and stock up at low prices before returning home to make a modest profit. I wanted to purchase a football so we could have a kickabout outside Taew’s Brothers and Sisters restaurant and youngsters visiting wouldn’t be bored. It puzzled the shop owner when I only wanted to buy one.

There are some excellent bargains to be had both in the enclosed area and along Yaowarat Road. It’s somewhere I took my visiting family from the UK, who seemed amazed at what they saw. They had also previously discovered the restaurants of Little India by the Ong Ang Canal after they’d alighted at Sam Yot on the MRT underground.

New Options Found

We returned to check out some new bar options I had read about after a visit to the Science Centre for Education and Planetarium ended in disappointment, as it was closed. The Railway Museum at Hua Lamphong saved the day, but the bars nearby in the streets leading off Soi Nana were not worth the effort.

However, we continued to wander and look for somewhere to sit and enjoy a drink. Walking along Plaeng Nam Road, a street famous for its hanging sign advertising Shark’s Fin and Bird’s Nest soup. We were surprised when a Frenchman standing outside Khao Thom 3/1 smiled and asked if we fancied a "glug, glug". 

Moments later, he had produced a folding table and chairs, and we settled down with a couple of cold bottles of Leo while watching Chinatown go by. We enjoyed it so much that when my friends were over from the UK and wanted me to take them on an afternoon walking tour of Bangkok, I included the establishment in the plans. They also thought it was an excellent and authentic stop.

Indeed, when the same pair, plus a couple of others, wanted something similar arranged when they arrived for my 60th birthday celebrations in November 2025, we returned. This time, ordering a table full of snacks to accompany the inexpensive beers before we caught the MRT underground at the top of the road at Wat Mangkon Station.

Why Chinatown?

For me, Chinatown is somewhere I enjoy visiting and taking others to. Whether you're shopping in the maze of market lanes, sampling authentic street food, enjoying a quiet beer on a side street or simply soaking up the evening atmosphere, it's an area that deserves far more than a quick visit.

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Thanks for reading.