On
the banks of the Chao Phraya river - Weekend
Standard, April 16-17, 2005
[Interesting observation about how Bangkok's Chinatown is 'authentic'
compared to other sterile Chinatowns around the world. The author
is clearly just walking around and describing what he sees without
having any background info. We wonder would have been written if the
author knew the area is slated for an 'upgrading' and redevelopment
with an eye to tourism over the next few years. The article later
strays into making some kind of point about corrupt police.]
Bangkok's Chinatown is arguably the most original, unreconstructed
and exciting ghetto of its kind in the world, so real it can hurt
the senses, writes Graham Lees...
Unlike so many modern-day Chinatowns, this one is not about ethnic
Chinese food - it's about small metal foundries, oily secondhand engine
repair shops; textiles, gold, gemstones, herbs and spices, and wholesaling
of everything from drainpipes to sundrapes, from mounds of sun-dried
fish to stacks of saucepans...
On the banks of the Chao Phraya river
This entry was posted in 2Bangkok News. Bookmark the permalink.