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Pathum Wan ( th, ปทุมวัน, ) is one of the fifty districts (''khet'') of
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estima ...
,
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. It lies just beyond the old city boundary of
Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem ( th, คลองผดุงกรุงเกษม, ) is a canal (''khlong'') in Bangkok. It was dug in 1851 in order to serve as a new outer moat for the expanding city, extending its boundaries from the Rattanakosin ...
, and was a rural area on the eastern outskirts of the city when royal villas were built there in the late nineteenth century. The district was officially established in 1915, and covers an area of . A large part of the district area is taken up by the
campus of Chulalongkorn University The campus of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok occupies an area of in the city centre's Pathum Wan District. It accounts for just over half of the of land owned by the university, the rest of which is commercially developed or used by other ...
and the green expanses of
Lumphini Park Lumphini Park ( th, สวนลุมพินี, , ), also Lumpini or Lumpinee, is a 360 rai () park in Bangkok, Thailand. The park offers rare open public space, trees, and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake w ...
and the
Royal Bangkok Sports Club The Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC, th, ราชกรีฑาสโมสร) is an exclusive sports club in Bangkok, Thailand, best known to the public for its horse racing venue. Founded in 1901, it was the first racecourse in the country a ...
. By the turn of the 20th–21st centuries, the district had become known as the modern-day city centre, home to the prominent shopping areas of
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
and
Ratchaprasong Ratchaprasong ( th, ราชประสงค์, ; also spelled ''Rajprasong'') is the name of an intersection, and a shopping district named after it, in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, adjacent to the Siam area, at the BTS Skytrain's Chit L ...
.


History

When King
Rama I Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now Tha ...
established Bangkok as his capital in 1782, he had canals dug including Khlong Maha Nak, which extended eastward from the fortified city proper of
Rattanakosin Island Rattanakosin Island ( th, เกาะรัตนโกสินทร์, , ) is a historic area in the Phra Nakhon District in the city of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya River to the west and various canals to the east t ...
. Communities formed along its bank, including Ban Khrua, a Muslim community mainly of
Cham Cham or CHAM may refer to: Ethnicities and languages *Chams, people in Vietnam and Cambodia **Cham language, the language of the Cham people ***Cham script ***Cham (Unicode block), a block of Unicode characters of the Cham script *Cham Albanian ...
settlers, which stood at the end of the canal. As the canal was extended further eastward and became known as Khlong Bang Kapi (later
Khlong Saen Saep Khlong Saen Saep (, ) is a canal ''(khlong)'' in central Thailand, connecting the Chao Phraya River to Prachinburi Province and Chachoengsao Province, Chachoengsao. A portion of the canal is used for public transport by an express boat service in ...
), the outlying areas were cleared for
paddy field A paddy field is a flooded field (agriculture), field of arable land used for growing Aquatic plant, semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in sout ...
s, though apart from the canal's banks the areas remained sparsely populated. By the reign of King
Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibod ...
(Rama IV, 1851–1868), the city had spread beyond its original walls, and
Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem ( th, คลองผดุงกรุงเกษม, ) is a canal (''khlong'') in Bangkok. It was dug in 1851 in order to serve as a new outer moat for the expanding city, extending its boundaries from the Rattanakosin ...
was dug to extend the city's periphery in 1852. The eastern fringe of the city was then dominated by expansive rice fields, with Thung Bang Kapi occupying the areas along Bang Kapi Canal. The area that is now Pathum Wan was occupied by royal paddy fields by the canal, between Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem and Ban Khrua to the west and the Bang Kapi fields to the east. Some Lao war captives had also been settled in the area following the
razing of Vientiane Demolition (also known as razing, cartage, and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down of buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a ...
in 1827. Sometime before 1855, Mongkut had part of the royal fields south of the canal landscaped with ponds and waterways, which were planted with decorative lotuses, for leisurely visits. A royal villa was built there, which was named Pathum Wan, meaning "lotus forest" (from
Pali Pali () is a Middle Indo-Aryan liturgical language native to the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pāli Canon'' or ''Tipiṭaka'' as well as the sacred language of ''Theravāda'' Buddhism ...
+ ). A temple, named
Wat Pathumwanaram Wat Pathum Wanaram ( th, วัดปทุมวนาราม) or Wat Pathum for short is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Pathum Wan District, between the two shopping malls Siam Paragon and CentralWorld, and a ...
, was also built next to the palace. The King made annual visits to the palace and the temple, at first travelling by boat. A road was later built, continuing eastward from
Bamrung Mueang Road Bamrung Mueang Road ( th, ถนนบำรุงเมือง, ) is the second paved road in Bangkok. It was built in 1863 after Charoen Krung Road, in the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV). It cut through the old fortified city of Rattanakosi ...
, linking the palace to the city. It was originally known as Sa Pathum or Pathum Wan Road before being renamed
Rama I Road 350px, Rama I Road viewed from Chaloem_Phao__Junction.html"_;"title="Siam_BTS_station_skywalk_near_Chaloem_Phao__Junction">Siam_BTS_station_skywalk_near_Chaloem_Phao__Junction. Rama_I_Road_(_th.html" ;"title="Chaloem_Phao__Junction..html" ;"title= ...
in 1920. Reproduced in With the royal development, the area began to attract more residents, and more palaces were built during the following reign of King
Chulalongkorn Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...
(Rama V, 1868–1910). The King had a palace built for Prince
Svasti Sobhana Prince Svasti Sobhana, the Prince Svastivatana Visishtha ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าบรมวงศ์เธอ พระองค์เจ้าสวัสดิโสภณ กรมพระสวัสดิวัดน ...
west of Pathum Wan Palace in 1880, and commissioned Windsor Palace in 1881 for his own son Prince
Vajirunhis Maha Vajirunhis, Crown Prince of Siam ( th, มหาวชิรุณหิศ; ; 27 June 1878 – 4 January 1895) was the first Crown Prince of Thailand, Crown Prince of the Chakri dynasty. He was the first son of King Chulalongkorn and Queen ...
, buying up large amounts of land for what was to be its extensive grounds. He also later gifted a plot of land to another son, Prince
Mahidol Adulyadej Mahitala Dhibesra Adulyadej Vikrom, the Prince Father ( th, สมเด็จพระมหิตลาธิเบศร อดุลยเดชวิกรม พระบรมราชชนก , 1 January 1892 – 24 September 1929), f ...
, though it was Mahidol's mother Queen
Savang Vadhana Sri Savarindira ( th, ศรีสวรินทิรา; , 10 September 1862 – 17 December 1955), also known as Savang Vadhana ( th, สว่างวัฒนา; ), was a consort and half-sister of Chulalongkorn (Rama V), but she was no ...
who oversaw the construction
Sa Pathum Palace Sa Pathum Palace ( th, วังสระปทุม, ) is a royal residence in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. It has been a residence of the Thai Royal Family, especially the House of Mahidol, since the 19th century, and is the official ...
there after Chulalongkorn died in 1910. Windsor Palace had become vacant following Vajirunhis's death in 1895, and its grounds became the site of several successive educational institutions which became established as
Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University (CU, th, จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย, ), nicknamed Chula ( th, จุฬาฯ), is a public and autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally fo ...
in 1917 by King
Vajiravudh Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts ...
(Rama VI, r. 1910–1925). By then, several canals, roads and railways had been built through the area. West of the university grounds the Bangkok Railway Station, the country's main terminus, had been built in 1916. To the east, the Phloen Chit area was developed by the enterprising businessman
Nai Lert Lert Sreshthaputra ( th, เลิศ เศรษฐบุตร), or Nai Lert (, literally "Mr. Lert"), was known as a Thailand’s first and foremost developer, investor as well as preserver of Bangkok’s environment. He was royally bestowed a ...
around the same time. When the administration of Bangkok's districts was reorganized in 1915, the district was established as Amphoe Pathum Wan, bounded by Khlong Saen Saep to the north, the Chong Nonsi Railway to the east, Khlong Hua Lamphong to the south, and Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem to the west. Its status, along with Bangkok's other districts', was later changed from ''
amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...
'' to ''khet'' in 1972. Pathum Wan District saw increasing development throughout the 20th century, especially since the 1970s when the area along Rama I and Phloenchit roads became developed as a major shopping and commercial district. The
Erawan Hotel The Erawan Hotel ( th, โรงแรมเอราวัณ) was a luxury hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok. It was one of the first modern hotels built to accommodate the expansion of international air travel, and was operated by the governme ...
opened on Ratchaprasong Intersection in 1956, and the
Thai Daimaru Thai Daimaru was a department store in Bangkok, operated by the Japanese department store chain Daimaru. It first opened on Ratchaprasong Intersection (at the current location of CentralWorld) in 1964, and famously introduced air conditioning an ...
department store, famous for introducing air conditioning and the escalator, opened on the opposite corner in 1964.
Siam Square Siam Square ( th, สยามสแควร์, ) is a shopping and entertainment area in the Siam area of Bangkok, Thailand. The square is located at the corner of Phayathai Road and Rama I Road and is owned by Chulalongkorn University, manag ...
was developed as a low-rise retail area by Chulalongkorn University the same year, and the Siam Inter-Continental Hotel opened opposite it in 1966.
Rajadamri Arcade Ratchadamri Road ( th, ถนนราชดำริ, , ; also spelled Rajdamri) is a road in Bangkok. It runs a distance of in a north–south direction from Pratu Nam Intersection, where it meets Phetchaburi and Ratchaprarop Roads, to Sala D ...
—a modern, enclosed shopping mall—opened at Ratchaprasong in 1972, and
Siam Center Siam Center ( th, สยามเซนเตอร์) is a shopping center near Siam BTS station in Bangkok, Thailand.http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-mall/siam-center.htm History Siam Center was built in 1973 as one of Bangkok's first shoppin ...
(next to the Inter-Continental) followed the next year. Gradually, Siam and Ratchaprasong supplanted the
Wang Burapha Wang Burapha ( th, วังบูรพา, ) is a historic neighbourhood in Bangkok, regarded as the first commercial and entertainment district in contemporary Thailand (after 1932 revolution). It is situated between Charoen Krung, Maha Chai, ...
area as Bangkok's centre of urban retail and youth culture. With the opening of the
BTS Skytrain The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain ( th, รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส '' TS'), is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL (BTSC), a ...
in 1999, the location of its central interchange at
Siam station Siam station (, , ) is the cross-platform interchange station for the BTS Skytrain in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is the largest and busiest station on the BTS with 40,000–50,000 passengers per day, where passengers on the Sukhu ...
helped cement the neighbourhood's prominence as Bangkok's modern-day city centre. The area's prominence led to its occupation by anti-government protesters in 2010, which ended in a violent military crackdown.


Geography and administration

Pathum Wan District occupies in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon side (east of the
Chao Phraya River The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Et ...
). It is bordered by Dusit and
Ratchathewi Ratchathewi ( th, ราชเทวี, ) is a district in central Bangkok, Thailand. Clockwise from the north, its neighboring districts are Phaya Thai, Din Daeng, Huai Khwang, Watthana, Pathum Wan and Dusit. History The district was part o ...
districts to the north across Khlong Saen Saep, Watthana and
Khlong Toei Khlong Toei (also Klong Toey, th, คลองเตย, ) is a district in central Bangkok, long known for its slum. It is bordered by the Chao Phraya River and contains major port facilities. It is also the site of a major market, the Khlong ...
to the east across the Maenam railway,
Sathon Sathon or Sathorn ( th, สาทร, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. The district is bounded by six other districts (from north clockwise): Bang Rak, Pathum Wan, Khlong Toei, Yan Nawa, Bang Kho Laem, and Khlon ...
and Bang Rak to the south across
Rama IV Road Rama IV Road ( th, ถนนพระรามที่ 4, ; usually shortened to , ) is a main road in Bangkok, Thailand. It starts at Mo Mi Junction in the area of Bangkok's Chinatown in Samphanthawong and Pom Prap Sattru Phai Districts and e ...
, and
Pom Prap Sattru Phai Pom Prap Sattru Phai ( th, ป้อมปราบศัตรูพ่าย, , or popularly just called Pom Prap, ) is one of the 50 districts (khet) of Bangkok, Thailand. Neighbouring districts are (from north clockwise) Dusit, Pathum Wan, ...
to the west across Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem. The district is served by two major thoroughfares running roughly west–east: Rama I–Phloen Chit near Saen Saep Canal and Rama IV Road along the district's southern edge. They are crossed by several roads running north–south: Rama VI–Charu Mueang, Banthat Thong, Phaya Thai, Henri Dunant,
Ratchadamri Ratchadamri Road ( th, ถนนราชดำริ, , ; also spelled Rajdamri) is a road in Bangkok. It runs a distance of in a north–south direction from Pratu Nam Intersection, where it meets Phetchaburi and Ratchaprarop Roads, to Sala D ...
, Chit Lom–Lang Suan, and Witthayu. The Si Rat and Chaloem Maha Nakhon
expressways Expressway may refer to: *Controlled-access highway, the highest-grade type of highway with access ramps, lane markings, etc., for high-speed traffic. *Limited-access road, a lower grade of highway or arterial road. *Expressway, the fictional slide ...
run above Phra Ram VI–Charu Mueang and alongside the Maenam railway, respectively. Banthat Thong, Phaya Thai and Ratchadamri roads divide the district into four subdistricts (''
khwaeng A ''khwaeng'' (, ) is an administrative subdivision used in the fifty districts of Bangkok and a few other city municipalities in Thailand. Currently, there are 180 ''khwaeng'' in Bangkok. A ''khwaeng'' is roughly equivalent to a ''tambon'' in othe ...
''). They are, from east to west: Rong Mueang, Wang Mai, Pathum Wan and Lumphini. Together, they have a registered population of 47,685 as of October 2019.


Neighbourhoods

Rong Mueang Rong Mueang ( th, รองเมือง, ) is a '' khwaeng'' (subdistrict) of Pathum Wan district, downtown Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous ...
remains the district's least developed area, occupied mostly by low-rise residential neighbourhoods. Rama VI Road crosses Rama I at Phong Phraram Intersection, and becomes known as Charu Mueang Road towards Rama IV to the south. The subdistrict's most prominent landmark is the Bangkok Railway Station (commonly known as Hua Lamphong), which lies in its southwestern corner at Hua Lamphong Intersection; the railway yard occupies most of the area along Phadung Krung Kasem Canal. The area of Wang Mai and Pathum Wan subdistricts (the former is known after another name of Windsor Palace) is dominated by the
campus of Chulalongkorn University The campus of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok occupies an area of in the city centre's Pathum Wan District. It accounts for just over half of the of land owned by the university, the rest of which is commercially developed or used by other ...
, which owns most of the land between Banthat Thong, Rama I, Henri Dunant and Rama IV roads. The neighbourhoods of Suan Luang (the east side of Banthat Thong) and
Sam Yan Sam Yan ( th, สามย่าน, ) is the name of an intersection and its nearby neighbourhood in Bangkok, Thailand. It connects Rama IV Road with Phaya Thai and Si Phraya roads, and is located within Pathum Wan District, next to its border ...
(on the intersection of the same name where Phaya Thai Road meets Rama IV) are managed and developed for revenue by the university's Property Management Office. Along Rama I Road, Charoen Phon Intersection (where it crosses Banthat Thong) is marked by the nearby
National Stadium Many countries have a national sport stadium, which typically serves as the primary or exclusive home for one or more of a country's national representative sports teams. The term is most often used in reference to an association football stadiu ...
, which stands on the former location of Windsor Palace. Opposite the stadium complex to the north still lies part of the historic Ban Khrua community (though the main settlement is across Saen Sap Canal in Ratchathewi District). East of the stadium complex, the length of Rama I Road from Pathum Wan Intersection (where the road crosses Phaya Thai Road) to Chaloem Phao (where it meets Henri Dunant) serves the major shopping area known as
Siam Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
, after the retail area of Siam Square and several shopping centres opposite it. Further east, past Wat Pathumwanaram, the chain of shopping malls continues through the
Ratchaprasong Ratchaprasong ( th, ราชประสงค์, ; also spelled ''Rajprasong'') is the name of an intersection, and a shopping district named after it, in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, adjacent to the Siam area, at the BTS Skytrain's Chit L ...
area (the intersection where Rama I is crossed by Ratchadamri Road) and along Phloen Chit Road (which continues off from Rama I). The coterminous areas of Siam and Ratchaprasong have been observed to form a "central shopping district" marking the city centre, as opposed to the
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
concept usually found elsewhere. The area of Lumphini Subdistrict south of the shopping area consists mainly of luxury residential towers and hotels along Ratchadamri, Lang Suan and Witthayu Roads, as well as numerous embassies. The subdistrict's main feature, giving it its name, is
Lumphini Park Lumphini Park ( th, สวนลุมพินี, , ), also Lumpini or Lumpinee, is a 360 rai () park in Bangkok, Thailand. The park offers rare open public space, trees, and playgrounds in the Thai capital and contains an artificial lake w ...
, which sits between Ratchadamri and Witthayu roads and fronts Rama IV from Sala Daeng to Witthayu intersections. Lower-income neighbourhoods form the residential communities of Polo (off Witthayu Road, opposite the park) and Bon Kai (on Rama IV Road, in the district's southeast corner).


Places

Pathum Wan is best known for the shopping district of Siam and Ratchaprasong.
Siam Square Siam Square ( th, สยามสแควร์, ) is a shopping and entertainment area in the Siam area of Bangkok, Thailand. The square is located at the corner of Phayathai Road and Rama I Road and is owned by Chulalongkorn University, manag ...
is a low-rise area consisting of many small blocks of shops and buildings, sitting opposite the enclosed malls
MBK Center MBK Center, also known as Mahboonkrong ( th, มาบุญครอง; , ), is a large shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. At eight storeys, the center contains around 2,000 shops, restaurants and service outlets. In 2009, MBK Center manage ...
on one side, and
Siam Discovery Siam Center ( th, สยามเซนเตอร์) is a shopping center near Siam BTS station in Bangkok, Thailand.http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-mall/siam-center.htm History Siam Center was built in 1973 as one of Bangkok's first shoppin ...
,
Siam Center Siam Center ( th, สยามเซนเตอร์) is a shopping center near Siam BTS station in Bangkok, Thailand.http://www.bangkok.com/shopping-mall/siam-center.htm History Siam Center was built in 1973 as one of Bangkok's first shoppin ...
and
Siam Paragon Siam Paragon ( th, สยามพารากอน) is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the largest malls in Thailand, along with IconSiam, CentralWorld and CentralPlaza WestGate. Siam Paragon includes a range of specialty sto ...
(the last of which stands on the former site of the Siam Inter-Continental) on the other. The Ratchaprasong intersection is lined by the
CentralWorld CentralWorld ( th, เซ็นทรัลเวิลด์, styled as centralwOrld) is a shopping plaza and complex in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the ninth largest shopping complex in the world. The complex, which includes a hotel and office t ...
, BigC Ratchadamri (on the former site of Rajadamri Arcade), Narayana Phan, and
Gaysorn Gaysorn Village (previously Gaysorn Plaza) is a building complex in the Ratchaprasong area of Bangkok. It also includes the Gaysorn Tower, an office tower block, and the Amarin Plaza shopping centre. The shopping mall building has five levels wi ...
shopping malls, as well as Central Chidlom, the
Central Group Central Group consists of a variety of diverse investments in various corporations in Thailand and abroad, including investments in retail, property development, brand management, hospitality, and food and beverage sectors, and in digital lifes ...
's flagship department store. On the opposite corner of Pathum Wan Intersection from Siam Square is the
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC; th, หอศิลปวัฒนธรรมแห่งกรุงเทพมหานคร) is a contemporary arts centre in Bangkok, Thailand. Art, music, theatre, film, design and cultural/educatio ...
, which shares the contemporary art scene with several galleries operated by Chulalongkorn University. The
Jim Thompson House The Jim Thompson House is a museum in central Bangkok, Thailand, housing the art collection of American businessman and architect Jim Thompson, the museum designer and former owner. Built in 1959, the museum spans one rectangular ''rai'' of land ( ...
museum is popular as a tourist attraction. It is a complex of
traditional Thai house The traditional Thai house ( th, เรือนไทย, , ; ) is a loose collection of vernacular architectural styles employed throughout the different regions of Thailand. Thai houses usually feature a bamboo or wooden structure, raised on st ...
s near the Ban Khrua community from where
the designer ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
sourced the silk he popularized internationally. The
Erawan Shrine The Erawan Shrine, formally the Thao Maha Phrom Shrine ( th, ศาลท้าวมหาพรหม; ; 'shrine of Lord Maha Brahma'), is a shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, which houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of Brahma, ...
stands on a corner of Ratchaprasong, in front of the
Grand Hyatt Erawan The Grand Hyatt Erawan is a luxury hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. It opened in 1991, replacing the ailing government-owned Erawan Hotel, on a corner of Ratchaprasong Intersection in the modern city centre. It is jointly owned by Thai hospitality com ...
hotel (which replaced the Erawan in 1991). It is a famous place of worship where locals and tourists come to make wishes, but also the site of Bangkok's deadliest terrorist attack in 2015. Formal religious sites in the district include
Wat Pathumwanaram Wat Pathum Wanaram ( th, วัดปทุมวนาราม) or Wat Pathum for short is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand. It is located in the Pathum Wan District, between the two shopping malls Siam Paragon and CentralWorld, and a ...
,
Wat Borom Niwat Wat Borom Niwat Ratchaworawihan ( th, วัดบรมนิวาสราชวรวิหาร); also simple known as Wat Borom Niwat or Wat Borom) is a wat, second class royal Thai Buddhist temple, located in the Rong Mueang Subdistrict, P ...
, Wat Duang Khae, Wat Chamni Hatthakan, Wat Sa Bua, Wat Chai Mongkhon, Masjid Indonesia, and the Holy Redeemer Church. Much of the district's area is occupied by public institutions, most notably Chulalongkorn University, whose campus occupies several large blocks, mainly between Phaya Thai Road (which bisects it) and Henri Dunant Road. The latter is named after the founder of the Red Cross, as the
Thai Red Cross Society The Thai Red Cross Society ( th, สภากาชาดไทย; ) is a major humanitarian organisation in Thailand, providing services as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was founded in 1893 and is h ...
straddles its southern end, with the
Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute The Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (QSMI) ( th, สถานเสาวภา; ) in Bangkok, Thailand, is an institute that specialises in the husbandry of venomous snakes, the extraction and research of snake venom, and vaccines, especiall ...
(famous for its snake farm) on one side and
King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH, th, โรงพยาบาลจุฬาลงกรณ์; ) is a public general and tertiary referral hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by the Thai Red Cross Society, and serves as the ...
(one of the country's largest teaching hospitals, affiliated with the university) on the other. Another major public hospital, Police General Hospital, is within the
Royal Thai Police The Royal Thai Police (RTP) ( th, สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ; ) is the national police force of Thailand. The RTP employs between 210,700 and 230,000 officers, roughly 17 percent of all civil servants (excludi ...
headquarters between Chaloem Phao and Ratchaprasong intersections. The offices of the
State Railway of Thailand The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) ( th, การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย, abbrev. รฟท., ) is the state-owned rail operator under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport in Thailand. History The SRT was ...
(next to the Bangkok Railway Station) and the
Ministry of Energy A Ministry of Energy or Department of Energy is a government department in some countries that typically oversees the production of fuel and electricity; in the United States, however, it manages nuclear weapons development and conducts energy-rel ...
sit beside Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem in Rong Mueang. Other educational institutions include the rival technical colleges
Pathumwan Institute of Technology The Pathumwan Institute of Technology ( th, สถาบันเทคโนโลยีปทุมวัน) is a Thai public university in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, Thailand. Established in 1932 as a technical school by a group of Thai n ...
(on the former site of Prince Svasti Sobhana's palace) and the Uthenthawai campus of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, and schools
Triam Udom Suksa School Triam Udom Suksa School ( th, โรงเรียนเตรียมอุดมศึกษา, ; lit.'university-preparatory school') is a state school in central Bangkok, Thailand. It admits upper-secondary students (''mathayom'' 4–6, eq ...
,
Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School Chulalongkorn ( th, จุฬาลงกรณ์, 20 September 1853 – 23 October 1910) was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, titled Rama V. He was known to the Siamese of his time as ''Phra Phuttha Chao Luang'' (พร ...
, the Patumwan Demonstration School of Srinakharinwirot University, and Mater Dei School (the last of which is the only private institution). Sports venues also form distinctive features in the district. In addition to the public National Stadium, the exclusive
Royal Bangkok Sports Club The Royal Bangkok Sports Club (RBSC, th, ราชกรีฑาสโมสร) is an exclusive sports club in Bangkok, Thailand, best known to the public for its horse racing venue. Founded in 1901, it was the first racecourse in the country a ...
(RBSC), with its golf course, forms a large green area between the two hospitals and gave Henri Dunant Road its former name: Thanon Sanam Ma or Racecourse Road. It has a second branch at the RBSC Polo Club off Witthayu Road. The
Lumpinee Boxing Stadium Lumpinee Boxing Stadium ( th, สนามเวทีมวยลุมพินี) is a sporting arena in Bangkok, Thailand. The stadium is named after Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. Opened more than a decade later than Rajadamnern ...
used to stand on Rama IV Road near Witthayu Intersection, but was relocated in 2014. Sporting activities also take place in Lumphini Park—one of the largest parks in the city—and its various facilities. Newer parks built in the 2010s include Chulaongkorn University Centennial Park on Banthat Thong and Pathumwananurak Park near Ratchaprasong. The latter was developed by the
Crown Property Bureau The Crown Property Bureau (CPB) ( th, สำนักงานทรัพย์สินพระมหากษัตริย์; ) is legally the administrative agency responsible for managing the property of the King of Thailand. It has no ...
, which, like the university, owns a lot of land in the area, especially in Lumphini Subdistrict. Other green spaces include the compound of Sa Pathum Palace—the area's only remaining royal residence—and the embassies of
the United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
and the Netherlands, two of the many diplomatic missions lining Witthayu Road or occupying office towers in the area.


Festivals

Every year around
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
and
New Year New Year is the time or day currently at which a new calendar year begins and the calendar's year count increments by one. Many cultures celebrate the event in some manner. In the Gregorian calendar, the most widely used calendar system to ...
, shopping centres, hotels and
sidewalk A sidewalk (North American English), pavement (British English), footpath in Australia, India, New Zealand and Ireland, or footway, is a path along the side of a street, street, highway, terminals. Usually constructed of concrete, pavers, brick ...
s in the Ratchaprasong shopping district are decorated with lights. It was started by The Peninsular Plaza (closed since 1 March 2022) and the Regent Hotel, and later expanded to Sogo (now out of business), Amarin Plaza, CentralWorld, Central Chidlom, Gaysorn and more. The
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration ( th, กรุงเทพมหานคร; ) (BMA) is the local government of Bangkok (also called ''Krung Thep Maha Nakhon'' in Thai), which includes the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand. The governme ...
(BMA) provides lights along the
BTS Skytrain The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain ( th, รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส '' TS'), is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL (BTSC), a ...
pillars.


Transportation

Pathum Wan is served by multiple public transport systems. Both lines of the
BTS Skytrain The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain ( th, รถไฟฟ้าบีทีเอส '' TS'), is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System PCL (BTSC), a ...
and the Blue Line of the
MRT MRT may refer to: Transport Rapid Transit Systems * Mass Rapid Transit (disambiguation) * MRT (Singapore) or Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore * MRT (Bangkok) or Metropolitan Rapid Transit, Thailand * Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Philippine ...
serve the district's neighbourhoods, while the Khlong Saen Saep water bus stops at multiple piers along its northern edge. Multiple bus lines run on the major streets, while both expressways have entrances and exits on Rama IV Road. The
Siam Station Siam station (, , ) is the cross-platform interchange station for the BTS Skytrain in Pathum Wan district, Bangkok, Thailand. It is the largest and busiest station on the BTS with 40,000–50,000 passengers per day, where passengers on the Sukhu ...
serves as the main interchange between the BTS's
Sukhumvit Sukhumvit Road ( th, ถนนสุขุมวิท, , ), or Highway 3 ( th, ทางหลวงแผ่นดินหมายเลข 3), is a major road in Thailand, and a major surface road of Bangkok and other cities. It follows ...
and
Silom Si Lom Road (also written as Silom, th, สีลม, ) is a major street in the Thai capital Bangkok, best known for its commercial neighbourhood, which, along with the nearby and roughly parallel Sathon Road, forms one of the city's main bus ...
lines. The other stations are
Chit Lom Phloen Chit Road ( th, ถนนเพลินจิต, also spelled Ploenchit, ) is a major road in central Bangkok. Located entirely within in Lumphini Subdistrict of Pathum Wan District, it runs a short distance of between Ratchaprasong In ...
and Phloen Chit on the Sukhumvit Line, and
National Stadium Many countries have a national sport stadium, which typically serves as the primary or exclusive home for one or more of a country's national representative sports teams. The term is most often used in reference to an association football stadiu ...
and
Ratchadamri Ratchadamri Road ( th, ถนนราชดำริ, , ; also spelled Rajdamri) is a road in Bangkok. It runs a distance of in a north–south direction from Pratu Nam Intersection, where it meets Phetchaburi and Ratchaprarop Roads, to Sala D ...
on the Silom Line. The MRT runs beneath Rama IV Road along the district's southern edge, with Hua Lamphong,
Sam Yan Sam Yan ( th, สามย่าน, ) is the name of an intersection and its nearby neighbourhood in Bangkok, Thailand. It connects Rama IV Road with Phaya Thai and Si Phraya roads, and is located within Pathum Wan District, next to its border ...
,
Si Lom Si Lom Road (also written as Silom, th, สีลม, ) is a major street in the Thai capital Bangkok, best known for its commercial neighbourhood, which, along with the nearby and roughly parallel Sathon Road, forms one of the city's main busi ...
, and Lumphini stations serving their respective neighbourhoods. For long-distance travel, the Bangkok Railway Station is the central train station of Bangkok and the State Railway of Thailand.


Gallery

File:CentralWorld.JPG, CentralWorld at night File:สถานีรถไฟหัวลำโพง-1.jpg, Hua Lamphong Railway Station File:JT House - Jim Thompson House, Bangkok - Thailand - panoramio.jpg, Jim Thompson House File:New Year Ratchaprasong.jpg, Lights, Amarin Plaza File:MBK Bangkok 1.jpg, MBK Bangkok on
Rama I Road 350px, Rama I Road viewed from Chaloem_Phao__Junction.html"_;"title="Siam_BTS_station_skywalk_near_Chaloem_Phao__Junction">Siam_BTS_station_skywalk_near_Chaloem_Phao__Junction. Rama_I_Road_(_th.html" ;"title="Chaloem_Phao__Junction..html" ;"title= ...
File:Lumpini Park, Bangkok, Thailand Silom-Sathorn CBD.JPG, Lake, Lumphini Park File:Thanon Henri Dunant.JPG, Henri Dunant Road File:Thai banner.jpg, Embassy of Japan on
Witthayu Road Witthayu Road from above Witthayu Road ( th, ถนนวิทยุ, , ), commonly known in English as Wireless Road, is a road in Bangkok, located almost entirely in Lumphini Subdistrict of Pathum Wan District. Witthayu Road originally linke ...
('Wireless Road') near Lumphini Park File:Erawan-Schrein rueck.jpg, Erawan Shrine, Ratchaprasong Intersection File:CUAuditorium.jpg, Auditorium, Chulalongkorn University


References


External links


Pathum Wan District Office website
{{Pathum Wan District Districts of Bangkok