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Banthat Thong Road in the area of Saphan Lueang at dawn Banthat Thong Road (, ) is a street in
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 estim ...
. It runs from its junction with
Rama IV Road Rama IV Road (, ; usually shortened to , ) is a main road in Bangkok, Thailand. It starts at Mo Mi Junction in the area of Chinatown, Bangkok, Bangkok's Chinatown in Samphanthawong District, Samphanthawong and Pom Prap Sattru Phai Districts and ...
at Saphan Lueang Intersection, through Pathum Wan and Ratchathewi districts, north to Phet Phra Ram Intersection, where it meets Phetchaburi Road. It crosses
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 (, ; usually shortened to , ) is a road in Bangkok. It st ...
at Charoen Phon Intersection, near the
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 ...
, and the area is home to a large number of sporting goods shops. The southern section of the road runs parallel to the canal Khlong Suan Luang, which also gives its name to the neighbourhood. The area's land is owned by
Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...
, whose Office of Property Management (PMCU) redeveloped most of the neighbourhood in the 2010s. The area is host to a variety of street food vendors and restaurants, and is a popular tourist attraction. In 2024, Time Out ranked Ban Tad Thong as the world's 14th coolest street.


History

The original section of the road, running from Saphan Lueang to Charoen Phon, was built in the 1910s and formed the southernmost part of Prathat Thong Road, which continued north towards Samsen Water Treatment Plant. ''Prathat thong'' () is the Thai name for the '' Quassia amara'' plant, and the road was named for the plant's appearance as a pattern in Chinese porcelain, as was a common trend at the time. King
Vajiravudh Vajiravudh (1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth Monarchy of Thailand, king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama VI. He reigned from 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts to create and pro ...
renamed the road as Rama VI Road in 1920. In 1912, as preparations were being made for the establishment of the Civil Service College of King Chulalongkorn (later to become Chulalongkorn University) in the area near the then-newly built road, Chao Phraya Yommarat (Pan Sukhum), the Minister of the Capital, voiced opposition to the plan, noting that the location of Prathat Thong Road—secluded yet not far from residential areas—was ideal for prostitute dens, which at the time were legal and served as a revenue source for the government. However, his opposition came too late for any action to be altered, and prostitution was later criminalized. Sometime later, the road became split: the section north of Uruphong Intersection continues to be known as Rama VI, while the section south of Charoen Phon became known as Banthat Thong, a corruption of its original name. The road now continues north from Charoen Phon Intersection, crossing Saen Saep Canal at Charoen Phon Bridge toward Phetchaburi Road. From Saphan Lueang to the bridge, the road forms the boundary between Pathum Wan District's Rong Mueang and Wang Mai subdistricts.


Neighbourhoods


Saphan Lueang

Saphan Lueang intersection at dawn (taken from Banthat Thong side) Saphan Lueang, also written as Saphan Luang (, ), is a four-way intersection and a neighbourhood at the end of Banthat Thong Road. It is located within Rong Mueang sub-district, Pathum Wan district. It shares a border with Maha Phruttharam sub-district, Bang Rak district and Wang Mai sub-district in its district, where
Rama IV Mongkut (18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty, titled Rama IV. He reigned from 1851 until his death in 1868. The reign of Mongkut was marked by significant modernization initiatives and diplomat ...
meets Banthat Thong Roads and the
Sirat Expressway The Si Rat Expressway (), also known as the Second Stage Expressway System (), is an expressway in Thailand, located in Bangkok and Nonthaburi province. It is the second expressway to be opened in the country and is in length. The expressway has ...
. The next intersection on Rama IV Road is
Sam Yan Sam Yan (, ) 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 with Bang Rak. The neighb ...
. The term ''Saphan Lueang'' means yellow bridge, and was named for a yellow bridge crossing over a canal called "Khlong Luang" (คลองหลวง) that had been nearby. Later on the bridge was demolished and Rama VI Road was built over the canal, but the road's name stayed "Saphan Lueang". Saphan Lueang is an area close to
Hua Lamphong Bangkok (Hua Lamphong) railway station (, ) is a railway station in Pathum Wan, the former central passenger terminal in Bangkok and the former railway hub of Thailand. It is in the center of the city in the Pathum Wan district, and is operat ...
, Sam Yan and Si Phraya Road. It's also the site of one of oldest Protestant churches in Bangkok, Sapanluang Church, and had many famous restaurants as well. Among the many restaurants in the area, two noodles shops received the
Bib Gourmand The ''Michelin Guides'' ( ; ) are a series of guide books that have been published by the French tyre company Michelin since 1900. The ''Guide'' awards up to three Michelin stars for excellence to a select few restaurants in certain geographic ...
from Michelin Guide in 2018.


Suan Luang

Named for the canal that runs parallel to the road to the west, the Suan Luang area lying between the road and the campus of Chulalongkorn University is owned by the university and rented out for revenue. The northern part of the area lies adjacent to the National Stadium complex, and is home to many sporting goods shops. The southern area, which lies adjacent to the
Sam Yan Sam Yan (, ) 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 with Bang Rak. The neighb ...
neighbourhood, used to be home to a large number of Chinese-run shophouses, many dealing primarily in car parts (similarly to the Sieng Kong area of Talat Noi). In the 2010s, PMCU redeveloped most of the neighbourhood, creating the Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park as well as several shopping arcades. The redevelopment has transformed the neighbourhood into a gastronomic destination, with many new shops as well as longstanding establishments lining the shopfronts of Banthat Thong. The neighbourhood, together with Sam Yan, was named the "coolest neighbourhood" in Bangkok by '' Time Out'' in 2020. However, the re-development has also prompted criticism of gentrification from conservation groups and students, especially Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal.


Charoen Phon

Charoen Phon is the name of the intersection where Banthat Thong crosses Rama I Road, as well as the nearby bridge where the road crosses Khlong Saen Saep into Ratchathewi District. The National Stadium complex lies just east of the intersection on Rama I Road. In addition to the area's many sporting goods shops, Stadium One, a large fitness complex and sports-oriented shopping mall, opened in the intersection's southeastern corner in 2018. The area is reachable by the National Stadium BTS station. From Charoen Phon Bridge, the historic
Ban Khrua Ban Khrua (, ; other spellings include ''Ban Krua'' and ''Baan Krua'') is a historic community neighborhood along Bangkok's Khlong Saen Saep from Saphan Hua Chang to Wat Phrayayang. It includes an area of about 14 rai (about 5.5 acres) on both ...
community extends along the banks of Saen Saep Canal. It is one of Bangkok's oldest Muslim communities, first settled around the turn of the 18th–19th centuries during the reign of King
Rama I Phutthayotfa Chulalok (born Thongduang; 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), also known by his regnal name Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (now Thailand) and the first King of Siam from the reigning Chakri dynasty. He asc ...
.


References

{{coord missing, Thailand Streets in Bangkok Neighbourhoods of Bangkok Pathum Wan district Property Management of Chulalongkorn University