Chinatown (Yaowarat)

Yaowarat Rd, Samphanthawong 10100, Bangkok, Thailand

About

Chinese immigrants -- first under the benevolence of King Rama I and then after several other kings -- settled in Bangkok in Sampheng near the Grand Palace. The community quickly became a thriving business center and in the next century moved to Yaowarat, the current location of Bangkok's Chinatown. Rice trading brought great prosperity and by the 1950s Bangkok's business and entertainment center was Chinatown. Today shops, stalls, and of course Chinese restaurants line the streets and alleys centered around Yaowarat Road which lights up with neon at night like a miniature version of Hong Kong. Some of the major sights to see include the Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit and the Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Center. But the most popular reason to go here is the food. Many eateries stay open long into the night or even 24 hours.