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99-582: Until the mid-19th century, the primary means of transport in Bangkok (and Siam in general) was by boat. This began to change as the country opened up to Western ideas and influences, and underwent modernization during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV, r. 1851–1868). The signing of the Bowring Treaty in 1855 marked the beginning of increasing Western political and economic influence, and many foreigners set up diplomatic missions, trading companies and residences on

198-413: A Buddhist monk ( ordination name Vajirayan ; Pali Vajirañāṇo ), following a Siamese tradition that men aged 20 should become monks for a time. The same year, his father died. By tradition, Mongkut should have been crowned the next king, but the nobility instead chose the older, more influential and experienced Prince Chetsadabodin (Nangklao), son of a royal concubine rather than a queen. Perceiving

297-457: A British delegate, even praised him as "our own king", and showed his support of him as a new king of Siam. Having been celibate for 27 years, he now set about building the biggest royal family of the Chakri dynasty . Inside the palace there was a large number of women—reports say three thousand or more. They were mostly servants, guards, officials, maids and so on, but Mongkut acquired 32 wives, and by

396-430: A district dates to 1908, and it was re-established with boundaries near its present form in 1915. Its status, along with Bangkok's other districts', was later changed from amphoe to khet in 1972. The district is named Bang Rak after the original waterfront settlement. While bang is a common place name prefix for villages situated on a rivers, the origins of the second word are unclear. Early documents variably spelled

495-541: A few connecting roads between them, have since formed the district's main road network. The development attracted businesses, which established numerous shops along the roads, as well as newly wealthy residents, who made their homes in villas. Emerging ethnic communities were formed by migrants arriving from Western colonies, who found advantage in the treaties' extraterritorial provisions. Among them were Javanese Muslims, and Hindus, Muslims, and Jains from India, who established places of worship in their neighbourhoods, joining

594-691: A herd of war elephants to the US president Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War for use against the Confederacy . He did, however, offer to send some domesticated elephants to US president James Buchanan , to use as beasts of burden and means of transportation. The royal letter of 14 February 1861, which was written before the Civil War had even started, took some time to arrive in Washington DC, and by

693-533: A lack of roads in which they could travel by horse-drawn carriage, requested that the King build a new road on the east side of the river behind the consulates and businesses. The King agreed to the request, and ordered the construction of a new system of roads. The first, which would serve the European district, was begun in 1862 and officially opened to traffic on 16 March 1864. At the time, roads were not officially named, and

792-627: A recommendation by Tan Kim Ching in Singapore , the court hired an English woman named Anna Leonowens, whose influence was later the subject of great Thai controversy. It is still debated how much this affected the worldview of one of his sons, Prince Chulalongkorn , who succeeded to the throne. Around 1870, Leonowens wrote a memoir of her time as teacher, “ The English Governess at the Siamese Court .” Author Margaret Langdon took this work, and interviews with Leonowens' descendants, to fill out and create

891-533: A registered population of 48,227 (as of 2019). Up until the mid-nineteenth century, water formed the primary mode of transport in the lower Chao Phraya plains, and most people lived along the banks of rivers and canals. Settlements had formed along the Chao Phraya River since the Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th century – 1767), and some Buddhist temples in and around Bang Rak date to the period. Bangkok became

990-516: A result, the administrative power of Siam rested largely in the hands of the two Bunnags, Dit and Tat. Upon his coronation , Mongkut married his first wife, Queen Somanass . However, Queen Somanass died in the same year. He then married his half-grandniece, Mom Chao Rampoei Siriwongse, later Queen Debsirindra . In 1849, there were upheavals in the Shan State of Kengtung and Chiang Hung kingdom in response to weakened Burmese influence. However,

1089-642: Is known by a different name as it runs from Rama IV at Maha Nakhon Intersection to meet Sathon Road at Sathon–Surasak Intersection, with the elevated Si Rat Expressway running nearby. Others include Sap and Naret roads between Si Phraya and Surawong, Decho Road between Surawong and Si Lom, and Sala Daeng, Convent, Pan and Pramuan roads between Si Lom and Sathon. These are relatively small streets, except Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Road , which runs alongside Khlong Chong Nonsi from Surawong through Sathon, continuing southeastward towards Rama III Road in Yan Nawa district . On

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1188-525: Is known in the West primarily through the lens of the 1951 musical The King and I and its 1956 film adaptation . Mongkut ( มงกุฎ , literal meaning: crown ) was the second son of Prince Itsarasunthon , son of Phutthayotfa Chulalok , the first Chakri king of Siam (King Rama I ) and Princess Bunrot . Mongkut was born in the Old (Thonburi) Palace in 1804, where the first son had died shortly after birth in 1801. He

1287-524: Is named after the King. King Mongkut is one of the people with the most children in Thai history; he had 32 wives and concubines during his lifetime who produced at least 82 children, one of whom was Chulalongkorn , who married four of his half sisters. Chakri dynasty Kings Viceroys Deputy Viceroy Crown Prince Hereditary Prince Royalty Bang Rak District Bang Rak ( Thai : บางรัก , pronounced [bāːŋ rák] )

1386-408: Is one of the fifty districts ( khet ) of Bangkok , Thailand . It lies on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya River , beyond Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem , which marked the old city boundary. Originating from riverside settlements dating from before the city's foundation, Bang Rak grew inland as new roads and canals were constructed through the area during the second half of the nineteenth century and

1485-636: Is preserved as a tourist attraction. 13°44′50″N 100°29′40″E  /  13.74722°N 100.49444°E  / 13.74722; 100.49444 Mongkut Mongkut ( Thai : มงกุฏ ; 18 October 1804 – 1 October 1868) was the fourth king of Siam from the Chakri dynasty , titled Rama IV . He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was Phra Poramenthra Ramathibodhi Srisindra Maha Mongkut Phra Chomklao Chao Yu Hua Phra Sayam Thewa Maha Makut Witthaya Maharat (พระบาทสมเด็จพระปรเมนทรรามาธิบดีศรีสินทรมหามงกุฎ พระจอมเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว พระสยามเทวมหามกุฏวิทยมหาราช). The reign of Mongkut

1584-528: Is said that his younger brother, Viceroy Pinklao , could speak it even better. Mongkut's first son and heir, Chulalongkorn , granted the Thammayut sect royal recognition in 1902 through the Ecclesiastical Polity Act; it became one of the two major Buddhist denominations in modern Thailand. Chulalongkorn also persuaded his father's 47th child, Vajirañana , to enter the order and he rose to become

1683-607: Is the outsize representation of minority religious communities that generate special interest. The Sri Mahamariamman Temple on the corner of Si Lom and Pan roads is the city's largest Hindu temple, serving the Tamil community, while Soi Phuttha-osot off Maha Set Road is home to two Jain temples and the Tamil Muslim Bangkok Mosque. Other mosques include the Javanese Masjid Mirasuddeen on Soi Si Lom 20, and

1782-832: The Ban Oou and Haroon mosques, which anchor their historic communities in the riverside area. The influence of the Christian missionaries is clearly observable in Bang Rak, not least from their churches—the Assumption Cathedral near the river is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangkok , while over a dozen Protestant churches are located in the district—but also through the schools and hospitals they founded. The Catholic Church operates Assumption College , Assumption Convent and Assumption Suksa schools, all near

1881-731: The Mandarin Oriental Hotel . Dating later, from 1940, the General Post Office building on Charoen Krung Road now houses the Thailand Creative & Design Center , a sponsor of the Creative District project. From the same period, the Bangkokian Museum and Bang Rak District Local Museum, on a side street of Charoen Krung near Maha Set Road, showcases a middle-class family home of the time and features exhibits about

1980-589: The Odeon Circle , where the Chinatown Gate and Wat Traimit are located. The road then passes the neighbourhood of Talat Noi , before crossing Phadung Krung Kasem Canal at Phitthayasathian Bridge . Here, the road enters Bang Rak District and runs along the former European quarter of Bang Rak Subdistrict , branching off to historic side-streets ( soi ) such as Soi Charoen Krung 30 ( Captain Bush Lane , location of

2079-456: The Phra Khanong area (to where they planned to relocate but later abandoned the idea), then to serve the waterfront community in Bang Rak. The King obliged, and had Thanon Trong (also known as Hua Lamphong Road and later to become Rama IV Road ) constructed in 1857 and Charoen Krung Road in 1862. Si Lom Road soon followed, linking the two. The introduction of land-based transport transformed

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2178-623: The Portuguese embassy ), Soi Charoen Krung 36 ("Rue de Brest", named to commemorate diplomatic relations with France , whose embassy is located here, along with the Customs House and Haroon Mosque ), and Soi Charoen Krung 40 (Soi Burapha, location of the Oriental Hotel , Assumption Cathedral , the Catholic Mission and Assumption College ). The General Post Office building is located on

2277-714: The Protestant Cemetery , and the Asiatique night market. The final stretch of Charoen Krung Road, after it intersects Rama III Road under Rama III Bridge , is known as Thanon Tok ( ถนนตก , "falling road"), a reference to the fact that if the road continued on, it would fall into the river. At the end of the road, adjacent to Charoenkrung Pracharak Hospital , is the Yan Nawa office of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority , where one of Bangkok's former trams

2376-530: The Qing dynasty court, as the mission symbolised Siam's subjection to the Qing emperors and because the Qing dynasty was then not so powerful as it had once been, as it was itself threatened by Western powers. In 1854, John Bowring , the governor of Hong Kong in the name of Queen Victoria , came to Siam to negotiate a treaty. For the first time Siam had to deal seriously with international laws. Prayurawongse negotiated on

2475-801: The Territorial Defense Command headquarters . It heads east through the Rattanakosin Island , crossing the inner moat at Saphan Mon (" Mon Bridge"), and passes the Ban Mo and Wang Burapha neighbourhoods, as well as the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theatre . The road crosses Khlong Ong Ang (the outer moat) at Damrong Sathit Bridge, which is the site of the Saphan Lek market. From here, it serves Bangkok's Chinatown , running southeast, roughly parallel to Yaowarat Road . It passes

2574-550: The 10th Supreme Patriarch of Thailand from 1910 to 1921. Accounts vary about Nangklao's intentions regarding the succession. It is recorded that Nangklao verbally dismissed the royal princes from succession for various reasons; Prince Mongkut was dismissed for encouraging monks to dress in the Mon style. Prince Mongkut was supported by the pro-British Dit Bunnag who was the Samuha Kalahom , or Armed Force Department's president, and

2673-606: The British governor of the Straits Settlements from Singapore , was among those who were invited. King Mongkut predicted the solar eclipse, at (in his own words) "East Greenwich longitude 99 degrees 42' and latitude North 11 degrees 39'." King Mongkut's calculations proved accurate. When he made calculations on the Wakor solar eclipse that was to occur, he used the Thai system of measuring time ("mong" and "baht"), but he implemented

2772-529: The Chinatown and Rattnakaosin areas, has raised concerns that historic communities are being displaced by development. Charoen Krung Road runs for 8.6 kilometres (5.3 mi) through the districts of Phra Nakhon , Pom Prap Sattru Phai and Samphanthawong (dividing the two), Bang Rak , Sathon and Bang Kho Laem . It begins at Sanam Chai Road , at the corners of the Grand Palace , Wat Pho, Saranrom Park and

2871-525: The Christian churches as the missionaries continued to expand their work through the founding of schools and hospitals. The roads were soon augmented by rail transport, as the Paknam Railway (the country's first line) opened along Thanon Trong in 1893, and electrified trams began running on Charoen Krung Road the following year. Another tram line, along Si Lom Road, opened in 1925. Bang Rak District gradually proceeded to fill up with development, and in

2970-471: The European district to end in Bang Kho Laem, where the river made a sharp turn to the east. The second phase, within the old city walls, ran from Wat Pho to meet the earlier section at Saphan Lek ("iron bridge"). When the road was first built, locals remarked of its size and width that there just weren't enough people to walk such large a street. In fact, only one side of the road was regularly used until it

3069-529: The King that the American climate might not be suitable for elephants and that American steam engines could also be used as beasts of burden and means of transportation. A century later, during his state visit to the US, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, who was Mongkut's great-grandson, referred to this event in his address before the US Congress on 29 June 1960. He said, "my great-grandfather offered to send

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3168-531: The President and Congress elephants to be turned loose in the uncultivated land of America for breeding purposes. That offer was made with no other objective than to provide a friend with what he lacks, in the same spirit in which the American aid program is likewise offered." The asteroid 151834 Mongkut is named in honour of the King and his contributions to astronomy and the modernization of Siam. The main hospital of Phetchaburi province, Phrachomklao Hospital ,

3267-471: The Thai government and people considered them to be lèse majesté . To clarify the historical record, well-known Thai intellectuals Seni and Kukrit Pramoj in 1948 wrote The King of Siam Speaks . The Pramoj brothers sent their manuscript to the American politician and diplomat Abbot Low Moffat (1901–1996), who drew on it for his 1961 biography, Mongkut the King of Siam . Moffat donated the Pramoj manuscript to

3366-465: The Thammayut sect as a rightful branch of Theravada. Mongkut also improved women's rights in Siam. He released a large number of royal concubines to find their own husbands, in contrast to how his story has been dramatized. He banned forced marriages of all kinds and the selling of one's wife to pay off a debt. In contrast to the previous king, Nangklao, Mongkut didn't see the importance of sending envoys to

3465-656: The United States Library of Congress in 1961. Anna claimed that her conversations with Prince Chulalongkorn about human freedom, and her relating to him the story of Uncle Tom's Cabin , became the inspiration for his abolition of slavery almost 40 years later. Slavery in Thailand was sometimes a voluntary alternative for individuals to be rid of social and financial obligations. One could be punished for torturing slaves in Siam, and some slaves could buy their freedom. Some western scholars and observers have expressed

3564-530: The Western method of longitude and latitude when he determined where on Earth the eclipse would best be viewed. Upon returning from his journey to Wakor, he condemned the court astrologers "for their...stupid statements because of their negligence of his detailed prediction and their inattention to measurement and calculation by modern instruments." During the expedition, King Mongkut and Prince Chulalongkorn were infected with malaria . The king died six weeks later in

3663-653: The adjacent Talat Noi neighbourhood), dedicated to the Lady of the Rosary , was established by the Portuguese community in 1787. French priests then moved into the area for missionary work, followed by Protestants, mostly from the United States. As international trade increased in the nineteenth century, the neighbourhood developed into one of many port areas along the river. By the time of King Mongkut 's reign (Rama IV, 1851–1868),

3762-487: The area had long been eclipsed by newer development, revitalisation efforts since the 2010s have aimed to revive the neighbourhood as a creative district. The area's side streets, such as Soi Charoen Krung 36 and Captain Bush Lane , feature heritage buildings that serve as cultural tourism destinations. Among the best known features of Bang Rak District are the skyscrapers of Si Lom and Sathon, some of which— Mahanakhon , State Tower , and Jewelry Trade Center —are among

3861-479: The arrival of American missionaries, but the debate about Earth's shape remained an issue for Siamese intellectuals throughout the 1800s. During his reign, Mongkut urged his royal relatives to have "a European-style education." The missionaries, as teachers, taught modern geography and astronomy, among other subjects. Six years after Mongkut's death, the first Thai-language geography book was published in 1874, called Phumanithet by J.W. Van Dyke. However, geography

3960-511: The behalf of the Siamese. The result was the Bowring Treaty between the two nations. The main principle of the treaty was to abolish the Royal Storage (พระคลังสินค้า), which since Ayutthaya 's times held the monopoly on foreign trade. The Royal Storage had been the source of Ayutthaya's prosperity as it collected immense taxation on foreign traders, including the taxation according to the width of

4059-754: The capital city with the foundation of the Thonburi Kingdom in 1767, and was re-established as the Rattanakosin Kingdom in 1782; riverside areas beyond the fortified city of Rattanakosin Island developed into fringe neighbourhoods settled by various ethnic communities. Downstream of the city and just beyond the Chinatown area, the waterfront stretch that is now Bang Rak Subdistrict was home to Thais, Chinese, Vietnamese, Malays, Lao, Tavoyans , and descendants of Portuguese , among others. A Catholic church (now in

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4158-515: The capital, and was succeeded by his son, who survived malaria. It has been argued that the assimilation of Western geography and astronomy into 19th-century Siam "proved that Siam equalled the West in terms of knowledge, and therefore the imperialists ' claim that Siam was uncivilized and had to be colonized was unreasonable." This suggests that the Western form of these sciences may have saved Siam from actually being colonized by Western powers. Contrary to popular belief, King Mongkut did not offer

4257-661: The cathedral, as well as Saint Joseph Convent School , situated off Si Lom on Convent Road, opposite the Carmelite Monastery. Also on Convent Road, on its corner with Sathon, is the historic Christ Church Bangkok , today a parish church of the Anglican Church in Thailand . The country's main Protestant denomination, the Church of Christ in Thailand , operates Bangkok Christian College , the country's oldest school, which sits on

4356-419: The city had outgrown its original defensive walls , and the King ordered the digging of Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem to serve as a new outer moat surrounding the city proper. The canal separated Bang Rak, on the far side from the city, from the Chinatown area, and as the country began modernizing and opened to the West under Mongkut's reign, European visitors began establishing themselves here. The Bowring Treaty

4455-408: The city, and Charoen Krung became its main thoroughfare, bringing commerce and spurring development. In the 1890s and 1900s, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868–1910), enterprising businessmen engaged in land development by buying up land and building roads through the area. The resulting Sathon , Surawong , and Si Phraya roads ran roughly parallel to Si Lom, and, together with

4554-691: The competition eventually resulted in the lands ending up in the hands of nobility. The Bowring Treaty also had a legal impact. Due to the horror of the Nakorn Bala methods of torture in judicial proceedings, the British requested not to be tried under the Siamese system, securing a grant of extraterritoriality ; British subjects in Siam were therefore subject only to British law, while the Siamese in Britain enjoyed no reciprocal privilege. More treaties were then made with other powers, further undermining national revenue and legal rights. The Bowring treaty proved to be

4653-531: The contents of this petition, reflected that recently the Europeans had been coming to live in Bangkok in increasing numbers every year. Their countries had roads that made every village or town look orderly, pleasant and clean. Our country was greatly overgrown with grass or climbers; our pathways were but small or blind alleys; our larger pathways were dirty, muddy, or soiled, and unpleasant to look at. On 19 August 1861, Western consuls, complaining of ill health due to

4752-747: The corner of Charoen Krung and Si Lom stands the State Tower . Charoen Krung meets Sathon Road under the ramps of Taksin Bridge , near the Saphan Taksin Station of the BTS Skytrain . From here, it enters Sathon District, where it passes Wat Yan Nawa , Sathorn Unique Tower , the Bangkok Dock Company and Wat Suthiwararam School . As the road enters Bang Kho Laem District, the area becomes mostly residential. It passes Shrewsbury International School ,

4851-584: The corner of Sathon and Pramuan roads, as well as the Bangkok Christian Hospital on Si Lom. Other hospitals also have histories related to the Western presence: Lerdsin Hospital (on Si Lom Road, near Bang Rak Intersection) was first headed by Thomas Heyward Hays , a doctor with the Presbyterian mission, while BNH Hospital was founded as a nursing home by the British community. The other hospital in

4950-541: The corner of Soi Charoen Krung 32, and Soi 42/1 is home to Wat Suan Phlu and the Shangri-La Hotel . As it passes through Bang Rak, Charoen Krung meets several roads branching off to the northeast, running parallel to each other. Built during the turn of the 19th–20th centuries as the city expanded southward following the development around Charoen Krung, these roads are Si Phraya , Surawong , Si Lom and Sathon . The latter two form Bangkok's financial district, and on

5049-399: The country's smallest districts by area, Bang Rak has Bangkok's largest number of jobs, with over 170,000 positions based in the district as of 2016, according to a job-seeking service company. The flurry of activity, however, doesn't reach the waterfront area along Charoen Krung Road (mostly covered by Bang Rak Subdistrict), which retains much of its historic architecture. While commercially

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5148-408: The direction of Bamrung Mueang instead. The city's first tram line began operation on Charoen Krung in 1888. Originally horse-drawn, the tram was electrified in 1894. The service ran until its discontinuation in 1963. Charoen Krung's importance gradually declined as the city's rapid expansion in the latter half of the 20th century drew real estate development elsewhere. The southern section, although

5247-448: The district into five subdistricts ( khwaeng ). Bang Rak Subdistrict is on the riverside west of Charoen Krung. East of it, from north to south, are Maha Phruettharam , Si Phraya, Suriyawong, and Si Lom. Together, they have a registered population of 48,227 as of 2019. Several streets run between the parallel roads, forming links between them. The only one to cross all of them is Maha Nakhon–Maha Set–Mahesak–Surasak, each section of which

5346-635: The district is Mahaesak Hospital, and other secondary schools include the state-run Mahapruttaram Girls' School and Buddhajak Wittaya School. Bang Rak is served by the Silom Line of the BTS Skytrain and the Blue Line of the MRT , as well as the Chao Phraya Express Boat and regular bus services . The Si Rat Expressway has ramps at Rama IV and Si Lom/Sathon roads. The MRT runs under Rama IV Road along

5445-400: The district's history. Some of Bang Rak's most noticeable points of interest are places of worship, the diversity of which reflect the area's multicultural history. While the district is home to centuries-old Buddhist temples including Wat Maha Phruettharam (on the same-named road), Wat Hua Lamphong (at Sam Yan Intersection), and Wat Suan Phlu and Wat Muang Khae on the waterfront, it

5544-421: The district's northern border, with Hua Lamphong , Sam Yan , Si Lom (at Sala Daeng Intersection), and Lumphini (at Witthayu) stations serving the respective neighbourhoods. The Si Lom MRT Station has a link to the BTS's Sala Daeng Station , from where the elevated railway runs along Si Lom Road before turning into Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra, where Chong Nonsi Station is. It continues onto Sathon Road, serving

5643-436: The early twentieth, attracting communities of expatriates and developing into a major commercial district. Bangkok's rapid economic growth in the late twentieth century saw the areas along Si Lom and Sathon roads transformed into one of the city's main business districts, teeming with skyscrapers. The district, officially recognised at least since 1908, covers an area of 5.54 square kilometres (2.14 sq mi), and has

5742-662: The east bank of the Chao Phraya River , just beyond the newly expanded city limits marked by Phadung Krung Kasem Canal , which had been dug in 1851. ... the foreign consuls all signed their names to a petition which they presented to the King. It said that the Europeans were used to going out in the open air, riding carriages or riding horseback for pleasure. These activities had been good for their health and they had not suffered from illnesses. Since their coming to live in Bangkok, they had found that there were no roads to go riding in carriages or on horseback for pleasure, and they had all been sick very often. The King, after having heard

5841-406: The economic and social revolution of Siam. Mongkut's reign saw immense commercial activities in Siam for the first time, which led to the introduction of coinage in 1860. The first industries in Siam were rice milling and sugar production. Infrastructure was improved; there was a great deal of paving of roads and canal digging—for transport and water reservoirs for plantations. In 1862, following

5940-416: The excavated earth. The Paknam Railway was also discontinued, in 1960.) The Dusit Thani Hotel , the city's first high-rise building, opened in 1970, initiating a wave of high-rise construction along Si Lom and Sathon as the economy boomed through the early 1990s. While the 1997 financial crisis put an end to the boom, the economy eventually recovered. The earliest government proclamation naming Bang Rak as

6039-473: The galleon and the tithe. Western products had to go through a series of tax barriers to reach Siamese people. The Europeans had been attempting to undo this monopoly for a long time but no serious measures had been taken. For Siamese people, trading with foreigners subjected them to severe punishment by the government. The taxation was partially reduced in the Burney Treaty . However, in the world of nineteenth-century liberalism , government control over trade

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6138-563: The historic S.A.B. Intersection near the areas of Nakhon Khasem (Thieves' Market) and Khlong Thom , as well as the Chinese temple Wat Mangkon Kamalawat . The road continues straight until it meets Rama IV Road at Mo Mi Junction , where it bends slightly south. From near the road's beginning at Sanam Chai to Mo Mi Junction, the extension of the MRT's Blue Line runs beneath Charoen Krung, and serves its neighbourhoods via Sam Yot and Wat Mangkon stations, which opened in 2019. From Mo Mi Junction, Charoen Krung heads south to meet Yaowarat Road at

6237-407: The main road. Near Si Lom's east end, on the north side (in Suriyawong Subdistrict), several side streets are home to a concentration of nightlife venues. Among them, the Patpong neighbourhood is well known as a red-light district catering to foreigners. On the south side (in Si Lom Subdistrict), near Si Lom–Naradhiwas Intersection, Soi Lalai Sap is a popular office worker's shopping street. Towards

6336-520: The monastic rules of discipline, the vinaya . Vajirayan admired Buddhawangso for his obedience to the vinaya, and was inspired to pursue religious reforms. In 1835, he began a reform movement reinforcing the vinaya law that evolved into the Dhammayuttika Nikaya , or Dhammayut sect. A strong theme in Mongkut's movement was that, "…true Buddhism was supposed to refrain from worldly matters and confine itself to spiritual and moral affairs". Mongkut eventually came to power in 1851, as did his colleagues who had

6435-494: The more fictionalized account, Anna and the King of Siam , in 1944, which was adapted for films and a musical. Her story would become the inspiration for the Hollywood movies Anna and the King of Siam and Anna and the King as well as the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I and its subsequent film adaptation , which, because of their fictionalized historical references and perceived disrespectful treatment of King Mongkut, were initially banned in Thailand as

6534-432: The most powerful noble during the reign of Rama III. He also had the support of British merchants who feared the growing anti-Western sentiment of the previous monarch and saw the 'prince monk' Mongkut as the 'champion' of European influence among the royal elite. Bunnag, with the supporting promise of British agents, sent his men to the leaving-from-monk-status ceremony for Prince Mongkut even before Nangklao's death. With

6633-416: The name as บางรัก or บางรักษ์ ; the first (and current) spelling fits with the theory that it derived from that of the rak ( Gluta usitata ) tree, a large trunk of which had been found in the area, while the second favours the idea that the name came from the word rak ( รักษ์ 'heal'), after hospitals operated by the area's missionaries. Today, as rak is also a homonym alternatively meaning "love",

6732-436: The name makes the district office a popular place for marriage registrations, especially on Valentine's Day. Bang Rak District occupies 5.536 square kilometres (2.137 sq mi) in Bangkok's Phra Nakhon side, on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. It is bordered by Pathum Wan district to the northeast across Rama IV Road, Sathon to the southeast across Khlong Sathon (in the middle of Sathon Road), Khlong San to

6831-501: The neighbourhoods surrounding its intersections: Saphan Lueang (where it is met by Banthat Thong Road in Pathum Wan District), Sam Yan (where Si Phraya Road meets Phaya Thai ), Henri Dunant (Surawong and Henri Dunant), Sala Daeng (Si Lom and Ratchadamri ), and Witthayu (Sathon and Witthayu ). The side streets of Si Lom Road form several distinctive neighbourhoods, several of which, like Sala Daeng and Convent, feature restaurants and open spaces nestled behind office towers fronting

6930-401: The opinion that Siamese slaves were treated better than English servants. During his monkhood, Mongkut studied both indigenous astrology and English texts on Western astronomy and mathematics, hence developing his skills in astronomical measurement. One way that he honed his mastery of astronomy, aside from the accurate prediction of the solar eclipse of 18 August 1868 (Wakor solar eclipse),

7029-471: The other side of Bang Rak, Maha Phruettharam Road runs alongside Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem, also linking between Rama IV (at Hua Lamphong Intersection) and Charoen Krung (at Phitthayasathian Bridge ). Bang Rak District contains some highly developed areas. Commercial development is most concentrated around Si Lom and Sathon roads, while the areas towards Maha Phruettharam are quieter and mostly residential. Development also fronts Rama IV Road, especially around

7128-411: The post-World War II period, increasing numbers of foreign businesses moved from the waterfront area into newer premises, especially along Si Lom Road. In 1963, the trams were discontinued, and the canal that ran alongside Si Lom road was filled in for its expansion, further incentivizing its development as a business street. (Many of the roads had originally been built with canals running alongside, using

7227-477: The printing system and then resumed the publishing of Siam's first newspaper, the Bangkok Recorder . However, the missionaries were not as successful when it came to making religious conversions. In 1852, he ordered the nobles of the court to wear upper garments. Previously, Siamese nobles were forbidden to wear any shirts to prevent them from hiding any weapons in it and met the king bare-chested. The practice

7326-458: The resources of the Siamese army ran out and the army had to retreat. Accompanying the influx of Western visitors to Siam was the notion of a round earth. By many Siamese, this was difficult to accept, particularly by religious standards, because Buddhist scripture described the earth as being flat . The Traiphum , which was a geo-astrological map created before the arrival of Westerners, described "…a path between two mountain ranges through which

7425-475: The road became known as Thanon Mai ( ถนนใหม่ ) or New Road . King Mongkut later gave it the name Charoen Krung , which means "prosperous city" or "prosperity of the city". The road, constructed in two phases, runs roughly parallel to the Chao Phraya River in a southerly direction from the city centre. The first section ran from the old city moat , crossed Phadung Krumg Kasem Canal, and continued through

7524-416: The road's Charoen Krung end (Bang Rak Junction), the office towers peter out, and the neighbourhood is marked by the historic Tamil Indian presence; the area around Mahesak Road (between Si Lom and Surawong) is also known as a jewellery district. Sathon Road, meanwhile, has a more sterile appearance, with office towers, hotels, and religious, educational and health institutions occupying large blocks along

7623-429: The road. Sathon–Naradhiwas Intersection, near the middle of the road's length, is in particular surrounded by gleaming glass-walled skyscrapers. While establishments line the road on both sides, Bang Rak District only covers those on the north; the road's south side is in the area of Sathon District. The combined Si Lom–Sathon business district generates a large amount of economic activity and employment. Despite being among

7722-589: The same progressive mission. From that point on, Siam more quickly embraced modernization. Vajirayan initiated two major revolutionary changes. Firstly, he embraced modern geography, among other sciences considered "Western". Secondly, he sought reform in Buddhism and, as a result, a new sect was created in Siamese Theravada Buddhism. Both revolutions challenged the purity and validity of the Buddhist order as it

7821-510: The site of many historic buildings, has lagged in economic potential; up to 20 percent of its commercial buildings were unoccupied in 2013. Lately, in an attempt at urban renewal, there have been efforts to promote the southern Charoen Krung neighbourhood as the Charoenkrung Creative District . Meanwhile, construction of the Blue Line extension of Bangkok's MRT system, which runs directly under Charoen Krung as it passes through

7920-460: The stars, planets, moon and sun pass." Religious scholars usually concluded that Buddhist scriptures "…were meant to be taken literally only when it came to matters of spiritual truth; details of natural science are revealed figuratively and allegorically." Mongkut claimed to have abandoned the Traiphum cosmology before 1836. He claimed that he already knew of the round state of earth 15 years before

8019-428: The support of powerful nobility and Britain, Mongkut's ascension to the throne was ensured. After his twenty-seven years of monastic life, King Mongkut voluntarily defrocked and ascended the throne in 1851, aged 47. He took the name Phra Chom Klao , although foreigners continued to call him King Mongkut. The king was well known among the foreigners, particularly some British officers, as pro-British. Sir James Brooke ,

8118-627: The tallest buildings in the country. They stand in contrast to colonial-era historic buildings such as the Neilson Hays Library and the British Club on Surawong Road, and the Sathon Mansion near Sathon–Naradhiwas Intersection. Other historic buildings are concentrated in the waterfront Charoen Krung area, including the nineteenth-century Portuguese and French embassies, Customs House , East Asiatic Building , and original Author's Wing of

8217-495: The throne was irredeemable and to avoid political intrigues, Mongkut retained his monastic status. Vajirayan became one of the few members of the royal family who devoted his life to religion. He travelled around the country as a monk and saw the relaxation of the rules of the Pali Canon among the Siamese monks he met, which he considered inappropriate. In 1829, at Phetchaburi , he met a monk named Buddhawangso, who strictly followed

8316-418: The time he died, aged 64, he had 82 children. His awareness of possibility of an outbreak of war with the European powers led him to institute many innovative activities. He ordered the nobility to wear shirts while attending his court; this was to show that Siam was a "modern" nation from the Western point of view. However, Mongkut's own astrological calculations pointed out that his brother, Prince Isaret,

8415-515: The time it reached its destination, President Buchanan was no longer in office. Lincoln, who succeeded Buchanan, is said to have been asked what the elephants could be used for, and in reply he said that he did not know, unless "they were used to stamp out the rebellion." However, in his reply dated 3 February 1862, Lincoln did not mention anything about the Civil War. The President merely politely declined to accept King Mongkut's proposal, explaining to

8514-476: The two became close friends, and Vajirayan invited Pallegoix to preach Christian sermons in the wat. Vajirayan admired Christian morals and achievements as presented by the vicar, but could make nothing of Christian doctrine. It was then that he made the comment later attributed to him as king: "What you teach people to do is admirable, but what you teach them to believe is foolish." King Mongkut would later be noted for his excellent command of English, although it

8613-492: The two states then fought each other and Chiang Hung sought Siamese support. Nangklao saw this as an opportunity to gain control over Shan states but he died in 1851 before this plan was realized. In 1852, Chiang Hung submitted the request again. Mongkut sent Siamese troops northwards but the armies were turned aside by the mountainous highlands. In 1855 the Siamese marched again and reached Kengtung—though with even greater difficulty. They laid siege on Kengtung for 21 days. However,

8712-530: The west on the other side of the Chao Phraya, and Samphanthawong to the northwest, across Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem. The district's main thoroughfares, in addition to Rama IV and Sathon roads, which serve as its borders, are Charoen Krung Road, which runs roughly alongside the river, and (from north to south) Si Phraya, Surawong and Si Lom roads, which run in a southwest–northeast direction, roughly parallel to Sathon, linking Rama IV and Charoen Krung. They divide

8811-464: Was also known for appointing his younger brother, Prince Chutamani, as Second King , crowned in 1851 as King Pinklao . Mongkut told the country that Pinklao should be respected with equal honor to himself (as King Naresuan had done with his brother Ekathotsarot in 1583). During Mongkut's reign, the power of the House of Bunnag reached its zenith: It became the most powerful noble family of Siam. Mongkut

8910-549: Was as well-favored as himself to be the monarch. So, Mongkut then crowned his brother as King Pinklao, the second king. As a prince, Pinklao was known for his abilities in foreign languages and relations. Mongkut also raised his supporter Dit Bunnag to Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Prayurawongse ( Somdet Chao Phraya was the highest rank of nobility on a par with royalty) and made him his regent kingdom-wide. Mongkut also appointed Dit Bunnag's brother, Tat Bunnag, as Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Pichaiyat, as his regent in Bangkok. As

9009-474: Was changing the official Buddhist calendar, "which was seriously miscalculated and the times for auspicious moments were incorrect." In 1868, he invited high-ranking European and Siamese officials to accompany him to Wakor village in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province , south of Hua Hin , where the solar eclipse that was to occur on 18 August could be best viewed as a total eclipse. Sir Harry Ord ,

9108-518: Was criticized by Westerners and so Mongkut ended it. However, Mongkut did not abandon the traditional culture of Siam. For Buddhism, Mongkut pioneered the rehabilitation of various temples. He also began the Magha Puja (มาฆบูชา) festival in the full moon of the third lunar month, to celebrate Buddha's announcement of his main principles. He instigated the recompilation of Tripitaka in Siam according to Theravada traditions. He also formally established

9207-406: Was followed by Prince Chutamani ( เจ้าฟ้าจุฑามณี ) in 1808. In 1809, Prince Itsarasunthon was crowned as Phutthaloetla Naphalai (later styled King Rama II.) The royal family then moved to the Grand Palace . Thenceforth, until their own accessions as kings, the brothers ( เจ้าฟ้า chaofa ) were called Chao Fa Yai ( เจ้าฟ้าใหญ่ ) and Chao Fa Noi ( เจ้าฟ้าน้อย ). In 1824, Mongkut became

9306-463: Was marked by significant modernization initiatives and diplomatic engagements, which played pivotal roles in shaping Thailand's trajectory towards progress and international relations. Siam first felt the pressure of Western expansionism during Mongkut's reign. Mongkut embraced Western innovations and initiated the modernization of his country, both in technology and culture—earning him the nickname "The Father of Science and Technology" in Siam. Mongkut

9405-592: Was only taught in select schools, mainly those that were run by American missionaries with English programs for upper secondary students. Thongchai Winichakul argues that Mongkut's efforts to popularize Western geography helped bring reform to education in Siam. 1852 saw an influx of English and American missionaries into Siam as Mongkut hired them to teach the English language to the princes. He also hired Western mercenaries to train Siamese troops in Western style. In Bangkok, American Dan Beach Bradley had already reformed

9504-411: Was practiced in Siam at the time. In 1836, Vajirayan arrived at Wat Bowonniwet in what is now Bangkok's central district , but was then the city proper, and became the wat's first abbot ( เจ้าอาวาส ). During this time, he pursued a Western education, studying Latin, English, and astronomy with missionaries and sailors. Vicar Pallegoix of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangkok lived nearby;

9603-435: Was renovated and paved with asphalt in 1922. The construction of Charoen Krung Road—together with Bamrung Mueang , built shortly after—marked a major change in Bangkok's urban landscape. Land transport soon overtook canals in importance, and the growth of the city now followed roads instead. Charoen Krung remained the city's main road and largest thoroughfare up to the early 20th century, when development expanded in-land along

9702-407: Was signed with the British in 1855, liberalizing trade and granting diplomatic concessions, and other Western countries followed suit. Consulates, trading companies and expatriate communities were established in the waterfront area, which became the city's European quarter. The Westerners also indirectly set off the city's transformation. They petitioned Mongkut to build roads for their use, first to

9801-417: Was swiftly disappearing. The abolition of such trade barriers replaced the previous system of Siamese commerce with free trade . Import taxation was reduced to 3% and could only be collected once. This was a blow to national revenue. However, this led to dramatic growth of commercial sectors as common people gained access to foreign trade. People rushed to acquire vast, previously empty fields to grow rice and

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