History of Bangkok's Chinatown from Teochew enclave to red light district and business hub
Chinatowns are often portrayed as gritty underworlds riddled with prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking. Some of this is rooted in truth, but that unfair depiction is largely the result of rampant xenophobia and cultural ignorance, especially in the West.
Advertisement
In
a series of articles , the Post explores the historical and social significance of major Chinatowns around the world and the communities that shape them.
Thailand, the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonised by any European power, has always been a popular destination for Chinese immigrants, and its capital city of Bangkok boasts what is considered to be one of the biggest Chinatowns in the world.
The first Chinese migrants settled in Siam – the official name of Thailand before 1939 – in the 14th century, working mostly as tin miners and merchants hoping to find fortune overseas.
A vendor prepares food in Bangkok's Chinatown. Photo: Shutterstock
In the mid-1600s, many people left China during the 'tumultuous transition' from the Ming dynasty to the Qing dynasty, says Thai historian Pasuk Phongpaichit. Even more followed in the ensuing decades as social unrest continued in southern China –
especially from Chaoshan, a region in eastern Guangdong province
Advertisement
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
HKFP
30-05-2025
- HKFP
Hong Kong government watchdog investigates amenities in countryside amid city's tourism push
Hong Kong's government watchdog has announced an investigation into amenities in the city's countryside, an effort to boost tourism amid complaints about hygiene and insufficient facilities in some nature spots. The Office of The Ombudsman said on Thursday that the probe is intended to align with the government's efforts to develop green tourism and the concept that 'tourism is everywhere' in the city – a notion put forward by Beijing's top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong. The watchdog said it noted news reports of inadequate toilets and poor hygiene conditions in some countryside areas. Information on transport, water filling locations and toilet locations are also said to be lacking, the watchdog said in a statement. The Ombudsman added that it has also 'received complaints about the slow progress of countryside facility maintenance and insufficient supporting resources, such as delays in rain shelter repairs and insufficient publicity for visitor centres.' As part of the investigation, the Ombudsman will examine the operations of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), as well as other departments responsible for managing country parks and ancillary facilities. The government watchdog's announcement came after the Labour Day Golden Week holiday earlier this month, when the city saw large crowds of tourists visiting the countryside, including Grass Island and the MacLehose Trail. Both places are widely featured in posts about Hong Kong travel tips on Xiaohongshu, a mainland Chinese social media app. In Sai Kung, the High Island Geo Trail saw over 3,000 tourists a day, most of whom came from mainland China, news outlets reported. Tourists in some countryside areas waited a long time for minibuses and some complained about inconvenient transport arrangements, according to local media. Jack Chan, the Ombudman, said he himself observed garbage accumulation and traffic congestion during the recent Labour Day holiday. Established in 1989, the Office of The Ombudsman is the city's independent watchdog for probing the government. Controversies emerged with the watchdog earlier in May after it was found to have removed decades' worth of annual and investigative reports, as well as other documents, from its website, saying the move is for 'more effective website management.'
RTHK
22-05-2025
- RTHK
Red tape cut in bid to boost industrial tourism: govt
Red tape cut in bid to boost industrial tourism: govt Warner Cheuk said officials have contacted other firms to join industrial tourism projects. File photo: RTHK Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk said on Thursday that the government has relaxed rules for local companies so they can take part in initiatives to boost industrial tourism. Four brands – food company Lee Kum Kee, bakery chain Kee Wah, sauce producer Pat Chun and probiotics company Yakult – will soon be hosting visitor tours at their factories in Hong Kong. These are among nine tourism projects announced on Tuesday to offer more variety for visitors. Cheuk said officials have made the factory visits possible by simplifying application procedures to allow the companies, whose factories are located within InnoParks or former industrial estates, to take part in industrial tourism. "The stage is used to be constraints such that the factories couldn't let people visit the premises commercially," he said on a Commercial Radio programme. "We've now remove barriers and made sure the projects comply with town planning requirements." Programme hosts asked whether or not the government had asked TVB to consider taking part, saying the broadcaster could be attractive to visitors from the mainland and Southeast Asian countries who watch its programmes. Cheuk said officials had spoken to the station, but added that whether or not companies take part depends on their own business considerations. The minister went on to say that planting dozens of pink trumpet and bougainvillea trees near the harbourfront at Tamar Park should create what he called a "powerful, full blossom" scene near Victoria Harbour.
HKFP
21-05-2025
- HKFP
Hong Kong names 9 hotspots in new tourism drive
Soy sauce factory Lee Kum Kee, Yau Ma Tei Police Station, and Hong Kong's hill and mountain peaks are among nine locations a government working group has named in a new tourism drive. Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk, who chairs the Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots, said the nine locations underlined 'the concept of 'tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong,'' referencing the notion put forward by Beijing's top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Cheuk said the new tourism offerings showcased Hong Kong's characteristics and were photogenic. Sauce makers Lee Kum Kee and Pat Chun, bakery Kee Wah, and yoghurt drink company Yakult will hold tours starting in the third quarter of this year. Authorities will also develop tourism offerings around the city's 'four peaks': The Peak, Lantau Peak, Sai Kung Hoi, and Tai Mo Shan. The peaks' drive will begin late next year. The government also plans to open the Edwardian-style building of the former Yau Ma Tei Police Station to visitors, organise trips to sites related to the city's disciplined services, and host regular themed bazaars at Causeway Bay's Victoria Park. The disciplined services' museums, including the Police Museum and the Hong Kong Correctional Services Museum, will launch tourism offerings in the second quarter of this year. A bazaar at Victoria Park is expected to be launched in the fourth quarter, operating on weekends and public holidays. Kowloon City and Central have also been designated as 'in-depth' tourism destinations. The government has been promoting 'in-depth' tourism, which focuses on the city's culture and history, to attract visitors from different markets. Cheuk said that 'new travel patterns and tourists' preferences increasingly value hotspots with unique features that are part of the flavour of Hong Kong.' No performance goals He also said the working group would not set performance goals for arrivals in relation to the new tourism drive, citing the difficulty of quantifying its effect. 'I think common sense will tell you that these nine projects, seven of which will be implemented by the end of this year, will together considerably add to the overall appeal of Hong Kong as a tourist destination [for] overseas visitors and also visitors from the mainland,' he added. Asked about the phenomenon of low-budget mainland Chinese visitors, Cheuk rubbished the notion that mainland tourists were not spending enough. 'I believe the reports were magnified and exaggerated,' he said. 'Don't be misled by one or two images into thinking that many tourists don't spend money when visiting Hong Kong.'
