Bangkok's Song Wat Road targeted as new tourist hotspot
Commerce Minister Jatuporn Buruspat said the ministry had discussions with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and local entrepreneurs about measures to promote Song Wat Road as a new destination under the "Old Soul, New Style" concept.
He said this old town is increasingly popular among both Thai and foreign visitors, attracted to its Sino-Portuguese architecture, restaurants, trendy cafés and art galleries.
The area also has local grocery shops selling ingredients, seasoning, spices and local food.
"The Song Wat area is a perfect combination of old and new commerce, with each shop showcasing its own unique appeal to attract both tourists and customers," said Mr Jatuporn.
He said the Samphanthawong District Office plans to improve basic infrastructure on Song Wat Road, such as toilets, safety measures and traffic management, including parking to accommodate visitors.
A visitor's guide map will be developed to provide a clear overview of all shops in the area, enabling people to easily find preferred services, said Mr Jatuporn.
Each shop must clearly display the prices of goods and services at reasonable rates to foster consumer confidence, he said.
Mr Jatuporn invited visitors to an event dubbed "Awakening Song Wat 2025", which features 14 illuminated and digital art installations at 12 locations along Song Wat Road, taking place from Aug 8-17 between 5-11pm.
Kiattiwat Srichanwanpen, head of the Made in Song Wat group and founder of Play Art House, an art gallery on Song Wat, said there are 80 business operators in this area, with many of them emerging in the last four years.
Most of the visitors were initially Thai, but now half are foreign tourists from China, other Asia countries, and Europe, he said.
Community management focuses on engaging members in collectively making decisions for activities, said Mr Kiattiwat.
"We hope the government will support sustainable growth of the area. We will maintain fair pricing for food and goods, preventing price gouging even if popularity increases," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Bangkok Post
2 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Analysts expect baht to test 32 as US dollar weakens further
The baht could appreciate to test 32 to the US dollar or strengthen even further, as the greenback is set to weaken further amid mounting pressure on the Federal Reserve to cut the US interest rate at its September meeting, according to analysts. Following the Bank of Thailand's (BoT) policy rate cut of 25 basis points (bps), which would typically weaken the Thai currency, the baht moved in a range of 32.24-26 to the dollar in morning trade on Thursday, compared with Wednesday's close of 32.31 baht in offshore markets, according to Kasikorn Research Centre (K-Research). Most Asian currencies jumped on Thursday, led by the Indonesian rupiah and Malaysian ringgit, as the US dollar slipped to multi-week lows. 'The baht and other regional currencies, along with the world's major currencies, gained strength amid heavy selling of the dollar and a weakening US bond yield, both of which are pressured by the expectation that the Fed will cut rates at its September meeting,' said Kanjana Chockpisansin, head of the research, banking and financial sector at K-Research. The market is putting the odds of a cut of 25 bps at the Fed's Sept 16-17 meeting at 99.9%, according to the CME FedWatch tool, following Tuesday's release of inflation data, she said. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said there is a possibility the Fed could cut interest rates by as much as 0.50% at the September meeting, considering the weakening employment figures. He also suggested the central bank's benchmark ought to be at least 1.5 percentage points lower than it is now. On Wednesday, the BoT highlighted the recent strength of the baht against regional currencies as an issue worth monitoring, as it affects the competitiveness of the country's export and tourism sectors. The baht is projected to appreciate further for the rest of the year, to 31.5 against the greenback, said Kuala Lumpur-based Maybank Securities. According to K-Research, the baht has appreciated 5.6% year-to-date, compared with a 7.5% gain for the yen and a 1.8% uptick for the yuan. The Philippine peso and rupiah strengthened by 1.3% and 0.3%, respectively, while the ringgit gained 6.5%. 'We see a possibility the baht can hit a range of 32.00-32.10 to the dollar from now until the year-end,' said Ms Kanjana, adding that Kasikornbank is maintaining its projection for the baht of 33.7 to the dollar at the end of 2025.
Bangkok Post
4 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Thai tourism momentum weakening
Thailand's tourism business could be slow for the remainder of the year, as the country faces more intense competition from Vietnam and South Korea, which are offering visa exemptions to more markets, say industry executives. As well, they say, the domestic co-payment subsidy scheme did not effectively improve revenue for half of the participating Thai hotels. South Korea recently announced a visa-free policy for Chinese tour groups starting in September, ahead of the Golden Week holidays in October. Vietnam has expanded visa-free entry to 12 more markets, including Belgium, the Netherlands and Switzerland, bringing the total to 39 markets. Thailand has an extensive visa-free policy that covers 93 countries, but it will become less effective unless the government addresses the country's unsafe image and promotes new tourism products and attractions more actively, said Thanapol Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents (Atta). Despite border tensions with Cambodia and the attack on two Malaysian tourists in Bangkok on Aug 8, he said the government has been slow to reassure tourists about safety or take action to instil confidence in prospective travellers. Negative sentiment about Thailand has spread on overseas social media, said Mr Thanapol, making it very hard to reach the government's goal of 35 million foreign arrivals this year. Atta plans to hold roadshows next month in Taiwan and India in an effort to restore tourism confidence. As of Aug 10, Thailand had welcomed 20.2 million arrivals, down 6.9% year-on-year, with 2.8 million Chinese the largest market. However, Chinese arrivals are down about 30%, because of safety concerns as well as growing interest in other destinations. Vietnam has been a big beneficiary of the shift, recording 12.2 million foreign arrivals during the first seven months, a gain of 22.5% from a tear earlier, driven by 3.1 million Chinese and 2.5 million South Koreans. Da Nang alone has already welcomed 1 million South Korean tourists. Morrakot Kuldilok, president of the eastern chapter of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), said many tour groups, particularly from Russia, Europe and India, have shifted their trips from Pattaya to Vietnam due to newer, cheaper properties. A five-star hotel in Vietnam may cost half the price as a similar-tier property in Pattaya, she said. Ms Morrakot said the government should act faster to combat obstacles, such as the strong baht, which has increased hotel prices by 5-7%. According to a July survey by the THA of 126 hotels in Thailand, 47% said the domestic tourism co-payment scheme would not increase their revenue, while 28% expected revenue to increase by no more than 5%. Some hotels in the East forecast a revenue increase of 6-10%, with Chon Buri the top destination, projected to have roughly 48,000 bookings out of the 300,000 allocated for major cities.
Bangkok Post
4 hours ago
- Bangkok Post
Don't panic: Your essential guide to Thai squat toilets
Visiting Thai public restrooms in destinations like temples or gas stations can sometimes surprise travellers with an unexpected encounter with the traditional squat toilet. This toilet type, despite being challenging for those unaccustomed to squatting, remains the preferred choice for many Thai people. The history of squat toilets Squatting has long been the natural position for defecation throughout human history. In ancient times, this was done outdoors in forests and gardens, with only the aristocracy having the luxury of relieving themselves indoors. During the late reign of King Chulalongkorn in the 1890s, as Siam strove to modernise and match Western standards, public lavatories began to appear across the kingdom. However, these early toilets were simple bucket-style facilities that resembled pit latrines. They featured wooden platforms covering holes designed for sitting, with buckets beneath to collect waste. A significant breakthrough came in 1924 when Phraya Nakhon Phra Ram, then governor of Sawankhalok and Uttaradit provinces, introduced an improved squat-toilet design. This innovation featured a pour-flush mechanism with a water trap to prevent flies from entering and a vent pipe to minimise odours elements that remain standard in modern squat toilet design. The decline of squat toilets Western flush toilets arrived in Thailand as expensive imports, requiring users to adopt an unfamiliar flat sitting position rather than the traditional squatting posture. Between 1917 and 1947, these modern toilets remained confined to royal palaces and the wealthy homes of those who had been educated abroad. Adoption of Western-style toilets increased significantly after World War II during the period of modern home construction. By the 1950s, flush toilets had gained widespread popularity and today dominate urban Thailand. They have evolved into essential home components with increasingly advanced designs and features. Advantages of squat toilets At first glance, squat toilets may appear problematic. They can cause knee pain and discomfort, prove unsuitable for elderly and disabled users and present challenges for personal hygiene. Despite these drawbacks, squat toilets retain loyal advocates who argue for their continued relevance based on several compelling advantages. Hygiene benefits: Squat toilets eliminate direct contact of hind thigh with the toilet seat, addressing significant cleanliness concerns in public spaces where maintaining sanitary conditions can be challenging. Health advantages: Medical research suggests that squatting naturally straightens the anorectal angle, allowing for more efficient waste elimination. This positioning mimics the body's natural defecation posture and may reduce straining during bowel movements. The squatting position facilitates faster waste elimination, which can help prevent constipation caused by prolonged sitting. Extended sitting on traditional toilets may lead to stagnated waste movement and a decrease urge to defecate. Prolonged sitting can cause blood pooling around the anal area, and excessive straining creates abdominal pressure that impedes venous drainage, potentially contributing to hemorrhoid development. Economic benefits: Squat toilets cost significantly less to install and maintain compared to Western-style toilets, making them an economical choice for public facilities and developing regions. How to properly use a squat toilet For many visitors to Thailand, encountering a squat toilet can prove daunting, particularly when urgent needs arise at temples or roadside facilities. The unfamiliar design presents several practical challenges that locals navigate with practiced ease. Clothing management Clothing management is often the first challenge for newcomers. Beginners often find that completely removing all lower garments provides the safest approach, while more experienced users can manage by lowering clothing to ankle level. However, an important middle-ground technique involves lowering pants only to knee level rather than the ankles, ensuring the fabric stays clear of the squatting area and does not obstruct the process. Experienced locals recommend emptying pockets beforehand, as dropped valuables rarely survive the encounter unscathed. Proper positioning Correct positioning requires users to stand with feet planted firmly on either side of the toilet bowl, ideally facing toward the front of the facility. The squatting technique demands fully bending the knees with hips lowered to approximately ankle level. Those unaccustomed to deep squats often find that embracing their knees or holding onto nearby rails provides essential stability and balance. Cleaning process The cleaning process often causes the greatest cultural adjustment for Western visitors, as it relies entirely on water rather than toilet paper. Even some Thai users acknowledge that the learning curve can initially leave newcomers feeling drenched and frustrated. Most facilities provide either a water scoop with a bucket or sometimes a handheld bidet spray. Using a bucket requires coordination - pouring water with one hand while cleaning with the other. Many locations provide no toilet paper whatsoever, making wet wipes or tissues valuable additions to any travel kit. Important etiquette When toilet paper is used, it must be disposed of in designated waste bins rather than flushed, as most squat toilet plumbing systems cannot handle paper waste effectively. Manual flushing using the provided water bucket ensures complete waste removal and maintains the facility for the next user. It is important to stand before flushing to prevent any risks of splash. While squat toilets may initially seem challenging for those accustomed to Western-style facilities, understanding their history, benefits and proper usage can help travellers navigate these encounters with confidence. As Thailand continues to modernise, squat toilets remain an important part of the cultural landscape, particularly in rural areas and traditional settings.
