14-04-2025
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.
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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
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