Picture Post 60, Bangkok - away from the tourists

I recently spent a few days in Bangkok on my way home from Myanmar. It was my first visit to the city since spending several months there in 2002. I had mixed feelings about returning. I love Thai food. I love Wat Arun - surely one of the most beautiful structures in the world. And I love the city's markets. However, I struggle with the searing heat and humidity, the traffic and occasional harassment from tedious touts who won't take no for an answer. With this in mind I decided not to stay in one of the major hotels in the central business district, choosing instead a tiny guest house in old Bangkok not far from the Royal Palace and to spend my time exploring this neighbourhood, much of it undiscovered by tourists.

Restored buildings, Thanon Rajadamnoen

Modernist building, Thanon Dinso

The Democracy Monument

The Royal Palace and the adjoining temple Wat Phra Kaeo attract many tourists but relatively view of them follow this with a stroll along the nearby elegant boulevard, Thanon Rajdamnoen. The Thanon is lined by modernist buildings from the 1930's, arranged in a series of blocks painted either white or pale yellow. At the end of each block there is a rotunda with recessed side elements all of which have either rounded or squared-off shades above the windows, showing some wonderful lines and angles. 

The Democracy Monument stands at the mid point, constructed in 1939 as a symbol of the 1932 revolution that resulted in a new constitution and system of government. The Monument was designed by Thai architect Maeo Aphaiyawong whilst the relief sculptures around the base of the monument were the work of Italian artist Corrado Ferroci. Ferroci later took Thai nationality, changing his name to Silpa Bhirasi and contributing significantly to the modernisation of the city. The panels feature highly stylised representations of the military whilst two of the four wings have fountains in the shape of a naga - a snake-like creature from both Buddhist and Hindu belief.

Rotunda and recessed elements, Thanon Rajadamnoen

Thanon Dinso  crosses the main boulevard at the Democracy Monument. The area ion the right hand side of the Thanon, walking away from the Royal Palcae, is home to some of the remaining klongs - the system of canals that once criss-crossed the city, most of which have now been covered or filled-in. The klongs are lined with wooden houses and strolling along the walkway we can get some idea of what the city was once like. There are also many stalls selling snacks and other items to local workers and to the occasional tourist. There are also many shop houses in this area, less decorative than those in Singapore but still affording a glimpse of old Bangkok. Many of the shop houses have now become completely residential but others retain the ground floor retail function, usually selling food with the family living upstairs. 

Living beside the klong

A view of the klong

In the shade by the klong

My guest house, the Bhuthorn in Phreang Bhuthorn is in a lovingly restored shop house complete with teak floors and stairs, antique furniture and decorative items as well as a tiny but delightful courtyard where breakfast and afternoon tea are served. In the afternoon, the options include delicious sticky rice with coconut milk and mango. Somehow I always manage to find places that have the best desserts! Phreang Bhuthorn is a very attractive square consisting of many restored shop houses some of which operate as small bars and cafes with outside seating giving the square a lively but pleasant atmosphere in the evenings. It is also a place where young people gather to play the traditional Thai ball game - Sepak Takraw, perhaps best described as a kind of "kick volleyball". The evening games sometimes attract small groups of spectators who come to envy this super fast game.

 The Bhuthorn courtyard

Restored shop house near the Golden Mount

Shop house with ground floor bakery

Shop houses in need of restoration

In Bangkok you are never far away from a temple. There are several in this area but perhaps the most spectacular (after Wat Phra Kaeo) is the Golden Mount, also known as Phu Kao Tong. Dating back to the nineteenth century, it was commissioned by King Rama lll and constructed from the ruined walls of the old capital city, Ayuthaya. Unfortunately the building collapsed and was abandoned for some fifty years until King Rama V had a new chedi built - the one we see today. The summit is approached via a winding footpath shaded by trees and vegetation. There are excellent views across the city from the steps and from the summit which has a prayer hall and roof top stupa. More shop houses can be found in the street at the foot of the Golden Mount, most of them in poorer condition than those in Phreang Bhuthorn but still attractive and several retain some of the original decorative features.

Figure at the summit of the Golden Mount

There are cafes and food stalls on most corners as well as small markets selling fruit, vegetables and cold drinks. I treated myself to half a kilo of delicious red chompoo - a fruit resembling a pear but with a taste closer to that of an apple, very refreshing in the Bangkok heat. Of course, if you want something more substantial or feel the need to return to the more noisy areas, Khao San Road is not very far away with its shops, bars and clubs catering mainly to the backpacker crowd. If you like that sort of thing.

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Chinese Baroque - beautiful shop houses in Singapore's Petain Road.

Shophouses can be found in most parts of the far east. Consisting of ground floor business premises with living quarters at the rear and above, they were normally built in rows or terraces. The ground floor is set back from the road with the upper story projecting forward, supported by columns to form a covered walkway. Earlier this year I was able to visit several shop houses in Singapore including a very special terrace in Petain Road, close to the Little India district.

The 18 terraced houses that form numbers 10-44 Petain Road were commissioned by businessman Mohamed bin Haji Omar and designed by British architect E.V. Miller who submitted plans to the Municipal Building Surveyor's department in May 1930. Haji Omar was also responsible for commissioning shophouses in nearby Jalan Basar whilst Miller usually worked in the completely different Bauhaus style. Until the twentieth century this area was semi-rural with many vegetable gardens. Streets were laid out after the First World War and named for people and places associated with the conflict. Haji Omar's development was realised in what became known as Petain Road, named for the French General who had been a war hero from 1914-18, but who became a notorious collaborator with Germany during the Second World War. Don't let the put you off. The terrace is one of Singapore's most beautiful and best preserved 1930's developments to survive until today. 

The terrace conforms to the usual shophouse design, including having a "five foot way" running its entire length. This is a sheltered walkway with a minimum width of five feet, designed to afford shelter from the rain and the extreme heat for residents, workers and visitors. Most of the terra cotta tiles covering the floor of the walkway are original.

The exteriors are covered in beautiful pastel coloured glazed ceramic tiles, imported from Europe and Japan and illustrated with peonies, tulips, chrysanthemums, birds and other creatures. The tiling continues to first floor level where pilasters decorated with floral motifs are complemented by the green and cream shutters. The terrace sustained some damage during the Second World War and in 1943 number 10 was the subject of an application for permission to carry out repairs. This time the plans were submitted by local architect Kwan Yow Luen and the occupying Japanese authorities granted permission to carry out the works. Luen was also responsible for designing several shophouses including in nearby Balestier Road. Over the following decades, the houses deteriorated until in 1979 there was a proposal to demolish the lot. Fortunately this did not happen and instead significant restoration was undertaken including replacing the many tiles that had been lost with replicas imported from Vietnam.

Today the terrace overlooks a pleasant green space and attracts many tourists, students and devotees of architecture who wish to see one of the best remaining examples of this style sometimes referred to as Chinese Baroque. There is an excellent book about Singapore's shop houses - Singapore Shophouse by Julia Davison, available to purchase online or from the National Museum.

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