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Sampheng

Chinese-Thai cultureNeighbourhoods of BangkokSamphanthawong districtShopping districts and streets in Bangkok
Shopping along narrow Sampeng Lane in Chinatown (6491931589)
Shopping along narrow Sampeng Lane in Chinatown (6491931589)

Sampheng (Thai: สำเพ็ง, pronounced [sǎm.pʰēŋ]) is a historic neighbourhood and market in Bangkok's Chinatown, in Samphanthawong District. It was settled during the establishment of Bangkok in 1782 by Teochew Chinese, and eventually grew into the surrounding areas. The original street of Sampheng, now officially known as Soi Wanit 1 (ซอยวานิช 1), is now a small alleyway lined with numerous shops, and is a famous market.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Sampheng (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Sampheng
Soi Wanit 1, Bangkok Samphanthawong District

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Wikipedia: SamphengContinue reading on Wikipedia

Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 13.742869444444 ° E 100.50425277778 °
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Address

Sempang Lane Market

Soi Wanit 1
10100 Bangkok, Samphanthawong District
Bangkok, Thailand
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Shopping along narrow Sampeng Lane in Chinatown (6491931589)
Shopping along narrow Sampeng Lane in Chinatown (6491931589)
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Nearby Places

Wat Tuek, Bangkok
Wat Tuek, Bangkok

Wat Tuek (Thai: วัดตึก, pronounced [wát tɯ̀k]) is an intersection in the area of Samphanthawong and Chakkrawat Subdistricts, Bangkok's Samphanthawong District, where Yaowarat meets Chakkrawat Roads, considered to be the tip phase of Yaowarat Road, or better known as Bangkok's Chinatown. Yaowarat is a road with a length of about 1.5 km (0.93 mi) and is a road with traffic management as one-way. Starting from the Odeon Circle when passing this intersection and spans Khlong Rop Krung with Bhanubandhu Bridge, it will end at Merry Kings Intersection in front of the Wang Burapha in the area of Phra Nakhon District's Wang Burapha Phirom Subdistrict. S.A.B. Intersection is paralleled on the Chakkrawat side, including close to Woeng Nakhon Khasem. Its name "Wat Tuek" meaning "Building Temple", refers to Wat Chaichana Songkhram a nearby temple in the area of Khlong Thom. Wat Chaichana Songkhram is a temple built by Chao Phraya Bodindecha, a nobleman in the reign of King Nangklao (Rama III) after he was a general and won the war. Because this temple is strange from other temples at the same time, it was built with concrete and full of buildings and structures. People therefore called "Wat Tuek" and became an informal name to date. Chakkrawat Road is a short road with a length of only 1 km (0.62 mi) and has one-way traffic management, starting from S.A.B. Intersection and ran to the southwest through Wat Tuek Intersection before ending at the foot of Phra Pok Klao Bridge nearby. Besides, in front of the building of Sang Thong Machinery Limited Partnership in this area still showing the last tram stop in Bangkok and Thailand, but it is a shame that it was demolished on March 4, 2019, along with the restoration of the wasteland of the Woeng Nakhon Khasem, also known as Thieves' Market.

Saphan Han
Saphan Han

Saphan Han (Thai: สะพานหัน, pronounced [sā.pʰāːn hǎn]) is a small bridge over the Khlong Rop Krung (Rop Krung canal; lit: around the city canal), also known as Khlong Ong Ang (Ong Ang canal; lit: canal of jars and pots) in the areas of Bangkok's Chakkrawat sub-district, Samphanthawong district and Wang Burapha Phirom sub-district, Phra Nakhon district. It is also the name of the surrounding area. The bridge was built along with the excavation of the Khlong Rop Krung at the beginning of Rattanakosin (presently Bangkok) in the reign of King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I). At that time Saphan Han was a bridge made of a single plank for people crossing from outer city to inner city. On side was firmly fixed while the other side laid across the opposite side without fixing which could be turned for the boat to pass. Hence the name "Saphan Han", which means "turntable bridge" or "swing bridge". In the Ayutthaya period, it was noted that there are similar bridges at Khlong Takhian (Takhian canal; lit: Hopea odorata canal) and Khlong Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon (Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon's canal). This type of bridge can be found everywhere in Bangkok and other provinces in old days. Later in the reign of King Phutthaloetla Naphalai (Rama II), when Saphan Han disintegrated. It has been rebuilt with two planks and can't turn the same again. In the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV), the steel frame was added to the bridge and its floor was still movable with the aid pulley to open for the boat to pass through. During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) was rebuilt as a corridor wooden bridge with a width of about 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in), the interior was also divided into small rooms for sale. It was based on the Rialto bridge in Venice and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, both of which are historic bridges in Italy. Including there are also walkways and small shophouses on each side of the canal, to be a center of trade as well. For the current Saphan Han is a reinforced concrete bridge built in 1962, but the name of the bridge remains the same as a memorial to commemorate the first bridge that was constructed.During the reigns of King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn, Saphan Han was considered one of the most important and bustling shopping district of Bangkok. Since it was in the end of Chinatown by Yaowarat was the main artery and opposite to Little India or Phahurat neighbourhood. It was the residence of the Indians in Thailand. In those days, it was full of business and commerce, such as fruits from abroad, canned foods, chewing tobaccos and herbs, as well as businesses that were illegal and prone to immorals, such as gambling houses, opium dens and brothels. In addition, it was also close to many landmarks viz Saphan Lek, Wang Burapha, Thieves' Market or better known as Woeng Nakhon Khasem, etc. Today, Saphan Han remains an important and bustling shopping district, as in the past. It is full of shops in the form of a shophouse. There're many kinds of goods sold, such as clothing, fresh and dried food, fruits, kitchenwares, kid toys, cosmetics, buttons, fabrics, textiles, and mostly ladies' items. It is considered to be the tip of Sampheng or the official name Soi Wanit 1, the long narrow lane lined from the center of Yaowarat. Sampeng is divided into three parts: first part starts from Song Sawat road near Song Wat road and separated by Ratchawong road near Ratchawong pier, the second part starts from Ratchawong road and separated by Chakkrawat road near Wat Tuek intersection, and third part begins from Chakkrawat road through Saphan Han as far as terminating at Chak Phet road opposite to Phahurat. In this phase also known as "Trok Hua Med" (ตรอกหัวเม็ด), and although it is only a narrow and busy lane, it is also home to two Chinese shrines, Pung Tao Kong shrine and Chun Sieng Chow Sue shrine.Since October 2015, the Thai government has a policy to improve the scenery of the Khlong Rop Krung and Khlong Ong Ang, include there are also renovate five bridges in a row viz Saphan Lek, Bhanubandhu bridge, Saphan Han, Borphitphimuk bridge, and Osathanond bridge is the last at the area of Phra Pok Klao bridge's foot, which cross to Thonburi side. The demolition of various shophouses surrounding it, such as Saphan Lek, or Khlong Thom, Saphan Han is one of them. When the stores next to the canal were demolished, the bridge can be seen clearly after being covered for over 40 years.

Thieves' Market
Thieves' Market

Woeng Nakhon Khasem (Thai: เวิ้งนาครเขษม, pronounced [wɤ́ːŋ nāː.kʰɔ̄ːn kʰā.sěːm]) is a market in the Samphanthawong District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is popularly known as the "Thieves Market" as formerly mostly stolen goods were sold there. The market is surrounded by Charoen Krung, Chakkrawat, Boriphat, and Yaowarat Roads in the area near foot of Damrong Sathit Bridge (Saphan Lek) with close to Wang Burapha and Khlong Thom. Its name literally translated as "delightful townspeople alcove". Woeng Nakhon Khasem regarded as the first shopping district in Bangkok that has it all. It occurred during the King Chulalongkorn (Rama V)'s reign. HM the King bestowed this land to Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu. In the year 1905, it was the site of the first cinema in Siam (now Thailand) in the name of a Japanese Cinema, due to being operated by Japanese, although it was just a temporary cinema that was roofed with zinc only. Later on, Woeng Nakhon Khasem became a market for imitation antiques, old furniture, brass ware, and records, with especially musical instruments. Talat Pi Raka (ตลาดปีระกา, "year of the rooster market") was another daily sub-market located within the area. It sells both fresh and dried foods and also used to be the location of renowned beef noodles shop. Since 2012, the estate of the Paribatra family announced its plans to sell Woeng Nakhon Khasem, and ownership now lies with the Thai Charoen Corporation (TCC) by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, which seeks to renovate it for commercialisation. The tenants of 440 units in the area will have to relocate to make room for development. Many shops have already closed down, and their front doors now bear signs detailing their new locations. In addition, Woeng Nakhon Khasem in every Tuesday to Sunday night at front of buildings of Sang Thong Machinery Limited Partnership near Wat Tuek Intersection, it is also the location street food stall, named "Khao Phad Pu Chang Phueak" or "Weng" that serves tasty crab fried rice, Hong Kong fried noodles and stir-fried fish maw with shark fin soup. The stall was chosen as one of the 2019 and 2020 Bangkok Bib Gourmand from Michelin Guide.

Wat Bophit Phimuk
Wat Bophit Phimuk

Wat Bophit Phimuk Worawihan (Thai: วัดบพิตรพิมุขวรวิหาร), or simple known as Wat Bophit Phimuk (or written as Wat Bopitpimukh) is a second grade royal temple in Bangkok, located on Chakkrawat Road, Chakkrawat Sub-district, Samphanthawong District near the foot of Phra Pok Klao Bridge on periphery of Chakkrawat Sub-district, Samphanthawong District and Wang Burapha Phirom Sub-district, Phra Nakhon District. Regarded as another Thai temple located in the area known as Chinatown, in addition to the Wat Traimit or the Wat Chakkrawat.It is an ancient civil temple that has existed since the Ayutthaya period and named "Wat Teen Lane" (วัดตีนเลน) or "Wat Choeng Lane" (วัดเชิงเลน), due to the temple's location near the east bank of the Chao Phraya River where the area had an abundance of mud (lane in Thai means mud). This temple does not know who created it. Assumed that it would be built after the King Narai's reign, because it does not appear in Thonburi map in those days. Around 1781 during the King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I)'s reign, Prince Anurak Devesh who was a king's cousin renovated the entire temple and the king named it Wat Bophit Phimuk to honour him. In the King Phutthaloetla Naphalai (Rama II)'s reign, an epidemic of cholera killed many people and their bodies were piled in the temple's graveyard alike to Wat Saket and Wat Sangwet. In King Nangklao (Rama III)'s reign, the wood structures were demolished and replaced by masonry buildings. Later, King Mongkut (Rama IV) had the temple restored again and a teak wooden pavilion was built with the design of the King's emblem, a royal crown on a pedestal guarded by mythical creatures. This still appears on the front and side of the pavilion. The monks' dwellings reflex a combination of Thai and Chinese architectural styles.The principal Buddha statue of the temple is Buddha statue in Māravijaya posture namely "Phra Sam Phuttha Bophit" (พระสัมพุทธบพิตร) enshrined within the main hall.