Shanghai Inn in Bangkok Thailand.AT Yaowaraj Chinatown in thailand

Historic Chinatown has a new heartbeat - The new Shanghai Inn - in the heart of vibrant Yaowaraj Road recaptures the charm and of a bygone era. The Shanghai Inn is a lifestyle hotel uniquely distinguished by its intimacy, hospitality and exquisite modern style chinoise.
Experience our lavish accommodation and impeccable service and let the Shanghai Inn be your heaven in the old Chinatown. As a guest in residence, you will feel invigorated at the end of each day whether your stay is important business or to experience the unique sights and sound of Chinatown.

The Shanghai Inn provided full amenities to meet the needs of the most discerning business and leisure guests, delivered with personal charm and warmth, making each stay a unique experience. Each room features cable television, mini-bar, and tea-making facilities.

Shanghai Inn Hotel Bangkok Description
The Shanghai Inn Hotel Bangkok provides full amenities to meet the needs of the most discerning business and leisure guests, delivered with personal charm and warmth, making each stay a unique experience.
Location
The hotel is within close proximity by foot or the very inexpensive Bangkok taxis to many key historical sites, bustling high end shopping complexes and the fun and funky street malls as well as the famous Chaopraya River.

Rooms
Located in the heart of Bangkok's legendary Chinatown, the Shanghai Inn offers 55 guestrooms that are well appointed with modern amenities.

Restaurant
The Tohkai Japanese is a nice and simple restaurant decorated in Japanese-Chinese style, good for private meal. Tohkai serves both Japanese buffet and a la carte menu to its guests.

General
Experience the lavish accommodations and impeccable service, and let the Shanghai Inn be your haven in Bangkok. As a guest in residence, you will feel invigorated at the end of each day whether your stay is for important business or to experience the unique sights and sounds of Chinatown.

Shanghai Inn
479-481 Yaowaraj Road, Samphantawong
Bangkok 10100

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Saphan Han - The Dragon's Tail In Chinatown Bangkok

Saphan Han is an old Chinese trading community, one of the many Chinese legacies, at the end of Yaowarat Road near the Rob Krung canal, where Chinatown Bangkok meets Pahurat Little India.

The Rob Krung canal, the second canal ring around the old city, was dug in 1785 in the reign of King Rama I. Rob Krung, literally meaning "around the city", completely encloses the landward side of the old city on the east. With the Chao Phraya on the west, the city was virtually an island surrounded by a moat.

The Chinese who were living at the site where the Grand Palace was to be built were resettled outside the old city, just beyond the Rob Krung canal.

Saphan Han got its name from the numerous swing bridges across the Rob Krung to allow access to the old city and for boats passing along the canal. The area was a landing point for the early Chinese immigrants who arrived after a long journey by ship from China.

They made their way to settle in Soi Sampheng from which Chinatown grew. As the community expanded, others chose to settle near the canal and started the Saphan Han community.

After fleeing floods and famine in the home country, the Chinese immigrants avoided farming and switched to trade and commerce in their new homes. The result is evident from the many bustling markets in Chinatown Bangkok.

Yaowarat Road, the main street in Chinatown Bangkok, has often been likened to a huge dragon rearing its head at the Odeon Gate, the entrance to Chinatown with its tail trailing at Saphan Han 1.5 km away.

The main street is a quaint mix of old and new; "kao luck" (roasted chestnuts) and "bak kua" (barbecued pork slices) stalls, sharks' fins and birds' nest restaurants, Chinese medicine and goldsmith shops, old temples, hotels, 7 Eleven, Watson and Tesco Lotus stores.

It's unmistakably Chinatown with signboards in Chinese and Thai script written in Chinese font, phone booths with a pagoda roofs and crowded markets squeezed into little lanes. The Saphan Han market is one of them.

Straddling both banks of the Rob Krung canal, the Saphan Han is in a labyrinth of alleys crammed with stalls selling food, clothing, ladies lingerie, fabrics, and spools of thread, food, gold and watches.

The market consists of a grid of five alleys parallel to the canal and another two across the canal over concrete bridges. The roofs of these shops virtually block up the view of the canal. You won't even notice the canal if not for the sign "Rob Krung" on the concrete traffic bridge.

The official entrance appears to be the first alley on the Yaowarat bank with a sign showing Yaowarat Soi 33, Trok Saphan Han or the Saphan Han Alley. The alley, with a glass roof high above and flanked by dark shuttered three story buildings, looks dim and deceptively quiet.

Further in, the scene changes drastically to a busy local bazaar, with people browsing, haggling as they moved along the narrow passages. With makeshift roofs and canvas sheets overhead, it's hot and humid. Even a sudden shower doesn't deter the Sunday shoppers as they weave through carefully avoiding the rain dripping through the gaps.

Wandering through this maze, I find a dingy alley with large trays of onions and garlic and huge pots brewing over charcoal fires just by the canal banks. Could this be the central kitchen for the food vendors in the next alley?

An interconnecting alley leads to the part of the market that extends to the other bank of the canal where there's a food alley with vendors lining one side and tables the other. A small food court further in hardly leaves any room to pass. Thai Sikhs are among the crowd in this congested alley.

After another turn, I emerge from the other end of Saphan Han to face Pahurat Little India. It's like entering a cavern from one end to emerge into another world at the other.

Saphan Han is Chinatown's answer the Pahurat textile market in Little India across the Rob Krung canal. It's like a bridge linking the two communities in more ways than one. The visitor gets a glimpse of the local markets and the essence of real life in a city less the cosmetic glitter commonly seen in downtown Bangkok.

This side of Chinatown Bangkok at the dragon's tail seems to resist the new a little better in spite of the new developments around. Saphan Han still looks very much like what it was, doing what it has always been doing for the past century or more

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Saphan Han - The Dragon's Tail In Chinatown Bangkok
By Eric Lim

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Attractions and Places of Interest in Bangkok

Attractions and Places of Interest in Bangkok

Bangkok The Capital Of Thailand

With many interesting attractions and places of interest in and around Bangkok, visitors can have a variety of " do-it-yourself " day trips to keep your holidays fun-filled and enjoyable.

OLD TOWN - CHINATOWN
The old Bangkok town are located the Grand Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, two universities and several ministries. It is from this side of the Chao Phraya River that one takes a boat to visit the Temple of Dawn and the floating market.

Chinatown is situated to the southeast of the old town . The gold shop street and the Temple of the Gold Buddha are located here.

PINKLAO

The bridge was built across the Chao Phraya River near the Grand Palace in 1973. It was named Pin Klao in memory of the last but one deputy king, whose palace was nearby. Now the area on the western side of the river has become one of the most newly developed areas in Bangkok with several department stores, many restaurants and nightlife establishments.

RATCHADAPHISEK
The Ratchadaphisek is the name of the new sections of the inner ring road of Bangkok but is usually used to refer to the short section between the Lat Phrao intersection and the Rama IX Road intersection. This section is being developed into a new commercial district containing several big department stores, office buildings, hotels and a large number of restaurants, A little way off the road is Thailand Cultural Centre, where shows and exhibitions are held from time to time.

SILOM-SURAWONG
This district has transformed in half a century from paddy fields into the most important business and financial centre of Bangkok . Today, from end to end, these two parallel streets are full of big blocks of multistory buildings, in which are banks, finance firms, insurance companies, export-import houses, hotels, airlines offices, restaurants, shopping arcades, department stores, and entertainment establishments.

RAMKHAMHAENG
When Ramkhamhaeng University was founded on Bangkok's eastern outskirts as Thailand's first open university in 1970, the area was rather remote and underdeveloped. However, as the university's yearly enrolments increased rapidly to 100,000, the area soon became a new satellite city of Bangkok with ever-increasing shop-houses, apartment buildings, restaurants, cinema houses, department stores, hotels and places of entertainment.

SIAM -RATCHADAMRI
This is one of the biggest and busiest shopping districts in Bangkok. A huge commercial complex, including a 62-storey World Trade Centre opposite Ratchadamri Arcade, is partly completed. Located in the area are several large department stores, shopping arcades, cinema theatres, and countless smaller shops. So you can satisfy all your needs if you stay in one of over a dozen first-class hotels in the area.

The Pratunam Market next to the Indra Arcade, is worth visiting if you want to broaden your field of vision. It is also the market of garments for export.


To the north of Sukhumwit Road is the extension of Phetburi Road which does not have many pedestrians in the daytime. After dark, however, the long street is brightened with colourful neon signs and enlivened by people going out to enjoy themselves in dozens of entertainment Places along the street.

SUKHUMWIT-NEW PHETBURI
In the section from the Soi Nana crossroads to Soi Sukhumwit 21 (Asok Intersection), there are many shops catering to foreign tourists, where jewellery, leather goods, ready-made garments and souvenirs are sold and tailoring, car rent and other service are offered. Inside the lanes (soi) off the road, there are numerous fashionable residences, hotels, apartment houses, and some really good restaurants.



A small area in this district known as Patpong, is famous for various kinds of entertainment--wine, beer, music, dancing, etc.

Bang Lamphu
A shopping area once frequented solely by local people has become a popular place for tourists. This area offers various inexpensive items, especially ready made clothes, handbags, men's and lady's shoes, cosmetics and curios. Bargaining is recommended.

Weekend Market at Chatuchak Park
This large open public ground covers approximately 35 acres opposite the Northern Bus Station on Phahonyothin Road. Known as Suan Chatuchak, it hosts the popular Weekend Market where people buy and sell a thousand local products. Items range from exotic fresh fruits, vegetables, handicrafts, dress materials, clothing shoes, toys, domestic utensils and pets. There is a particularly fine section for plants.

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