Thai Mass Transport Systems: The Buses of Chinatown.

Last weekend I visited the Chinatown area to have a look at the mass transport of the area. I also used the opportunity to test out my new digital camera in a highly urbanised environment to see how it would perform. The Chinatown area is a good test for a camera as the streets are quite narrow and lined with tall buildings which tends to increase the risk of “white sky” images.

A Little Background on the Chinatown area.

The Chinatown area consists of a 1.2 sq km strip of land along the Chao Phraya River. The Chinatown area is located a short distance south east of the Grand Palace. The area was set up by King Rama 5 in the 19th Century as an area for Chinese traders and Bangkok's Chinese population. Today it has a population of around 50,000 people. This makes the Chinatown area one of the most densely populated areas in Bangkok with an average density of 41,000 people per sq km.

In the period following World War 2 the Chinatown area went though a 20 year long period of rapid growth and development. This increased the areas commercial importance until it was one of the most important business areas of Bangkok. This also attracted an increasing number of new residents. By the 1970s the Chinatown areas was fully developed and its aging pre war infrastructure and road network effectively limited its future growth. This allowed other areas of inner Bangkok to take the business crown from Chinatown.

Today Chinatown has declined somewhat due to a lack of modern office buildings and shopping centres. Coupled with the lack of a rail based mass transport system and a network of narrow and rather crowded streets. Over the last 20 years the lack of road infrastructure has greatly worsened the traffic in the Chinatown area throughout the day. Traffic speeds at times can be as low as 1 kph. Therefore the fastest way to travel in the Chinatown area is by motorbike or on foot.

One of the biggest factors for the extreme traffic congestion in the Chinatown area is due to the amount of through traffic coming across from Thonburi making its way to Rama 4 road in central Bangkok. Basically there are 4 lanes of heavy traffic being funnelled though the narrow one way streets of Chinatown. The only real way to fix this problem today is with a new underground metro line heading from Hualamphong station into the Wong Wian Yai area via Chinatown.

However despite Chinatown's recent decline in importance it still is a centre for the textile industry and spice trade. The area is also famous for its huge array of Chinese food products that are often difficult to find in other parts of Bangkok. During the Chinese New Year the area comes to life with street festivals and colourful lights.

The high density of the Chinatown area and its over 100 year history creates an interesting array of building styles and designs. Due to the density of the Chinatown area there are some small sois that are more like a corridor than a street as they are totally enclosed by buildings. Some photographic examples of this I will post at the end of this topic.

Transport wise the Chinatown area can be accessed by Metro bus numbers (1,4,7,25,40,73,73N,85,159,204,507,529,542) and the Chao Phraya Express Boat service. Most of the bus services operate every couple of minutes and its quite common for 3 of the same bus route to turn up together due to the almost constant traffic jams. The fastest way into Chinatown is via the Chao Phraya Express Boat. The closest Chao Phraya Express boat stop to Chinatown is Ratchawong pier (N5).

Within the next 10 years two new underground heavy rail metro lines are expected be built though or very close to the Chinatown area. The effect this will have on the Chinatown area will be massive as it will open up the whole area for new even higher density development. These new Metro lines will cross the Chao Phraya River into Thonburi. This should help reduce the amount of though traffic in the Chinatown area. But due to the unstable government of Thailand these metro projects are uncertain.

1. This is a shot of the Tuk Tuk stand outside the entrance of Ratchawong Pier. The green Tuk Tuk's are powered by CNG and the blue and yellow Tuk Tuk's are powered by LPG. To use these Tuk Tuk's you must ask the price before getting in. The Tuk Tuk prices are very similar to metered taxis. Fares start from 30 baht for a short distance trip.

2. This is a shot of the motorbike taxi stand outside the entrance of Ratchawong Pier. Often at these stands a fare scale is posted. The fares start from 10 baht for a short trip. It's best to ask the price before getting on.

3. This is an image of a Route 204: BMA 2 – Ratchawong Pier bus. Taken as it was waiting to depart from Ratchawong Pier bus terminus in Chinatown. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 80428. Bus type: Mitsubishi non aircon. The digger is stored there during the day for late night drainage works.

4. This is an image of a Route 204 bus. Taken as it was waiting to depart from Ratchawong Pier bus terminus in Chinatown. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 55128. Bus type: Isuzu aircon.

5. This is a shot of a Route 204 bus. Taken looking north along Rachawong road as it was approaching the terminus at Ratchawong Pier. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 80009. Bus type Mitsubishi non aircon.

6. This is a shot of a Route 204 bus. Taken looking south along Rachawong road just after it had departed from the terminus at Ratchawong Pier. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 56005. Bus type: Isuzu aircon.

7. This is a shot of a Route 1: Thanon Tok – Tha Tian bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. This road is the heart of the Chinatown area. Bus number BMTA: 4 – 40520. Bus type: Hino AK non aircon.

8. This is a shot of a Route 53: Thewet – Chinatown inner city loop bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number BMTA: 7 – 50248. Bus type: Isuzu non aircon. Note: Route 53 is one of the most indirect and confusing bus routes in Bangkok.

9. This is a shot of a Route 40: Hualampong – Southern Bus Terminal mini bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number unknown. Bus type: unknown. These mini buses are the most despised buses in Bangkok due to poor driving and uncomfortable seating.

10. This is an image of a Route 25: Paknam – Tha Chang bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number BMTA: 3 – 40255. Bus type: Hino AK non aircon. Note: Yaowarat road carries the outbound traffic flow. This bus service operates 24 hours.

11. This is an image of a Route 159: Phutha Monthon Sai 2 – Mochit 2 bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number 159 – 11. Bus type: unknown.

12. This is a shot of a Route 529: Mochit 2 – Samae Dum (Pan Thai) bus. Taken from rather close up looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number 529 – 28. Bus type: Hino RK aircon.

13. This is a shot of a Route 85: Wat Chaeng Ron – Hualamphong bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number 85 – 9. Bus type: unknown.

14. This is a shot of a Route 507: Paknam – Southern Bus Terminal bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number 507 – 29. Bus type: Merc O305 aircon.

15. This is a shot of a Route 542: Pink Lao – Wong Wian Yai – Victory Monument loop bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road. Bus number 542 – 1. Bus type: Merc O305 aircon.

16. This is a shot of a Route 40 mini bus. Taken looking west towards the former Suapa Plaza on Charoen Krung road. Bus number unknown. Bus type: Merc non aircon mini. Note: Charoen Krung road carries the inbound traffic flow. Suapa plaza is the large dirty yellow building it was very badly damaged by fire on 6th January 2009.

17. This is a shot of a Route 35: Phra Pradaeng Junction – Giant Swing bus. Taken looking west from the northern side of Charoen Krung road. Bus number: unknown. Bus type: Hino AK.

18. This is an image of a Route 85 bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Hualamphong station. Bus number: 85 – 1. Bus type: unknown.

19. This is an image of a Route 1 bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Thanon Tok. Bus number BMTA: 4 – 40481. Bus type: Hino AK non aircon. Note: This bus route was once operated as an electric tramway.

20. This is a shot of a Route 25 bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Paknam over 2 hours away. Bus number BMTA: 3 – 40268. Bus type: Hino AK non aircon.

21. This is a shot of a Route 1 mini bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Thanon Tok. Bus number unknown. Bus type: Isuzu non aircon mini.

22. This is a shot of a Route 40 bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Kheha Rom Klao. Bus number 40 – 10. Bus type: Golden Dragon aircon.

23. This is a shot of the tourist tram – bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road. This service started last year using “fake trams” that are made to look like the former Bangkok electric trams from the 1950s. It operates as a short loop from near the Pink Lao bridge and also from Hualamphong station. It operates only on weekends. It would be nice if they could restore the real trams and operate them on rails in the Chinatown area.

24. This is a shot of a Route 73: Huai Khwang – Memorial Bridge bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Huai Khwang. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 67115. Bus type: Daewoo aircon. This service operates 24 hours.

25. This is a shot of a Route 507 bus. Taken looking west along Charoen Krung road as the bus makes its way to Paknam. Bus number: 507 – 22. Bus type: Merc O305 aircon.

26. This is a shot of a Route 7 Hualamphong – Khlong Khwang bus. Taken rather close up as it was travelling south along Suapa road. Bus number BMTA: 6 – 30356. Bus type: Merc O405 non aircon. This service operates 24 hours.

27. This is a shot of a Route 7 bus. Taken looking north along Suapa road as it makes its way to Sueksa Nari Witthaya School. The aircon version of Route 7 travels almost to Mahachai Mai. Bus number: 7 – 28. Bus type: O305 aircon.

28. This is an image of a Route 204 bus. Taken as it was heading south along Suapa road. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 80441. Bus type: Mitsubishi non aircon.

29. This is an image of a Route 7 bus. Taken looking west from near the former Suapa Plaza on Charoen Krung road. Bus number BMTA: 6 – 50235. Bus type: Isuzu non aircon.

30. This is a shot of a Route 7 aircon bus. Taken looking east from oppersite the former Suapa Plaza on Charoen Krung road. Note the massive amount of black smoke coming out of this bus. Bus number: 7 – 20. Bus type: Merc O305 aircon. Most buses before 2005 used to pour out black smoke like this. This was greatly reduced when a large number of buses were converted to CNG.

31. This is a shot of a Route 40: Southern bus terminal – Rama 9 road bus. Taken looking west from near the former Suapa Plaza on Charoen Krung road. Bus number: 40 – 4. Bus type: unknown.

32. This is a shot of a Route 1 mini bus. Taken as it loads passengers outside Golden Charoen Krung Plaza on Charoen Krung road. Bus number 1 – 42. Bus type: Merc mini non aircon.

33. This is a general view of a typical weekend traffic jam on Charoen Krung road. Taken near the former Suapa Plaza. Traffic speeds here can be as low as 1 kph. This means you can often walk the same distance 4 or 5 times faster than the bus.

34. This is a shot of a Route 1 mini bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road as the bus makes its way to Tha Tian. Bus number unknown. Bus type: Merc mini non aircon. Note how the ticket guy is hanging out the door.

35. This is a shot of a Route 25 bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road as the bus makes its way to Tha Chang. Bus number BMTA: 3 – 40218. Bus type: Hino AK non aircon.

36. This is a shot of a Route 507 bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road as the bus makes its way to Southern bus terminal. Bus number: 507 – 1. Bus type: Merc O305 aircon.

37. This is a shot of a Route 40 bus. Taken as it was approaching a bus stop on Yaowarat road. Bus number 40 – 3. Bus type: Golden Dragon aircon.

38. This is an image of a Route 4: Khlong Toei – Phasi Charoen Pier bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road as the bus makes its way to Phasi Charoen Pier. Bus number BMTA: 4 – 40458. Bus type: Hino AK non aircon. This route operates 24 hours a day.

39. This is an image of a Route 73N: Pho Kaew Depot – Memorial Bridge bus. Taken looking east along Yaowarat road as the bus makes its way to Memorial Bridge. Bus number BMTA: 8 – 67160. Bus type: Daewoo aircon. This route operates 24 hours a day.

The last section of this post is rather different to most other transport posts on this site. As this section details some of the odd buildings and very odd small streets of the Chinatown area. Although this is not directly transport related it does help to explain the area more to foreign people.

A lot of the buildings in the Chinatown area are built very close to each other. This results in streets that appear more like a tunnel or a like a corridor in a building than a street. For residents and businesses in such streets it often means there homes are windowless and in darkness 24 hours a day on the lower levels of the building. This style of street has more in common with the former Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong. Although the Bangkok version is far less extreme than the Hong Kong version.

1. This is a shot of a totally built over Soi off Ratchawong road. This is the northern entrance to the soi. Note the chaotic mess of electric cables entering this soi.

2. This is a shot taken from the middle of the totally enclosed soi. A number of businesses and homes are crammed in along this narrow soi. All of these buildings are windowless.

3. This is a shot of a tunnel like soi a few hundred meters east of Ratchawong road. This was taken looking back toward the main road from near the end of the soi. This soi appears to be home to mostly small businesses. There is a second level to the soi about half way down it.

4. This is the access to the second level of soi. It was too dark to photograph the second level as the power appeared to be off on the second level. The buildings around this soi would date back around 100 years.

5. This is a shot of a U shaped soi a few hundred meters east of Ratchawong road. There are a few homes along this soi as well as a few spice merchants. The dark section at the end is where the soi is totally built over for a short distance.

6. This is another angle on the U shaped soi. This was taken looking back towards the covered section where a spice merchant is located.

7. This is a shot of a soi filled with closely packed pre war shop houses all mostly still in use as residences. To access this soi you need to pass through a short tunnel cut though a building. It is located off Yaowarat road.

8. This is a shot of a very old apartment building on Charoen Krung road. Despite its poor condition it is still in use. Around the Chinatown area there are lot of older buildings such as this that are screaming out for a major renovation. Thais in general don't like to renovate old buildings but instead use them until they basically fall down. Then build a new building in its place.