Once Upon a Time in Bangkok

A look back at a time when rickshaws and Buddhist temples dominated the city.

BY STEVE VAN BEEK | MAY 22, 2012

New Road, Bangkok's first modern road, was built in 1863. It was about four miles from the Grand Palace where Bangkok's royalty lived, through the heart of Chinatown and the European quarter to the river. The mid-intersection kiosk raised traffic policemen above the fray, but was so frequently the target of errant drivers that it was abandoned after only a few years.

Curator: Steve Van Beek

 

Steve Van Beek is an author based in Thailand. His most recent book is Bangkok: Then and Now.