Ten years after it closed down, Prince Rama Theatre has been revived as a hotel called Prince Theatre Heritage Stay. Rebuilt with much respects to its original structure, the hotel has 26 rooms and suites, each decorated with elements that reacquaint guests with the hotel’s origins.
Charoenkrung was the first asphalt road in Bangkok, built during the reign of King Rama IV—more than 150 years ago—to serve the fast-growing community of foreign traders on the right bank of Chao Phraya River. This was a consequence to a series of trade agreements Siam—old Thailand—signed with foreign countries, making international trade’s figures skyrocketed. The area was—and still is—a melting pot of cultures: Chinese merchants settling down building rowhouses next to British diplomats and Persian traders. And despite the center of commerce has moved inward to Silom and Sukhumvit after years went by, Charoenkrung has never left abandoned. Residents remain living their lives the way their ancestors did. Walking along the alleys of Charoenkrung today, you can breathe in the trace of its heydays that still lives in the air, hidden deep in the sois, and behind those closed doors await your discovery.
Awakening Bangkok, a festival of lights organized by Time Out Bangkok and our partners will just look to “awake” this historic district with light installations that pay respects to Charoenkrung’s heritage as much as look forward into the future. We’d love to invite you to prep up your best shoes and camera, take a walk to admire the lighting exhibits, and, at the same time, spare your minutes to discover the charms of Charoenkrung that you might have never noticed.
