Hang Nai Lert Skyscraper

[GWR]

FEATURED FRONTPAGE

No idea where this building is, but 'Er Indoors read the sign on the front and immediately said it was 'Hang Nai Lert', which was presumably the HQ of his 'Number 1 White Bus Company' in Bangkok. It was apparently the first bus company in bangkok.

Are those shadows out front charabancs? Is that white figure outside one of the conductors, who wore clean white jackets and shorts?

I'm also told that the 'White Buses' were popular with ordinary workers because they ran until midnight.

http://www.2bangkok.com/06/bangkokskyscraper.jpg

(Source: Plate 33 from Jungle Prison - Twenty Years in Siam by Leigh Williams, 1954)
New Bangkok skyscraper - June 3, 2006
Plate 33 from Jungle Prison - Twenty Years in Siam by Leigh Williams, 1954. The caption is "A skyscraper in Bangkok." Anyone know the name of the building?

I suppose this building may have been on the site of the current Nai Lert Tower. That rise up in the picture may indicate that picture was taken from the bridge over the San Saeb Canal on Thanon Witayoo (Wireless Road), looking South. This 1:2,000 Map Scan may help:-

http://i2.tinypic.com/11hgf3c.jpg

Then take a look at our own page on Bangkok's Tallest Buildings over the years. Nai Lert also had canal boat and oil interests. Wittayoo Canal Boat Pier is near this building:-

http://www.2bangkok.com/bangkoktallest.shtml

1925-1926 - Nai Loed Building near Saphan Phitthayasathian (Saphan lek Lang)-- HQ of Nai Loed Co. Ltd. (Nai Loed Setthabut--Phraya Phakdee Noraset (1872 - 1945) was the pioneer of the Bangkok bus and boat system as well as the agency for selling Esso Oil--then Socony Oil)

If Nai Lert was a Setthabut, then he was probably related to So Settabut who compiled famous dictionaries while a political prisoner on Tarutao Island in Satun Province. These dictionaries are still on sale, and a female relation has just created an up to date version. Other Setthabuts have changed their name. I forget what it is, but it is one of the current big name Bangkok families.

[admin]

An anonymous reader reports: The building on your blog title "Bangkok Skyscraper" still exists. It is located on the New road (Chalern Krung) around the intersection of the New road and Sri Praya road. The end of the Sri Praya road to the Chaopraya river not far away is the location of Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. The road that you see in the picture is the New Road. If you drive on Chalearn Krung road from the intersection toward the chinatown (Yawaraj), the building will be on your left before the traffice will force you to turn to the left and cross the Padung Krung Kasem canal by a bridge.

[Wisarut]

It is Nai Loed Building at Saphan phitthayasathian (Sapha Lek Lang - the bridge across Phasung Krungkasem city moat), opposite to Siam Cement Office ... The same Nai Loed Setthaputra who is the owner of White bus/Saen saeb boat service at Pratoo Nam.
http://www.2bangkok.com/06/bangkokskyscraper.jpg

[GWR]

Here's a 1:2,000 of the vicinity just mentioned:-

http://i5.tinypic.com/11jcg7b.jpg

There's something that doesn't seem to quite add up to me about the photo, the map and admin's location. Given that Nai Lert was a big merchant, could it be that (like many modern companies) they built branches of similar design as a form of advertising? (Like AIS's Wave Design buildings & DTAC's Gothic Fantasy buildings. Note that both locations are near canals, and this one has the added bonus of being near the river. I suspect Nai Lert had branches throughout the city.

Anyway, this is just the sort of question that might easily be answered by some digital camera foray to these locations.

[GWR]

I'm beginning to come round to admin's location on this. The camera appears to be looking roughly south from the entrance to Mahapleutharum Road, with the gradient leading to bridge on the right of the picture. This is one of the few areas of the city I have explored on foot and I seem to vaguely remember seeing something similar to this.

[GWR]

It is Nai Loed Building at Saphan phitthayasathian (Sapha Lek Lang - the bridge across Phasung Krungkasem city moat), opposite to Siam Cement Office ... The same Nai Loed Setthaputra who is the owner of White bus/Saen saeb boat service at Pratoo Nam.
http://www.2bangkok.com/06/bangkokskyscraper.jpg

What road is that on Khun W? I'm finding that difficult to locate.

[GWR]

Another one of Khun W's posts shows that Setthaphuts (There are numerous ways to spell it) were involved in Boonrawd Breweries. These guys get everywhere!: -

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1633&highlight=boonrawd

Er' Indoors reports that the White Buses were renown for their polite staff.

The Nai Lert Park Hotel at 2 Thanon Witayoo/Wireless Road used to be a Swissotel. It now appears to be the Hilton International. There is also a Nai Lert Soi and a Nai Lert Tower in the same area.

[Wisarut]

Khun GWR,

The road that pass Hang Nai Loed is Charoen Krung (New road) ...

Oh, in the past, theer were several boats in Phadung Krungkasem city moat carryign raw matterials as well as agriculture products either into or out of RSR cargo depot .... I have seen an old photograph of Nai Loed building (circa 1925-26) so I can testify for that ....

Nai Loed family is a landlord of the area aroudn Pratoo Nam though .... and of cause Park Nai Loed ... However Nai Loed main office is at saphan Lek Lang
... Other possible office is definitely at Prato nam ... There used to be a bus depot for Nai Leod Bus at Bang Chak (Sukhumvit 64) ... whcih now have been moved to somewhare else ....

For the case of Pratoo nam, Chaloem loke intersection was T-Intersection
(Phetburi road - Rajdamri road) ... There was a cinema at that T-Itnersection until it was removed to make a way for New Phetburi road aroudn 1965-66.

[GWR]

Are you and admin talking about the same place, Khun W?

[Wisarut]

Yep, the same place ... but with different sources fo data from differetn views :p ;) :D

Oh, there is also the 9-floor building at Yaowaraj road near Chaloem Buri Intersection ....

[ncr]

The Nai Lert Park Hotel at 2 Thanon Witayoo/Wireless Road used to be a Swissotel. It now appears to be the Hilton International.??? It used to be the Bangkok Hilton, and is now called Nai Lert Park.

Oh, there is also the 9-floor building at Yaowaraj road near Chaloem Buri Intersection ....Yep, that's Phra Ya Sombat Phaisan Building (http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/MassTransit/tall.shtml), which apparently took away the title of Bangkok's tallest from the Nai Lert Building.......

[GWR]

Thanks! I guess they decided that with three different locations in Bangkok using 'Hilton' and even run by different companies it wouldn't be a bad idea to revert to an organic local name with a bit of real local color. Not to mention all the prisons that also end up being referred to as the 'Bangkok Hilton'.;) The name 'Swissotel' was pretty daft too.

Doubt Paris Hilton really brings much of a positive vibe to the name either!

[qualtrough]

A few weeks back there was a photo of New Road that showed a tall building in the distance. There was a magnified inset and admin asked if anyone knew what it was. Sorry, I cannot find the link. At the time I figured that the building would be located in Yawaraj. Could this be that same building?

[ncr]

A few weeks back there was a photo of New Road that showed a tall building in the distance. There was a magnified inset and admin asked if anyone knew what it was.I remember that, too. And can't locate it either; I don't think it was added to any permanent page on the site. At least it's not here (http://www.2bangkok.com/news05z.shtml). Would be interesting to see the photo again, because in my memory the tall structure rather resembled some pagoda and not the Nai Lert Building.

Ron? Could we get your assistance here? :)

[admin]

Here: http://www.2bangkok.com/06/streetscenes.shtml
And more New Road images are here: http://www.2bangkok.com/news05z.shtml

[jpatokal]

Thanks! I guess they decided that with three different locations in Bangkok using 'Hilton' and even run by different companies it wouldn't be a bad idea to revert to an organic local name with a bit of real local color.
Actually, as far as I understand it's now the Swissotel Nai Lert Park (http://www.bangkok-nailertpark.swissotel.com), in turn a brand of Raffles International. Raffles, despite the Singaporean name, is owned by US-based Colony Capital (nice name innit) and is about to be part-acquired by Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holdings.

[ncr]

Here: http://www.2bangkok.com/06/streetscenes.shtml
And more New Road images are here: http://www.2bangkok.com/news05z.shtmlThat's definitely the same building! Compare this (http://www.2bangkok.com/06/newroad.jpg) / this (http://www.2bangkok.com/06/newroadtn.jpg) with this (http://www.2bangkok.com/06/bangkokskyscraper.jpg). (Unfortunately, the [img] pasting function is not active.)

[qualtrough]

I thought it might be the same building. I think it is still there, but can't be sure. In fact, a few weeks back I saw a building in Yawaraj that looked like it could be the one seen in the distance in the New Road photo.

[GWR]

FEATURED FRONTPAGE

No idea where this building is, but 'Er Indoors read the sign on the front and immediately said it was 'Hang Nai Lert', which was presumably the HQ of his 'Number 1 White Bus Company' in Bangkok. It was apparently the first bus company in bangkok.

Are those shadows out front charabancs? Is that white figure outside one of the conductors, who wore clean white jackets and shorts?

I'm also told that the 'White Buses' were popular with ordinary workers because they ran until midnight.

http://www.2bangkok.com/06/bangkokskyscraper.jpg


Looking at some 2bangkok's 'Great Flood of 1942' pics I rediscovered one of Nai Lert's buses, with the caption 'The first bus--Rot may nai lert [Mr. Lert's bus]':-

http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/MassTransit/bus1.jpg

http://www.2bangkok.com/2bangkok/MassTransit/flood.shtml