Help on area of Silom

[telracs23]

Hi all,

I am a university student from singapore. I will be heading to bangkok for a week to do a research paper on the area of silom. Do you know where can i can information on silom especially the history, planning ideas, and also the geographical boundary of the area of silom.

I am particularly interested in the temporal changes of silom in the day and night. For example at a particular street, in the day vendors comes in to sell breakfast, and in the afternoon someone else comes in to do a different sort of business and at night it changes to a night market for example.

I would like to also do a short interview with the planning department people but i did not get any response since i emailed them. :(


Thanks so much for the help!

[Wisarut]

Silom area -> That's Bang Rak District ... It was built as a dirt road around 1862 and got the name "Thanon Kwang" due the Silom cana that go across Hua Lamphong canal ... After installation of Windmill, it has been rename as "Windmill Road" (Thanon Silom) ...

Information about Silom Road is here:
http://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%96%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%B5%E0%B 8%A5%E0%B8%A1

Better read " วันวาน-- กับวันนี้ของถนนสีลม" (Silom road) written by Orawan Sri Udom, (English translation by Sorajja Hongladdarom) published in 1992 for thsi matter.

[Wisarut]

More recent one would be the book written by Khun Prathumporn such as "พระอาทิตย์ขึ้นที่ถนนสีลม" (Sunrise at Silom) and รื่นรมย์บนถนนสี่ ส. (Entertaining alogn 4 Sor - Silom, Sathon, Surawongse, Samyan) pubished in 2004-2005

Oh, , Si Phraya, Surawongse, Sathon road had been BOMBED at the night of Decemebr 23, 1943 .... destroying many buildings including Pramuanwan Press of Prince Phiriyalongkorn (1876 - 1945)

[GWR]

If you haven't already noticed it, here's a current string on Bangrak District:

http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2339

[telracs23]

Hey, thanks for the information.

Where can i get the books from? i am rather interested. Are tourist allowed in the national library? i can just do a photocopy.

I need a proper map of silom, with the updated building profiles. Any idea where can i obtain that from?

[Wisarut]

Well for the case of " วันวาน-- กับวันนี้ของถนนสีลม" (Silom road) written by Orawan Sri Udom, I would reccommend you to go to Chulalongkorn University central Library or Silpakorn University ....

[telracs23]

Hi

i will i be able to get into the university library?

[Wisarut]

When you are in Thaland, you jsut go to Central Library of CHulalongkorn University (the 6th floor for rarebook section) and Silpakorn University.

[telracs23]

Hi just a few questions on patpong night market.

1) who manages the night market?

2) illegal or legal?

3) do the stall vendors pay a rent?

4) what time does the market start? Is it closed on wednesday?

[telracs23]

Where can i get a good scaled map of silom with the accurate building profiles?

[Jromerz]

In terms of your question about illegal, much more than half of the Patpong night market sells illegal items - fake copyright goods. ;)

[telracs23]

Is there a form of bribery going on between the street vendors and the police or authorities?

[Jromerz]

The local economy of Patpong is quite complex, with money flowing between all of the players in the area. The vendors will of course have to pay the market operators a monthly fee, and the local 'Tesakit' police would most probably take a daily collection from most of them - those selling counterfeit goods in particular. The the organized criminal element is also actively benefiting from this monetary exchange, as well as from the nightlife entertainment venues. Its probably not always easy to distinguish this criminal element from the authorities who are in charge around this area... Might often be the same people.

[telracs23]

THanks for all the replies!

I do need to get a good map with building profiles...anyone knows where i can get that from? a black and white one can do too as long as it is accurate with a scale.

[GWR]

I believe I have seen a mapping company online that does commercial property mapping of Bangkok and other cities. I'll let you know if I rediscover it, if you don't find it first. All I can can really remember is that it is priced for the use of large commercial concerns, and so does not come cheap. That's why I largely ignored it. Keep an eye on the targetted Google links above this forum - especially in the mapping forum. I seem to remember that's how I discovered it

[telracs23]

If i go to the bangrak district office when i am in bangkok do you think i can get a copy of the map? I am just afraid they will snap at me or something.

[telracs23]

More recent one would be the book written by Khun Prathumporn such as "พระอาทิตย์ขึ้นที่ถนนสีลม" (Sunrise at Silom) and รื่นรมย์บนถนนสี่ ส. (Entertaining alogn 4 Sor - Silom, Sathon, Surawongse, Samyan) pubished in 2004-2005

are these two books written in thai or english?

[Wisarut]

I'm not so sure if you can get the map you want from Bang Rak district ...

For the case of พระอาทิตย์ขึ้นที่ถนนสีลม" (Sunrise at Silom) and รื่นรมย์บนถนนสี่ ส. (Entertaining alogn 4 Sor - Silom, Sathon, Surawongse, Samyan) pubished in 2004-2005, they are in Thai though