Si Lom
The Thanon Silom ( ถนน สีลม - literally translated as " Windmill Road " in English usage Silom Road) is a road in Bang Rak district of Bangkok, capital of Thailand. It is an important center both for tourism and for the financial sector. This, not only at rush hour the street from motor vehicles, private cars, buses, vans and mobile food stalls is clogged regularly due.
History
Thanon Charoen Krung the west (also called New Road ) formerly quarter were only a few houses and many vegetable fields and orchards. The first canal road was as it were created as a by- product at a Khlong which used to connect the Chao Phraya river to Khlong Hualamphong (today it is filled in, the Rama IV Road - Thanon Phra Ram 4 - is on him) was excavated. The excavated soil was used to raise the level of Silom Road on flood level. This project has been funded by the government and completed in 1858. Later roads were soon applied parallel to Silom, as the Thanon Sathon or Thanon Surawong were privately financed. The name of the " Silom " stems from the numerous windmills that pumped water from the Khlong the surrounding vegetable gardens. Similar windmills made of bamboo and cloth are still used today in Samut Sakhon southeast of Bangkok to pump salt water from the sea for the extraction of salt in salt pans. A modern steel sculpture that commemorates those mills, since 1998, is a few meters north of Silom Road on the bank of Khlong Chong Nongsi which skirts transverse to the Silom Road in the middle of the Narativat Rajanakarin Road.
Approximately in the middle of Silom Road was located between Soi 9 and Soi 11 ( Soi: Thai for " street " ) a few years ago a very old cemetery with many Christian, but also some Chinese graves. In the 1990s, the area was already completed, the cemetery seemed somehow to have been abandoned, but contributed to its atmosphere. In 2000, the city government of Bangkok began by demolishing the sometimes very picturesque tombs. Only towards the end of 2004, the demolition work could be completed. (See: Related links)
Flea Markets
During the lunch break will be in the area around Soi 10 of secretaries from the nearby offices, shop assistants and bank employees attended to quickly zuzulegen a new pair of shoes, or replace it for € 0.10 the dirty tie with a brand new one. At the flea markets and the adjacent side streets there are numerous food stalls that have at this time is always plenty to do.
Shopping centers
- Silom Complex
- Taniya Plaza
- Central Si Lom ( closes sell-off in May 2008)
Hotels
- Dusit Thani Hotel
- Narai Hotel
- Triple Two
- Unico Grande Silom (former Tower Inn )
- Holiday In Silom
Nightlife
In a side street ( Soi ) is probably the best known Vernügungsviertel Bangkok: Patpong. The countless gogo bars are now hidden behind several rows of street stalls selling all only imaginable tourist knick-knacks of the fake Rolex watches on crocodile handbags to hand- painted kitsch paintings.
Hospitals
- Bangkok Christian Hospital
Temple
The Hindu Sri Maha Mariyamman stamp ( วัด พระ ศรี มหา อุ มา เทวี ) also known as Wat Phra Sri Maha Umathewi or Wat Kaek ( วัด แขก ). Once a year, from the first to the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month a ceremony is held, in which the statues of the temple gods are carried by the Hindu community in a procession along Silom Road. Some believers will put their cheeks or the skin of the upper body pierce with sharp objects, where no blood flows, and the faithful feel seemingly no pain (see: the Vegetarian Festival on Phuket island ).