The four new stations that run through the old town area have been given the special distinction of the "Heritage Line". These stations have been under construction for years, and now they are finally opened. Each of the four stations has been specially designed and decorated to represent the rich diversity and culture of the neighborhoods that they now reach. In fact, the four heritage stations have become something of an attraction in and of themselves!
I had a free day this week, and decided to ride the subway out to the Old Town to explore each of the new stations. I took lots of pictures of the stations themselves, and spent some time discovering the area around the stations. Come along with me on my tour of the new Heritage Line! Let's go!
Wat Mangkon Station
The Sino-Portuguese-style Wat Mangkon, inspired by the rich Chinese heritage in the Yaowarat Area, is the first stop on our tour of the new Heritage Line. The station incorporates lots of Chinese motifs in red and gold, and is strangely sponsored by Nescafe.
The Station
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| Wat Mangkon MRT Station |
Wat Mangkon Station is located directly next to the temple which is its namesake. The station exits right in the heart of Chinatown, an area previously only reachable by foot from the not-so-close Hua Lampnong Station. The exterior looks like an old early 20th century Chinatown shop building.
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| red and gold decorations in the temple |
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| dragons and other Chinese motifs |
If you look up, you'll even see a serpent-like Chinese dragon with glowing red eyes clinging to the ceiling of the station.
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| a dragon adorns the ceiling |
For some reason, the station seems to have been sponsored by Nescafe. The beautiful murals around the walls are also decorated with occasional coffee beans or cups of milk coffee in bright red cups.
I think it's so cool that whoever designed the station made an effort to incorporate the local culture into the architecture and design. Wat Mangkon Station is a beautiful and colorful gateway into Bangkok's equally colorful Chinatown.
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| a Chinese wine jar mural |
The Neighborhood
Stepping foot outside of the station puts you right in the heart of Chinatown, surrounded by century-old noodle shops, family-run businesses, and tons of historic old shrines, temples, and buildings.
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| the hectic streets of Chinatown |
Chinatown is an interesting area. It's one of Bangkok's oldest neighborhoods, and possibly still one of its most authentic. It was founded nearly two hundred years ago by Chinese merchants who settled down and founded the Chinese-Thai community. This community, while having integrated completely into Thai society, still observe various aspects of Chinese culture, particularly the festivals and holidays. This makes Chinatown one of the coolest places to be around the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).
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| a quiet side street near the station |
Chinatown is a wonderful place to explore and allow yourself to get lost. It's easy to wander down one of the hundreds of narrow twisting alleyways, through amulet markets, shrine areas, and warrens of street food and tea shops.
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| a local Chinese shrine |
Yaowarat Road and the area surrounding it have to be some of the best parts of the city for really cool street photography. This area is also one of the best areas if you happen to be a foodie!
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| a market area selling offerings for merit-making |
The most important place in Chinatown is, of course, Wat Mangkon itself. This temple is in the Chinese style, and is totally different from most other temples in Thailand. It plays a very prominent role in the local Chinese-Thai culture, and is also just a super interesting place to visit and explore.
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| the eponymous Wat Mangkon Kamalawat Temple |
Now, let's hop back on the train for just one stop and head to our next destination: Sam Yot Station.
Sam Yot Station
Sam Yot Station is the next stop on our tour. The station is built to look like one of the early 20th buildings that are found all along Charoenkrung Road. The interior of the station is decorated with pictures of Bangkok's historic transportation network, including the old trolleys and street cars which are no longer in use.
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| Sam Yot Station |
The Station
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| Sam Yot Station |
Sam Yot Station is located in the heart of Old Town, along Charoenkrung Road. Because of its location, the station is built to look like one of Bangkok's old government buildings. The exterior of the station fits right in with the other cool old buildings along the road. It's the perfect example of "vintage Thai" architecture.
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| buildings near the station |
At first glance, the inside of the station looks almost... boring. It definitely looks more modern than a regular MRT station. The station is decorated in grey, silver, and light gold, giving it a super modern and classy feel.
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| down in the MRT station |
The really interesting attraction, though, are the old photographs that decorate the walls of the station. These pictures show street scenes from the early days of modern Bangkok, particularly in the areas along Charoenkrung Road.
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| photos of Bangkok's old trolley system |
Back before the Skytrain or the Metro, even before the city's bus system, Bangkok was connected by a series of trolleys and street cars. They were removed as the city modernized. I know that they aren't the most efficient way to move a lot of people, but they sure look nice. One thing I particularly like doing when I visit Hong Kong is riding the "Ding Ding" (the local street car).
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| the old Bangkok street car |
The Neighborhood
This part of town is like going back in time to retro Bangkok. This is the quiet part of the old town where I went exploring with my meetup group a few weeks ago. It's also within walking distance to the Golden Mount and Loha Prasat.
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| Sam Yot Station |
Grab your ticket for the next stop! We are headed to Bangkok's most beautiful metro station.
Sanam Chai Station
Next up, we come to Sanam Chai Station, which was designed by National Artist Dr. Pinyo Suwankiri. This station is modeled after a Rattanakosin-era royal state room, and is the most grand and impressive of all of the stations.
The Station
The interior of Sanam Chai is the most beautiful and grand of all of Bangkok's new metro stations. It's designed to look like a royal state room. This is because Sanam Chai is the station that reaches Bangkok's most important sites: Wat Pho, the Emerald Buddha Temple, and the Grand Palace.
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| Sanam Chai Station |
When I exited the station, there were around a dozen or so people taking pictures inside. It really is beautiful.
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| the interior of the station is like a Thai palace |
The Neighborhood
The station exits directly in front of the Museum Siam, and offers easy access to the Grand Palace, City Pillar Shrine, and more of Bangkok's most famous landmarks.
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| the Museum Siam |
A few months ago, when the stations were just starting to open up, the Metro began selling special limited edition metro cards that were modeled after the four stations. I thought they were pretty cool, so I picked one up for myself. The card that I got was inspired by Sanam Chai. Here's a picture of m super fancy metro card at the station.
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| my very special metro card |
There's one more stop to go!
Itsaraphap Station
Isaraphap Station is the first on the MRT line to reach the Thonburi side of the river. The station is decorated in golden swans, which are the symbol of the nearby Wat Hong Rattanaram Ratchaworawiharn.
The Station
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| the interior of the station |
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| royal swan |
For now, this is the terminal station, although further extensions are already being built and should open soon.
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| golden decorations in the station |
The Neighborhood
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| the royal temple |
I'll actually write a full post about this royal temple soon. Until then, here's a picture of the famous golden swan that decorates the MRT station.
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| the golden swan |
Eventually, the MRT is going to form a full loop around the city, connecting to the Skytrain at various points. It's amazing how fast the metro system has grown since I got here. First, there was the Purple Line, and now there's the Blue Line Extension. Eventually, Bangkok will be completely connected by a full metro system. As new parts of town open up, I'll be sure to explore them and report back here to you.
I hope you've enjoyed my little tour of the Heritage Line!
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