Bangkok old colonial trading quarter

BANGKOK EUROPEAN HERITAGE

The old colonial trading section of Bangkok by the Chao Phraya River is full of charm and unexpected sights if you are curious and keen of history.

The John Bush's Mansion

John Bush's mansion new look

Yesterday, as I was in the area, I took a stroll back along John Bush Lane, where there is now the Royal Sheraton Orchid Hotel and River City Mall, undergoing renovation. This is where the old Portuguese Embassy is as well. Thailand and Portugal have recently celebrated 500 years of exchanges.

This is what the historic signboard says about John Bush Lane:

Trok Captain Bush was named after John Bush, an English captain, who came to Thailand in 1853 to serve as the director of the Krom Tha (the equivalent of the department of Foreign Affairs), in the reign of King Mongkut. His knowledge and contributions to Thai administration led him to be decorated, by royal command, with the official Thai titles: Luang Sakhon or Luang Sura Sakhon, Phra Visutsakhondit and Phraya Visutrasakhondit, respectively. Captain John Bush had the occasion to serve as the commander of King Chulalongkorn's royal vessel during his visits to various places, both domestic and overseas. This area used to be the location of Captain Bush's residence and the lane is named after him.

A few months ago, I had noticed that the old street mansion there had finally started to be renovated.

The mansion before...

It was supposed to be Captain Bush's mansion. It looked beautiful but was in a poor shape at the time.  So, I went back to see what was the outcome. I was happily surprised to discover the transformation. But I don't know what it will be used for yet.

--> Captain Bush

John Bush's mansion after renovation.

The old Siam Commercial Bank Building

SCB riverside garden

Further on, past River City and the old Portuguese Kalawar Church, there is a small street market at the gate of this side of Chinatown. It is rightly named Talad Noi ('little market').  But this is where there is another fine colonial building built in an Italian style. It was the first bank institution in the country.

The signboard there reads as follows:

The Siam Commercial Bank was the first bank owned by Thai people, established by Krom Muen Mahitsara Ratchaharuethai, who started to set up a small bank at a building at Tambon Ban Nai, originally named « BOOK CLUB ». When the business grew, it was registered as « BANK SIAM COMMERCIAL FUND LIMITED » and opened a bank at Talat Noi. After World War II, the name was changed to SIAM COMMERCIAL BANK (PUBLIC) Ltd. Afterwards. The building of the bank is of an Italian baroque architecture, which still represents a perfectly beautiful site in Bangkok with an award of the best-preserved building in 1985 by the association of Siamese architects under the royal patronage.

--> Siam Commercial Bank Talad Noi Branch

Christian Sorand

Siam Commercial Bank heritage building