Pathum Wan is a exciting area of Bangkok in Thailand. You could spend just one day here and still not see everything. Pathum Wan or Pathumwan is one of the 50 districts ( Khet ) of Bangkok, Thailand. The district is bounded by six other districts (from north clockwise): Ratchathewi ( across the canal Khlong Saen Saeb ), Watthana, Khlong Toei, Sathon, Bang Rak, Pom Prap Sattru Phai ( across the canal Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem ), and Dusit. The embassies of Japan, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States are located in Pathum Wan The district is sub-divided into four sub-districts ( Kwaeng ). 1. Rong Mueang 2. Wang Mai 3. Pathum Wan 4. Lumphini The district was established in 1914. It is named after a Buddhist temple Wat Pathum Wanaram ( literally meaning lotus forest temple ) and the nearby Sa Pathum Palace ( means lotus pond palace ). Both were built to the order of King Mongkut ( Rama IV ) and named so, because of an abundance of lotus in Khlong Saen Saeb during his reign. Pathum Wan is best known for it's shopping centres. Siam Centre is the oldest one in the area. Opened in 1973, it is now flanked by Siam Discovery Centre and Siam Paragon ( opened December 2005 ). One of the most crowded and popular to both local people and tourists is MBK Centre ( also known as Mah Boon Krong ). This is perhaps the largest area of Mobile phones for sale around Bangkok. It is packed with shops offering fashion items, mobile phones and souvenirs. A covered, air-conditioned pedestrian bridge over Phaya Thai Road connects to a congested sister shopping centre, the Bonanza Mall, which mostly sells inexpensive clothing and fashion accessories. Siam Square, unlike others, is a shopping area consists of a block of buildings and many small roads full of shops, attracting mostly teenagers. There are two cinemas in Siam Square, built in the 1970's and run by the Apex chain: the Scala theatre offer a single, big screen; the Lido is a small multi-plex with three screens. Another single big screen theatre built in the same era, Siam, was destroyed during the 2010 Thai military crackdown and the Red shirt riots. Besides shops, many exam preparation schools are found in Siam Square. So the area is full of students during evening and weekends. The Ratchaprasong intersection is flanked by Central World ( formerly World Trade Centre and then Central World Plaza ) , Big C Ratchadamri, Narayana Phan, Gaysorn and Central Chit Lom shopping malls. A large portion of Pathum Wan is occupied by several organizations. Near MBK, Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand. The main auditorium together with Faculty of Arts buildings Maha Chulalongkorn and Maha Vajiravudh are famous architectures. The Museum of Imaging Technology within the Faculty of Science houses a large collection of cameras from old to new. Next to the university are Chulalongkorn Hospital and Thai Red Cross. Inside the Red Cross there is a snake farm called Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute ( or Sathan Saovabha in Thai ) showing venom extraction and producing serum to treat snakebites. One of the major tourist attractions is the Jim Thompson House. It is a complex of magnificent Thai wooden houses formerly home to James H.W. Thompson, an American who lived in Thailand, developed Thai silk industry, and brought it to fame to the western world. Now it is turned into a museum filled with many antique decorations. The Erawan Shrine at the Ratchaprasong intersection is a sacred place where people come to pray and make wishes to Brahma. Wishes could include getting admitted to university, babies, jobs, and so on. Flowers, wooden elephants, or traditional Thai dances are returned when a wish is granted. The Trimurti shrine and Ganesha shrine at Central World are popular places to pray as well.

• published: 23 Nov 2013
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