Ratchathewi
Encyclopedia
Ratchathewi is a district in central Bangkok
, Thailand
. It is also name of a BTS Skytrain
station.
Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) Phaya Thai
, Din Daeng
, Huai Khwang
, Watthana
, Pathum Wan
, Pom Prap Sattru Phai
and Dusit
.
The district was part of Dusit district prior to 1966, and part of Phaya Thai district from 1966 to 1989, when it was elevated to its own district. The name is inherited from Ratchathewi Intersection, which is the intersection of Phetchaburi Road and Phaya Thai Road
. The name originally comes from a royal consort to King Chulalongkorn
, Phra Nangchao Sukumalmarsri Phra Ratchathewi. The term Phra Rachathewi (also spelled Phra Rajathevi) is a rank in Thai royal and noble titles
for royal consorts.
The district is sub-divided into four sub-district (Khwaeng).
Victory Monument
was built by Prime Minister
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
to honour the 59 soldiers who died in the French-Thai War
. The opening ceremony was held on 24 June 1942. It was built to the shape of five bayonet
s joined together and five statues around its base representing army
, navy
, air force
, police
, and civilian
bureaucracy. There are 809 names inscribed below the statues, including the losses from World War II
and the Korean War
. It is now a major bus hub with a Bangkok Skytrain
station nearby.
Baiyoke Tower (151 meters high, 43 floors) and Baiyoke Tower 2 (304 m, 85 fl) are the former and the current tallest buildings in Bangkok that cannot be missed from the skyline. They are located in proximity in the area known as Pratu Nam. (Also see Shopping section below.) The construction of Baiyoke Tower was finished in 1987 and remained the tallest until 1993. Baiyoke Tower 2 was finished in late 1997 and opened to public January 1998. Both buildings are mostly utilized as hotels Baiyoke Suite (in tower 1) and Baiyoke Sky (tower 2) with lower floors as commercial shops.
Suan Pakkad
Palace is a museum
exhibiting Thai antiques, from ancient to recent ones. The museum compound contains eight traditional wooden Thai houses with exhibits inside. The old Ban Chiang
pottery dates back to 4,000 years ago is among one of the highlight exhibits and is located in a modern Chumbhot-Pantip gallery building.
.
Pantip Plaza
is the biggest shopping center about IT in Thailand. There you can find computer
s (brandname and self assembled from components), computer accessories, software, music
, movie
s (legal and illegal), mobile phone
s and digital camera
s.
The area around the current Makkasan Railway Station is under construction for the Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport
. The area will become City Air Terminal with check in facility and non-stop train to the airport. The terminal also has an interchange to MRT Phetchaburi station.
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It is also name of a BTS Skytrain
Bangkok Skytrain
The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain , is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration...
station.
Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) Phaya Thai
Phaya Thai
Phaya Thai is a district in central Bangkok, Thailand. It is also the name of a major road, as well as a BTS Skytrain station, both of which are in the nearby Ratchathewi district....
, Din Daeng
Din Daeng
Din Daeng is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Its neighbor, clockwise from north, are Chatuchak, Huai Khwang, Ratchathewi and Phaya Thai.-History:...
, Huai Khwang
Huai Khwang
Huai Khwang is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand, located east of the center of the town. Neighboring districts are Chatuchak, Wang Thonglang, Bang Kapi, Suan Luang, Watthana, Ratchathewi and Din Daeng.-History:...
, Watthana
Watthana
Watthana is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Neighbor districts are : Ratchathewi, Huai Khwang, Suan Luang, Phra Khanong, Khlong Toei, Sathon, and Pathum Wan.-History:...
, Pathum Wan
Pathum Wan
Pathum Wan or Pathumwan is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. The district is bounded by six other districts : Ratchathewi , Watthana, Khlong Toei, Sathon, Bang Rak, Pom Prap Sattru Phai , and Dusit.-History:The district was established in 1914...
, Pom Prap Sattru Phai
Pom Prap Sattru Phai
Pom Prap Sattru Phai is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Neighboring districts are Dusit, Ratchathewi, Pathum Wan, Bang Rak, Samphanthawong, and Phra Nakhon.-History:...
and Dusit
Dusit
Dusit is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand.The district forms the main administrative center of Thailand, as both the national parliament as well as the royal palace are located in this district, as well as several ministries...
.
History
Phaya Thai Road
Phaya Thai Road is a major road in Bangkok, Thailand. It begins at the south side of Victory Monument in Ratchathewi district and continues until Sam Yan Intersection in Pathum Wan district, where it intersects with Rama IV Road....
. The name originally comes from a royal consort to King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
, Phra Nangchao Sukumalmarsri Phra Ratchathewi. The term Phra Rachathewi (also spelled Phra Rajathevi) is a rank in Thai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles
Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles signifying relationship to the King introduced by King Trailokanat, who reigned 1448 to 1488. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, .It is somewhat similar to that of peerage, but is complicated and usually not...
for royal consorts.
Administration
| 1. | Thung Phaya Thai | ทุ่งพญาไท | |
| 2. | Thanon Phaya Thai | ถนนพญาไท | |
| 3. | Thanon Phetchaburi | ถนนเพชรบุรี | |
| 4. | Makkasan | มักกะสัน |
Landmarks
Victory Monument (Bangkok)
Victory Monument is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. The monument is located in Ratchathewi district, northeast of central Bangkok, at the center of a traffic circle at the intersection of Phahonyothin Road, Phaya Thai Road, and Ratchawithi Road.The monument is one of Bangkok's...
was built by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Thailand
The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
Plaek Phibunsongkhram
Plaek Pibulsonggram
Field Marshal Plaek Pibunsongkhram , often known as Phibun Songkhram or simply Phibun in English, was Prime Minister and virtual military dictator of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.- Early years :...
to honour the 59 soldiers who died in the French-Thai War
French-Thai War
The Franco-Thai War was fought between Thailand and Vichy France over certain areas of French Indochina that had once belonged to Thailand....
. The opening ceremony was held on 24 June 1942. It was built to the shape of five bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
s joined together and five statues around its base representing army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
, navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...
, air force
Air force
An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
, police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, and civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
bureaucracy. There are 809 names inscribed below the statues, including the losses from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. It is now a major bus hub with a Bangkok Skytrain
Bangkok Skytrain
The Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain , is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration...
station nearby.
Baiyoke Tower (151 meters high, 43 floors) and Baiyoke Tower 2 (304 m, 85 fl) are the former and the current tallest buildings in Bangkok that cannot be missed from the skyline. They are located in proximity in the area known as Pratu Nam. (Also see Shopping section below.) The construction of Baiyoke Tower was finished in 1987 and remained the tallest until 1993. Baiyoke Tower 2 was finished in late 1997 and opened to public January 1998. Both buildings are mostly utilized as hotels Baiyoke Suite (in tower 1) and Baiyoke Sky (tower 2) with lower floors as commercial shops.
Suan Pakkad
Suan Pakkad
Suan Pakkad Palace or Suan Pakkard Palace , is a museum in Bangkok, Thailand. It is located on Sri Ayutthaya Road south of the Victory Monument. The museum has Thai antiques on display, including Ban Chiang pottery over 4,000 years old. Originally the home of Prince Chumbhotpong Paripatra and his...
Palace is a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
exhibiting Thai antiques, from ancient to recent ones. The museum compound contains eight traditional wooden Thai houses with exhibits inside. The old Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang
Ban Chiang is an archeological site located in Nong Han district, Udon Thani Province, Thailand. It has been on the UNESCO world heritage list since 1992....
pottery dates back to 4,000 years ago is among one of the highlight exhibits and is located in a modern Chumbhot-Pantip gallery building.
Shopping
Pratu Nam (Thai: ประตูน้ำ) is an area renowned for low-cost clothes. Not evident from outside on Phet Buri Road, there are hundreds and hundreds of small clothes shops along the small pedestrian lanes and the shopping complexes inside, both wholesale and retail. The easiest entrance to Pratu Nam is walking southward from Baiyoke Tower. The shops now extend to various malls in the area such as City Complex, Pratunam Plaza, and The Platinum Fashion MallPlatinum Fashion Mall
The Platinum Fashion Mall is a 5 billion baht shopping mall in Pratunam, Bangkok, Thailand, which specializes in fashion clothes and accessories retail and wholesale...
.
Pantip Plaza
Pantip Plaza
Pantip Plaza is an indoor IT shopping mall located on New Phetchaburi Road in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, Thailand. The sale of counterfeit software and DVDs is one of the reasons for its success and notoriety.-Trading hours:...
is the biggest shopping center about IT in Thailand. There you can find computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
s (brandname and self assembled from components), computer accessories, software, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, movie
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s (legal and illegal), mobile phone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
s and digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
s.
Transportation
- Bangkok SkytrainBangkok SkytrainThe Bangkok Mass Transit System, commonly known as the BTS Skytrain , is an elevated rapid transit system in Bangkok, Thailand. It is operated by Bangkok Mass Transit System Public Company Limited under a concession granted by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration...
(BTS) - Three stations: Ratchathewi, Phaya Thai and Victory Monument. - Bangkok MetroBangkok MetroThe MRT , sometimes referred to as the Bangkok Metro, is Bangkok's underground metro system in Thailand. It was constructed under a concession concept...
(MRT) - One station: Phetchaburi. - Express boats - Khlong Saen SaebKhlong Saen SaebKhlong Saen Saeb is a canal in central Thailand, connecting the Chao Phraya River to Prachin Buri and Chachoengsao. A portion of the canal is used for public transport by an express boat service in Bangkok...
, in the southern district border.
The area around the current Makkasan Railway Station is under construction for the Airport Link to Suvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport , also known as Bangkok International Airport, is an international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand. It was officially opened for limited domestic flight service on 15 September 2006, and opened for most domestic and all international commercial flights on 28 September...
. The area will become City Air Terminal with check in facility and non-stop train to the airport. The terminal also has an interchange to MRT Phetchaburi station.
Bueng Makkasan
Located in Ratchathewi district is a large artificial lake in the center of Bangkok. Bueng Makkasan (บึงมักกะสัน) is 2.4 km long, 60 m wide and 15 m deep. It is utilized for inner Bangkok flood prevention. Now the lake is covered by the system of expressway interconnections.External links
- BMA website with the touristical landmarks of Ratchathewi
- Ratchathewi district office (Thai only)
- Bangkok's Crucible of Construction (Items 1 to 7 and 35 to 42. The rest are belong to nearby Pathum Wan district)
- Suan Pakkad Palace Museum