Pracha Rat Bamphen Road: Is This Bangkok’s Next Chinatown?

A new wave of Chinese immigrants, business owners, and tourists is gradually shaping what could become Bangkok's future Chinatown. This area is known for its affordable Yunnan and Sichuan dishes, along with unique offerings like bird's nest masks, salmon sperm extract, and other exotic beauty products.

Located in the Huai Khwang district, this neighborhood is taking shape along the narrow Pracha Rat Bamphen Road, where Chinese signage marks the storefronts of commercial shophouses amidst a backdrop of plain buildings.

While some Thai media outlets have already labeled this one-mile stretch as 'Bangkok’s new Chinatown,' it's still too early to bestow that title.

This area lacks the vibrant, sprawling chaos and neon overload of Bangkok's historic Chinatown on Yaowarat Road, which is located five miles (eight kilometers) away along the Chao Phraya River.

It also doesn’t feature the traditional Chinese architecture seen in Yaowarat, such as its temples, shrines, dragon motifs, and colonial-era buildings dating back to the late 1700s, when the city’s first Chinese settlers arrived.

In contrast, Pracha Rat Bamphen stands out with its intimate cafes and small eateries serving authentic dishes from China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces—cuisines rarely found in the city’s traditional Chinatown.

From Yunnan to Bangkok

In the 1960s and '70s, under the rule of Chairman Mao Zedong, China’s communist government exiled intellectuals and political opponents to Yunnan to prevent their influence over the political turmoil in Beijing.

These exiles, alongside Yunnan’s indigenous ethnic groups, settled in the mountainous region bordering Myanmar and Laos. Their blending of cultures led to the creation of unique recipes not found elsewhere in China.

Recently, some of these now elderly exiles, their descendants, and others from Yunnan have started traveling to Bangkok, often settling or dining along Pracha Rat Bamphen Road rather than in Chinatown.

Other Chinese immigrants are also arriving from Chengdu and other areas of Sichuan, renowned for its bold, spicy cuisine.

According to Prawit, a Thai hardware store owner on Pracha Rat Bamphen, 'The people living in Bangkok's original Chinatown are Chinese-Thai, with deep roots in Thailand, while those along this road are newcomers directly from China.'

'They choose to settle here because it's close to the Chinese embassy, and buying or renting property is much more affordable compared to the over-crowded Chinatown, where space is limited.'

Other Chinese and local Thais are also starting to explore this narrow, two-lane road, drawn in by the food, though few Westerners are seen here.

Restaurant menus and signs are predominantly in Chinese, often with Thai translations alongside.

Among the Mandarin-speaking waitstaff, there may be someone who speaks Thai and a bit of English.

For some customers, the easiest way to order is by pointing at the color photos on the menu or at dishes being served to other tables.

The eateries along the curve of Pracha Rat Bamphen Road are at the center of this area.

Located at 223/6, one of the neighborhood's older establishments is the clean, modern 'China Restaurant.' Operating from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., it displays its name in both Thai and Chinese.

Their banana flower and red chili dish is a flavorful and spicy mix of banana blossoms, onions, tomatoes, and garlic.

Other dishes from Yunnan and Sichuan are also offered, along with a selection of Chinese liquors.

'The owner is from Chiang Mai, but his parents hail from Yunnan. We’ve been open for 10 years,' a waitress shares with Dinogo Travel.

'This area is different from Chinatown because, there, the food is mostly from the Teochew, Hokkien, Hakka, and Cantonese regions,' she explains, referring to the origins of Bangkok’s original Chinese settlers from China’s southeast coast.

'Our clientele is mostly made up of regulars—there aren’t many tourists. It's mostly Chinese businesspeople,' says the owner.

'Chinese tourists from China dine here,' says a staff member.

Just around the corner, the Tho Tao So restaurant at 261, which opened in mid-2018, specializes exclusively in Yunnanese cuisine.

Inside, the freshly painted yellow walls remain simple, adorned only with red decorative wallpaper.

'Mostly Chinese tourists from China dine here,' says a waitress, affectionately known as 'Cream,' to Dinogo Travel.

'In recent years, more restaurants have opened in this area as an increasing number of Chinese tourists are staying at the large hotels nearby.'

Directly across from the street at 89/20, beneath a Chinese sign that translates to 'First Grade Spicy Hot Pot,' lies one of the most authentic Sichuan spots in Bangkok.

Two red Chinese lanterns hang at the entrance, complementing the smaller lanterns that dangle from the mirrored walls inside.

The menu, which offers vegetarian choices, is written exclusively in Chinese. The staff speaks very little Thai, and the few food photos are not very helpful, so you'll have to take a chance when placing your order.

Shopping for salmon sperm

Shopping here feels different from Chinatown, where old riverside warehouses overflow with bulk goods imported from China, spilling out into the stores.

Many of the customers on Pracha Rat Bamphen are Chinese tourists looking for made-in-Thailand cosmetics that are hard to find back home, or seeking a traditional Thai massage. There’s not much else available.

The shops here are packed with Thai beauty products, herbal remedies, and health items like 'bird’s nest mask,' often sold at lower prices than in other parts of Bangkok, alongside numerous massage parlors.

Here, you can find less common beauty products like snail slime moisturizers and face masks made with salmon egg and sperm extract.

Shopkeepers will apply a sample of the bright orange salmon roe onto your palm, followed by a few drops of clear salmon sperm extract.

You’ll be invited to massage the mixture into your face and then decide if you'd like more.

Getting There

To reach the area, take the Huai Khwang MRT subway station’s exit number 1, which leads to the bustling Ratchada Phisek Road. Walk left to the corner, then turn left onto Pracha Rat Bamphen Road. Chinese signs will soon appear.

Alternatively, you can take a taxi to Ratchada Phisek Road and then continue to Pracha Rat Bamphen Road.