Old Bangkok

by Eric Lim
(Bangkok)

This is one of my favourite Bangkok photographs. I chanced upon this old Bangkok photo in a restaurant off Charoen Krung Road near Robinsons Bangrak. The photo was taken in 1904!

It is a shot of the Phan Phipob Lila Bridge at the northern end of Sanam Luang near the Royal Hotel. The bridge is still there today though considerably different.

The bridge over the Lod canal, the first canal ring around the Grand Palace, links Inner Ratchadamneon Avenue (top of picture) to Central Ratchadamnoen (bottom of picture).

Sanam Luang is to the right of the picture and you can see the spires of the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha in the distance.

It was a time when horse carriages and old automobiles were still sharing the same roads. Wonder what the area is like today?