Silom, Bangkok

Silom, also written Si Lom, is a road in the Bang Rak district of Bangkok. It was one of the early roads being built about 1861, around the same time as Charoen Krung Road and Hua Lamphong Road. This was around the time after the Silom canal was dug. Originally, Silom was an earthen road that ran parallel with the canal. It was planted with Siamese rosewood and asoke trees (Saraca indica).

The 1855 Bowring Treaty which the West forced on Siam to sign, resulted in an influx of Western expariates to Silom, bringing with them western culture and reform in public health, education and printing. Around that time, a windmill was built in that area, and the road came to be known as "Si Lom", which means, "windmill".

Silom was a highly cosmopolitan part of Bangkok. The different communities built their residences here. This diverse community built not only Buddhist temples, but also Hindu temples, churches, and mosques which stand to this day. There is a cemetery for Protestants, Catholics and Chinese of various dialect groups including the Hainanese, Cantonese, Hokkien and Hakka, Muslim Peranakans from Singapore, and Chinese Christians.

Hindus from southern India also come to dwell in Silom. They still live in parts of Silom such as Wai Ti Lane and Tam Bisa Lane and Pan Road, and of course, within the vicinity of the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple. In the early part of the 20th century, there was a tram line that ran from Bang Rak to Pratunam, passing through Silom. The tram line was dismantled in 1963 when Thanon Silom (Silom Road) was widened. At the same time, parts of the Silom Canal was also filled up.

One of the first "skyscrapers" to arrive in Bangkok was the 23-storey Dusit Thani Hotel in Silom. More was to come, and today, parts of Silom is a concrete jungle that is termed the "Wall Street of Bangkok". Also part of Silom is the infamous red light and nightmarket district of Patpong.

Getting there

You can take the BTS Skytrain Silom Line. The stops at at the Sala Daeng station (S2) and Chong Nonsi station (S3). You can also that the Bangkok MRT Blue Line to the Silom MRT station (SIL) near Lumphini Park.

Nearby Sights

Nearby Shopping

View of the skyscrapers of Silom from the BTS Chong Nonsi station (22 October 2006)

List of Neighbourhoods in Bangkok; list of Districts of Bangkok

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