East Asiatic Company Warehouses
Opening hours: 5pm to midnight
Back in the 1900s, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn, Asian countries were under threat of invasion from the European superpowers. With great foresight, King Chulalongkorn took the initiative to raise Siam to the level of leading countries of the world and decided to establish relations with Denmark. Included in this process was the construction of a pier belonging to the East Asiatic Company, a business dedicated to the export of teak wood and owned by Mr. Hans Nille Andersen, a Danish national. This pier signaled the beginning of international trade between the Kingdom of Siam (the former name of Thailand) and European nations and was the key to Siam maintaining the sovereignty and independence it enjoys to this day.
Asiatique The Riverfront is a large open-air mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is situated in the former docks of the East Asiatic Company, and faces the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road. The complex opened in 2012 after extensive renovation of the site.
Today, that same area which the East Asiatic pier occupies is being restored to its original glory under the name “ASIATIQUE The Riverfront,” the first and the biggest lifestyle project in Asia on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, and soon to become Bangkok’s trendiest landmark. Asiatique is located on Charoen Krung Road in Bangkok's Bang Kho Laem District, facing the Chao Phraya River. It and occupies 30 rai (4.8 hectares (12 acres)) of land, with plans for future expansion to include a total of 72 rai (11.52 hectares (28.5 acres)) of mixed-use development. The mall, featuring a historical theme from the period of King Chulalongkorn's reign (1868–1910), operates as an open-air night market and is open daily from 17:00 to 24:00. It features 1,500 shops and stalls and 40 restaurants, most of which are housed in the former warehouses. Other historical buildings and objects include an old sawmill and a World-War-II bomb shelter. There is an working recreation of Bangkok's former tram system, and the site is decorated with bronze statues representing maritime activity. Performing venues for the Joe Louis Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre and the Calypso Cabaret show are also located here, as well as Asiatique Sky, the tallest Ferris wheel in Bangkok at 60 metres (200 ft)
Asiatique opened on 27 April 2012, and has been observed to fulfil a replacement role for the previously popular Suan Lum Night Bazaar, which had closed down in 2010. It is reachable by road (with a parking capacity of 2,000 cars) and by boat, with shuttle services from Sathon Pier. It is managed by Riverside Masterplan Co.,Ltd., a subsidiary of TCC Land.
How to get there: By boat. Take the BTS (skytrain) to Saphan Taksin station. Then walk to the river. There you can get on a free ferry boat to Asiatique The Riverfront – it’s about 15 minutes and you get to enjoy the nice view of the Chao Phraya river. The boat leaves from the Saphan Taksin station every 15 minutes, starting at 4:30 p.m. and the last boat leaves from the Asiatique pier back to Saphan Thaksin at 11:30 p.m. It’s best to avoid going by taxi, because the road that leads there suffers from chronic trafficjamitis.
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