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 China town
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| Payanak |
Lagt på d. 20/05-2007 14:51
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 Ekspert medlem  Antal indlæg: 2597 |
Saphan Han The heart of Bangkok's China town There may be no photographic record of the area's earliest days, but its residents keep doing what they've always done _ trading Centuries ago, this neighbourhood had waterways snaking through it and was frequented by foreign emissaries and explorers. Since that time, Saphan Han has witnessed a multitude of changes that have had a range of effects on the many Chinese families who live in this small community. [img]http://www.bangkokpost.com/Outlook/200507_out01.jpg[/img] is not a valid Image. Located in the heart of Bangkok's Chinatown, between the Chinese and Sikh neighbourhoods, Saphan Han is now almost hidden beneath awnings and tower blocks, as department stores begin to dominate the area. To complicate the historical legacy of this community, there are no photographic records to illustrate the changes that have affected Saphan Han. The history of this neighbourhood exists solely in the residents' memories. Professor Edward Van Roy, PhD, who recently gave a lecture on the history of Saphan Han at an event organised by the Museum Volunteer Group, clarified: "Saphan Han was built before photography came to Thailand, and no one took the time to record what the area looked like because it was too pedestrian, in the general sense of the word. That is why there are no photographs of the old community." Once a prosperous area where boats crowded the numerous canals that criss-crossed the neighbourhood and bridges filled the horizon, Saphan Han was one of the places that lured Chinese immigrants who came to Thailand in search of work and opportunity. Chinese people settled in this area and forged an identity that gave them independence from the locals. The name "Saphan Han" is derived from the numerous draw- bridges that dominated the vicinity of the Chinese community, and even though the Chinese themselves were land-orientated people, in this foreign environment of canals and waterways, they adapted to bridges as means of pedestrian travel. [img]http://www.bangkokpost.com/Outlook/200507_out02.jpg[/img] is not a valid Image. Medicine-seller Pieng Chang Jiwamit in her shop. Pieng Chang Jiwamit's grandfather was one of many who travelled to Thailand to better his life and circumstances at the turn of the last century. He was originally a doctor in China, and after marrying a Chinese woman in Bangkok he set up a medicine shop as a means of making a living. Pieng's family's shop is now over 80 years old and is one of the few original buildings left in the area. "I don't know the identity of Saphan Han because the environment continues to change all the time. There is a bridge nearby, but everything around it always changes. However, the community itself is almost as it was many years ago," she said. "I have worked in my family's shop for about 50 years. I was born in this shop and played in the area when I was a child." One of four children, Pieng and her siblings have taken over the shop and continue to sell ancient Chinese remedies to locals and tourists alike. Van Roy explained in his lecture that the Chinese were the dominant force in this small community, partly due to the mass migration to Thailand in the early 18th century and partly as a result of the political power plays that were happening around that time. "When the reign of the Chakri Dynasty began, there was a love-hate relationship between the Thai and Chinese communities. To survive, the Chinese formed their own quasi-government, built on secret societies," he said, referring to the rise and fall of General Taksin (who was born in 1734, in Ayutthaya, and died in early 1782, in Thon Buri). After 400 years, Ayutthaya's time as the capital of Siam was brought to an end by the invasion of the Burmese in 1767. However, the politically ambitious General Taksin, a soldier of Chinese descent, achieved fame when he succeeded in uniting Siam, declared Thon Buri the new capital and declared himself king in 1769. Though it was a only a few years later that he was overthrown and executed in 1782. General Chakri succeeded him as Rama I, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty that same year. Soon after, the Chinese community was forced to resettle outside the centre of Thon Buri. The segregation of the two ethnic groups was a political tool to isolate the Chinese from the Siamese aristocracy after the death of Taksin, for they feared that the Chinese community would take revenge on them. However, the Siamese aristocracy allowed the Chinese access to the inner city from Saphan Han via a series of bridges and canals, allowing the two groups to continue to conduct business. [img]http://www.bangkokpost.com/Outlook/200507_out03.jpg[/img] is not a valid Image. Vendors display and sell their wares on a humid afternoon in Saphan Han. "There was a lot of immigration from China, and there were a lot of rags-to-riches stories at this time too. So in this area there were many families who performed commercial services for the Siamese aristocracy, because the Siamese viewed commerce as beneath them. So they used Chinese merchants to help them with their investments and trade activities." These commercial practices are still evident in the thriving Saphan Han community, as witnessed by the many stalls and vendors selling foodstuffs, electrical appliances, textiles and fashion accessories, all under massive umbrellas. Somchai (not his real name), who operates and owns a magazine stand near Saphan Han, is one of the many people who grew up and continues to live in the area. In an open-air shop populated by grey and brown cats, Somchai's racks of magazines are a colourful array of Thai fashion publications and newspapers. However the run-down interior of the shop is in contrast with the animated and youthful expressions on the cover girls' faces. "I want to stay in this area, even though I am 64. I have worked here for 18 or 20 years and I helped my father run the shop when I was a child," he said. "Yes, this area has changed a lot. Across the street there used to be three cinemas in one building. The King, the Grand and the Queen. They usually showed films from the West, but the Queen showed Indian films too. Of course there are many Chinese in this area, but there are Sikhs nearby too. "About eight years ago there was a big decline in the vendors in this area because many large department stores decided to open here. Groups like Big C, Lotus and the Mall Group are taking over the area." Pieng acknowledged that many children whose parents are vendors or own commercial property in the area rarely come back to help with the family businesses. "My older brother has children, but they don't live or work here. They live on Sukhumvit Road," she said. "I think that many young people want to hang out at Siam Paragon or the Emporium, because there is more entertainment for them in those places. Very few young people come to this area." Regarding the changing face of the community, both Pieng and Somchai agree that, essentially, Saphan Han will not change much in the future because its original identity as a mercantile area will continue to exist. Nowadays it is common to see tourists wander through the shops and stalls, taking photographs or buying goods. "Some people come to my shop just to buy antique medicine containers. I'm not joking!" said Pieng with a laugh. When a German man wanted to purchase a few for his shop at home, she refused. "He got mad when I told him that they are not for sale!" Somchai explained that while foreigners do frequent the area, they mainly head back to Khao San Road and other areas for leisure and entertainment. Said one Australian tourist who was meandering through the stalls: "This area has a lot of surprises, and compared to Sukhumvit, there is a lot of character here. It's different from the shopping complexes. This is where the life is!" It is safe to say that the existence and historical significance of Saphan Han will continue to flourish, as locals and tourists explore its streets and shops and the families who have lived there for generations continue to tell their stories to the curious. "I don't think that this place will change much in the future because it's an historical place and the buildings are very old and have become landmarks," said Pieng. "I think that people will continue to sell their products here and be a part of the environment, and foreigners always love to walk through the neighbourhood taking photographs. But I do think that when I was a child this place was a lot nicer. Now it is very different." http://www.bangko..._out18.php |
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