TAT points bloggers to Bangkok riverside

The selected authors of online articles about Thai tourism will be shown around the venerable Charoen Krung neighbourhood as part of the “Uniquely Local, Uniquely Thai” promotion.

“The TAT Newsroom Blogger Campaign is about uniquely Thai local experiences, so a walking tour of Charoen Krung is a perfect introduction,” TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasron said.

“Bangkok’s riverside boasts amazing historic venues, religious sites and long-standing local communities that make the area unique. It’s the discovery of such places that makes visits to Thailand so memorable and special. We hope everyone on this walking tour gets a real flavour of the campaign and that word spreads in the blogging community.”

The walking tours will take in the East Asiatic Company Building erected in 1901 as headquarters of the Dutch East Asiatic Building. Assumption Cathedral, built in 1910, and OP Place – Bangkok’s first shopping mall – are also on the itinerary.

So too are the colonial-style Old Customs House, dating to 1880, and Haroon Mosque, another edifice erected in 1901 and filled with richly carved wooden decoration.

Along the way there will be chances to sample the local cuisine and meet members of the various communities.

Participants will finish up at the Mango Tree restaurant on Charoen Krung Soi 36, which occupies one of the best-preserved traditional houses in the area.

“We really want to inspire bloggers and travellers to explore all areas of the Kingdom,” Yuthasak said. “We feel that the most memorable experiences are the ones that touch your heart, so we hope this tour of Bangkok’s hidden riverside heritage will encourage bloggers to share their ‘uniquely local, uniquely Thai’ tales.”

Get the details at (02) 250 5500, extension 4545-8, www.TATNews.org and the “TAT Newsroom” Facebook page.