Bangkok's Chinatown: Chinese new year 2018

Lunar new year celebration in Bangkok: Welcoming the Year of the Dog

Bangkok's Chinatown is purportedly the world's largest Chinese community outside of China. Chinese Thais make up a very large portion of the country's population (up to 40%; ethnic Chinese comprise 14%), and their impact socially, economically, culturally, religiously and politically, is enormous. It is estimated that 90% of the country's business investment is by Thai Chinese.

With such a large Chinese population, its celebration of the lunar new year is--not surprisingly--huge. Crowds of people jam the streets and temples of Chinatown for an all day celebration that includes three parades. I like to experience the colors, smells, sounds and sights each year. It is a high energy day of observing Thai-Chinese culture, and interacting with the friendly celebrants.

Following are photos taken sequentially during an eight hour visit to this large 200 year old community on 16 February 2018, the first day of the Year of the Dog. 

All photos are © by the author. It is illegal to use any of the images without permission. Use may be granted depending on intent. Please send an email to jsscience@yahoo.com.

Buddhist monks receive alms every day in Chinatown, as in all other locales in Thailand. On new year's first day, there were offerings galore throughout the large Thai-Chinese community. It's an important day to make new merit and pray for success in the upcoming year. Chinatown's eastern border is easily accessed across from the main train station, Hua Lamphong.

Throngs of people visited temples. This is the popular Chinese temple on Yaowarat Road, near the entry arch and next to Samitivej Hospital.

A young boy reaches in vain for the lit "toop" (incense sticks) held by his father at the temple.

A first time visitor watches as a merchant hangs colorful streamers to sell at the old Chinatown movie theater.

Foods of every kind, both Thai and Chinese, are available in large quantities everywhere, from the very traditional street food, seen cooking here, to the high priced menus in fine hotels throughout Chinatown.

These ladies are part of a large family that had gathered at a home in one of the small back streets of Chinatown. They graciously allowed me to take their portrait.

Street photographer Jeremiah Boulware has the tables turned on him as a curious Chinatown resident looks on.

A young woman in traditional Chinese dress strolls through a small alley of a residential and market area off of Yaowarat Road. The smoke is from charcoal grills and burning of "ghost money", a Chinese tradition thought to bring good luck.

This man, sporting a red new year shirt, smiles as he notices me with camera ready to take his photo. I was finishing up a lunch of noodles and fish in this small alley between Yaowarat and Charueng Kreung roads. The people of Chinatown, like most people in Thailand are very friendly and welcome interactions with foreigners.

Two teens pose with their lion parade costume in preparation for the first of three parades in Chinatown that day. As is often the case, I received a number of different starting times from those involved in the parades, and missed the first one while exploring, then left before the second one began, as I was extremely tired from my eight hour walk in 33C/90F temperatures!

A young boy inspects some of the parade finery prior to the procession on Yaowarat Road.

A street vendor carries toys along Yaowarat road.

I think I photobombed this group, but I tried to snap and quickly get out of the way! Yaowarat Road was closed to vehicular traffic all day and people took advantage to stroll and take photos.

It is difficult to explain exactly what this man was doing on one of the Yaowarat side streets. He had a radio and three animals: a duck, parakeet, and frog (he maintains that the frog is from Nepal). One cannot say that they have "seen everything" in Chinatown. There is always so much to discover, most of it completely surprising.

A small Chinese Buddhist temple entrance peeks out between the buildings. It is an invitation to discover more about this fascinating community.

Two men relax during this holiday on a small street while friends look on. They were playing "Chinese chess", similar to the western version, but with different moves. They were very friendly and did not mind pausing to chat.

A quiet space in a tiny alley

This area of Chinatown off of Chareung Kreung Road, known as Charueng Chai, is over 150 years old, and has many of the original homes and stores. These two doors exemplify the architecture and the traditional wooden folding doors of Chinese shop fronts. A woman whose family has lived on this street for 150 years said she is concerned that the new subway station built 100 meters away will bring in developers to build condominiums and destroy this unique area. 

A typical doorway, festooned with Chinese new year decorations

Not far from the bustling sidewalks and cramped alleyways, this man and his dog take time to relax, and why not? it is the Year of the Dog!

These two girls were squealing with delight as they played in an empty cardboard box.

I did not realize it at the time, but this young woman shopkeeper is the same one we met and talked to in another part of Chinatown (see photo #9 above). It was only as I was processing the images that I noticed it! It was at least two hours between shots as we aimlessly wandered the back streets.

At the entrance to Wat (Temple) Mai Yai Faeng north of Chareung Kreung Rd, a monk sprinkles holy water on people arriving and those wishing a blessing as they leave.

Young monks accept donations that will be used to replace tiles on the temple roof.

In a separate building is a wonderful collection of Buddha images.

At Poh Tek Tung charity foundation next to the temple, worshippers place incense sticks (joss or "toop") in sand to show devotion. The foundation building is not a temple, but inside it resembles one in many ways. It was so crowded that it was difficult to move through it.

Devotees follow a circular route, striking brass bells with wooden sticks to bring good luck.

At Poh Tek Tung, people show devotion by pouring cooking oil into large vessels, which is then collected and used to keep flames burning for lighting incense sticks and candles.

A ritual practiced by Buddhists is the placing of incense sticks (generally in bundles of three) and candles in large bowls of sand or rice as signs of devotion. Incense and candles are symbols of impermanence, an important aspect of Buddhism. 

Worshippers kneel to pray for good luck and for favorable events. Some, like the woman second from left, shake wooden sticks with numbers that correspond to a written fortune. The person shakes the sticks until one falls out, then goes to a display area that has numbered fortunes. If one does not like the particular fortune they receive, they often try again!

During Chinese new year, the candles (and there are a lot of them!) are typically red, as opposed to the yellow candles seen in other Thai temples. Notice the people holding incense sticks over their heads: it was so crowded in the building that candles and incense were carried high so as to not burn other worshippers.

Many stores were selling traditional paper decorations to be used in various rituals. The gold paper baskets at left are burned in temple incinerators or in metal drums or concrete brasiers at homes. Traditionally, this is meant to give good luck to the spirits of ancestors. It is not a Buddhist practice, but so many Chinese practice it that it is often done at Chinese temples.

The traditional Chinese new year festival is alive and thriving in Bangkok. It is one of the biggest events of the year in this city. If you are coming to Bangkok during the winter months, it is well worth your while to experience the Chinese new year celebration. Bangkok Photo Rambles (FB: @photoramblers) is a good way to see Bangkok behind the scenes.