Western settlement along the Chao Phraya River

via Thai PBS, 2 March 2022: Thai PBS has a video (in English) on the historic communities around the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, featuring some of the Catholic Churches on the banks of the river.

The Chao Phraya River is the main artery of Bangkok. In the old days, it was where everything happened, full of life and culture. So, the river’s banks were where everyone wanted to settle when they moved to Bangkok. Walk-A-Tif introduces you to the foreign traders and diplomats who settled along the banks of this mighty river and traces their histories.

Starting at the Kudeejeen community, this is where Portuguese settled about 250 years ago, during the Thonburi period.

One of the icons of this community is the Santa Cruz Church, which was built around 1770AD, when Christian Portuguese settlers migrated here after the dissolution of Ayutthaya kingdom. It was then the main Catholic Church in Bangkok and served as the seat of the Apostolic Vicariate of Siam until 1821, when Assumption Cathedral was completed.

This is where we can find Thai-Portuguese food and desserts, such as Kanom Farung or Kudeejeen Portuguese cake, Portuguese chicken curry noodles and Portuguese custard tarts.

Source: Western settlement along the Chao Phraya Rive