Surawong Road
It was built at the end of the 19th century during Bangkok's period of expansion following the country's opening up to the West, and was home to many leading businesses, upper-class families, and members of the expatriate community.
At the end of the 19th century, the area beyond Bangkok's old city boundary marked by Phadung Krung Kasem Canal was seeing rapid growth, with increasing numbers of Western expatriates and upper-class families settling in the area that is now Bang Rak District, which had been opened up through the construction of new roads, including Charoen Krung, Trong (now Rama IV) and Si Lom.
Other residents of the neighbourhood included expatriate doctors Alphonse Poix (a French surgeon who became royal physician to the king), John Carrington (a Presbyterian missionary) and Malcolm Arthur Smith (who also served as royal physician), as well as German trumpet teacher Jacob Feit (father of the composer Peter Feit) and an Italian lady called Madame Staro, who ran a restaurant and bar called the Trocadero.
[3] Around the mid-20th century, development along Surawong Road grew, following the expansion of nearby Si Lom, and many businesses established their offices here.
While the 1897 royal proclamation names the road as Surawong (สุรวงษ), in actual usage it appears to have been referred to as Suriwongse (สุริวงศ์, pronounced [sù.rí.wōŋ]).
While considering a plan to extend the road's western end to the riverside (which ultimately was not done), Prince Naris noted that the name made no semantic sense.
By the late 20th century, the road's name had shifted to Surawong (สุรวงศ์), though the subdistrict that borders it to the north is indeed known by the same spelling as in Prajadhipok's ruling (สุริยวงศ์).
These include the alleys of Thaniya and Patpong, neighbourhoods between Surawong and Si Lom known for their nightlife scenes and red-light districts.
The British Dispensary used to occupy premises on the corner of Surawong Junction, in what was then the commercial centre of Bang Rak.
The German Club, or Deutscher Klub, was founded around 1890, and moved into permanent premises on the south side of Surawong Road in 1896.
It was equipped with tennis courts, a gymnasium, billiard tables and a bowling alley, the last of was a well-known source of intrigue among local Thais.
[9] The Montien Hotel [th] opened in 1967, and is well known for its modernist design by national artist Mitrarun Kasemsri as well as the interior decorations featuring art by famed traditional artisan Paiboon Suwannakudt.
