Ratchaprasong
Ratchaprasong (also Rajprasong) is the name of an intersection, and a shopping district named after it in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, adjacent to Siam District. Located at the BTS Skytrain's Chit Lom Station and the intersection of Phloenchit, Rama I and Ratchadamri Roads. The area is home to many shopping malls and hotels.
Attractions
- Erawan Shrine – A Hindu/Buddhist shrine in Bangkok, Thailand that houses a statue of four-faced Brahma Sahampati has regular dance performances put on by a troupe paid by worshippers whose prayers at the shrine were answered. Five other shrines are located in the area as well: Phra-mae Lakshmi, Phra Tri Murati, Phra Bighanesh (Ganesh), Phra Indra and Phra Narayana song suban.
- Festive season lights – Every year around Christmas and New Year, Ratchaprasong is heavily decorated with lights. The decorations were started by Peninsular Plaza and The Regent hotel (now Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok), and later expanded to Sogo (now a part of Amarin Plaza), CentralWorld, Central Chidlom and Gaysorn. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration also provides lights along the BTS Skytrain pillars. During the period, it is the brightest lit area of Bangkok.
- Foreign Correspondents' Club Thailand – Located in the penthouse of the Maneeya Building, the FCCT hosts guest speakers, talks on current events, movie screenings and art and photographic exhibitions.
Shopping
- Central Chidlom – Flagship department store of Thailand's biggest retail chain.
- CentralWorld – Southeast Asia's second largest shopping mall.
- Gaysorn – An upscale shopping centre devoted to designer-label luxury goods.
- Amarin Plaza – Formerly the Sogo Department Store, has shops devoted to Thai traditional arts and handicrafts as well as restaurants and other retailers.
- Big C Ratchadamri – Has shops, fitness centre and 10-screen EGV Metropolis cineplex.
Hotels
- Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok – Built on the site of the original Erawan Bangkok; also has a shopping arcade
- Holiday Inn Bangkok
- Intercontinental Bangkok – Has connecting bridge to Gaysorn through its President Tower shopping arcade.
- Four Seasons Hotel – Formerly The Regent Bangkok, at BTS Ratchadamri Station.
- Sawasdee Langsuan Inn (Chidlom - Sukhumvit) 93/4 Soi Lang Suan 5, Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330.
- Arnoma Hotel, Bangkok
Transportation
Incidents
In 2008, the Ratchaprasong intersection was one of the sites of protests of the "Yellow Shirts" against the government under Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin Shinawatra was eventually forced out of office by this political campaign.
In 2010, the Ratchaprasong intersection was one of the main sites of the 2010 Thai political protests. From March to May the "Red Shirt" protesters occupied a large area around Ratchaprasong intersection in an opposing political campaign aimed at reinstalling the government under Thaksin Shinawatra. The stage area and the surrounding tent city became knas "the red city." The major shopping malls and five-star hotels in the central area of Bangkok were forced to closed down during the occupation. Most civil residents of the area moved out for security concerns, after protesters started firing M-79 grenades into the neighbouring Silom district causing civilian deaths (e.g, attack on Sala Daeng Station on April 22 [1]). After weeks of failed negotiations, the Thai army moved in to clear the Ratchaprasong intersection on May 19, 2010. The violent government crack-down against the "Red Shirt" protesters resulted in the deaths of about 90 civilians. Protestors set fire to the buildings in the area[2], this included the destruction of Bangkok largest shopping mall, the CentralWorld shopping complex[3]. As of May 2011, reconstruction at the Ratchaprasong intersection is still ongoing.
References
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