TRAVEL todayThursday, March 7, 2019 THE WEST AUSTRALIAN

The hi-so half of the citychurns with sky-trains,bling malls, traffic mauls,temples and tour coaches.Yes — we’re talking

Bangkok. Meanwhile, the otherside of town, Thonburi(pronounced “Tonbury”), sittingjust across the Chao Phraya River,goes almost unnoticed by manyvisitors. Which makes Thonburi,Bangkok’s “left bank”, exactly theplace to explore next time you’rein the Thai capital. In fact,Thonburi was the Siam capitalbetween 1767 and 1782, before itwas moved across the river.

SETTING OUTWhere to start in this realm of“khlong” canals, hidden villagesand surprising Eurasian history?Firstly, book a stay here; youroptions run from several luxuryhotels to budget boltholes like thestylish, enigmatically named JNo.14 Hostel. Then find a map thatactually covers Thonburi (manydon’t even bother), hail a tuk-tukand be off.

“Even the tuk-tuk fares here arereasonable,” says my Thai guide,Amy, acknowledging the gougingthat happens on the other side oftown whenever a hapless “farang”tourist boards a tuk-tuk.

“The people here in Thonburiare more courteous, too,” she adds,meaning less commercially

hard-nosed. In short, moretraditionally Thai.

TARTED-UPWe rattle and rev the shortdistance to a curious littleThai-Portuguese enclave known asBaan Kudichin (or Kudeejeen). Itmeans “Chinese shrine village”,but we’re here not to pray but eatcake. In the early 16th century,Portuguese traders, missionariesand mercenaries were the firstEuropeans to settle in Siam (asThailand was known) and whilethose bloodlines have now thinned,their favourite pastry lives on.

Amy navigates narrow “soi”laneways past century-old teakhouses to the Thanusingha Bakery

House, the first bakeryestablished in Siam, where thespecialty is “kanom farang” —foreigner sweet. For over 200 years,this family bakery has made atraditional snack whose simpleingredients are duck eggs, sugarand wheat flour — no yeast orbutter — baked in cupcakemoulds. We sample the delicioustarts and then, moving down thelane to the next family-run shop, afew more along with coffee.

Now well tarted-up we check outthe private Baan KudichinMuseum, an elegant two-storey,colonial-style home where MrsNavinee Pongthai shows me

around the collection of historicmemorabilia from the oldKudichin community and her ownPortuguese-Thai heritage.

A CHOICE OF CHURCHESA few sois further on, we come to aBangkok riverfront landmark, thedomed Santa Cruz Church, builtby the Catholic community in 1770.There’s probably time to slip in fora quick Hail Mary, or perhaps toconfess that I’ve eaten too manykhanom farang, but the doorsdon’t open until afternoon, so wepress on to meet other gods.

The brilliant white stupa of WatPrayurawongsawat needles 60minto a cloudless blue sky. In 2005,the Buddhist abbot noticed that histemple’s celebrated steeple wastilting. Not wanting the165-year-old spire to become theleaning (or worse) tower ofBangkok, engineers were called inand were able to ingeniously bracethe hollow spire from withinrather than with external struts.The project won the UNESCOAward of Excellence in CulturalHeritage Conservation. We explorethe conical, brick-lined inner voidof the stupa, a wonderfullytranquil space that also has a finelittle museum attached.

Reaching the Chao Phraya’sriverfront walkway we find an

A Bangkok canal vendor sells her wares. Pictures: John Borthwick

Three Sixty Bar at the Millennium Hilton offers a stunning view of the Bangkok skyline.

Thai ‘left bank’ is just rightJOHNBORTHWICKescapes themodern bustleof Bangkok fora glimpse intoold-worldculture acrossthe river

BANGKOK

THAILAND

CAMBODIA

VIETNAM

MALAYSIA

MYANMARLAOS

www.shootworkshops.com.au / 224 Stirling Street, Perth WA 6000Email: enquiries@shootworkshops.com.au / Phone: 08 9228 8232

FACES & CROWDED PLACES $99Tuesday 12th March

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SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY $99Saturday 27th April

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LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY $99Sunday 7th April

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INTRO TO UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY (THEORY) $99Sunday 24th March

An introduction for land photographers to the underwater environment, the equipment options, and general photography considerations to help get a great shot below the surface.

Catch intricate‘barges’ at theRoyal BargesMuseum.

The museumhouses the king’slongboats.

Fact FileMillennium Hilton Hotel: hilton.comJ No.14 on Facebook: jno14.lodgment