By Amanda Mookjai | Bangkok Correspondent
Maha Wong Village is located approximately 3 kilometers northwest of Bangkok's city centre. Once the bustling center for immigrants from southern China, it is now a district strictly known for its simple, traditional Thai living in the big metropolis.
Maha Wong, which means "The Great Wong (Clan)" receives its name from one of the founding families of the village. During the late 18th century, the Kingdom of Siam received an influx of indentured servants from southern China, primarily Yunnan. Many of these people, mostly men, settled in the swampy, impoverished region that had very little to offer the growing metropolis that would become Bangkok. Chinese settlers, who were regularly commissioned by the Kingdom to work as fisherman, soldiers of Siam, and assistants in agriculture, used their knowledge and skills from the homeland in their new surroundings.
Laborers, merchants, and traders resided in the new village. Locals intermarried with Yunnanese and eventually established networks of middle-class families that sent their children to centers of learning, which include the famous Wat Po. The Wong family, who later changed their surname in 1912 to Wongsuwatprecha when the Thai government required all nationals to have both a first and last name, was one of the more affluent clans. Making their fortune primarily by selling textiles, the family had strong control over the trade of fabrics, carpets, and precious jewels and amulets.
Maha Wong Village is located approximately 3 kilometers northwest of Bangkok's city centre. Once the bustling center for immigrants from southern China, it is now a district strictly known for its simple, traditional Thai living in the big metropolis.
Maha Wong, which means "The Great Wong (Clan)" receives its name from one of the founding families of the village. During the late 18th century, the Kingdom of Siam received an influx of indentured servants from southern China, primarily Yunnan. Many of these people, mostly men, settled in the swampy, impoverished region that had very little to offer the growing metropolis that would become Bangkok. Chinese settlers, who were regularly commissioned by the Kingdom to work as fisherman, soldiers of Siam, and assistants in agriculture, used their knowledge and skills from the homeland in their new surroundings.
Laborers, merchants, and traders resided in the new village. Locals intermarried with Yunnanese and eventually established networks of middle-class families that sent their children to centers of learning, which include the famous Wat Po. The Wong family, who later changed their surname in 1912 to Wongsuwatprecha when the Thai government required all nationals to have both a first and last name, was one of the more affluent clans. Making their fortune primarily by selling textiles, the family had strong control over the trade of fabrics, carpets, and precious jewels and amulets.
Since the early 1900s, the Wongsuwatprecha family has remained in control of the majority of fashion boutiques, wholesale shops, and newspaper/magazine stands in Maha Wong Village. Many of the boutiques sell cheap, stylish goods imported from China or made in the Thai countryside. The shops, like the ones featured above, often contain items that appeal to the masses, including school children.
In addition to being a hub for locals to purchase some of their favorite items (with some of the most popular faces and brands in Southeast Asia), there is a diverse array of food to be found in Maha Wong. Some of the delicious delights present include guaytiaw kari, which is a noodle soup blending southern Chinese flavors and noodles with Thai ingredients. The curry noodle soup, which sells anywhere from 35-45 baht (foreigners are usually charged a bit more), is a mix of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors - typical of modern Thai dishes.
In addition to being a hub for locals to purchase some of their favorite items (with some of the most popular faces and brands in Southeast Asia), there is a diverse array of food to be found in Maha Wong. Some of the delicious delights present include guaytiaw kari, which is a noodle soup blending southern Chinese flavors and noodles with Thai ingredients. The curry noodle soup, which sells anywhere from 35-45 baht (foreigners are usually charged a bit more), is a mix of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors - typical of modern Thai dishes.
Noodle dishes like guaytiaw kari are very typical of this part of town and can be found in food stalls, sold by food peddlers, or enjoyed in one of the many open-air restaurants. Another local favorite food item includes a variation of the common tofu-links. The tofu links, which go for about 10 baht (or 30 cents USD), are cooked in pig fat and sprinkled with peanuts. They are also offered with the typical nam jeem gai (sweet and tangy sauce) that is used for grilled chicken.
If you're feeling daring, try the stuffed crabs. A very unique find, these stuffed crabs are only found in Maha Wong Village and are filled with corn and egg, tapioca, or rice. You can get a handful for roughly 25 baht, which we hear is a steal. Be careful: the outer shell isn't meant to be eaten but instead serves as a flavor lock for the goodies inside. However, after purchasing a few of these stuffed crabs we noticed a 12 year old munching on the crab shell seemingly without a problem.
After one has received their share of local eats, it would not be a complete day out without some coconut water. Coconuts, known to Thai people as maprao, are very typical year-round. The most delicious coconuts, according to a Maha Wong local coconut peddler, come from southern Thailand. One can distinguish their sweetness by how thick their shell is and how chewy the coconut meat feels. To be on the safe side, we purchased 3: at 15 baht (50 cents USD) a piece one can't go wrong!
One of the coconuts we tried was very sweet, filled with electrolyte-rich water that quenched our thirst and brought back the sparkle in our eyes. Another coconut seemed to have more shell and meat than water, while the third was simply OK. All in all, our coconut peddler friend taught us that the softer the shell the sweeter the water. Madame, you are right and we salute you.
One of the coconuts we tried was very sweet, filled with electrolyte-rich water that quenched our thirst and brought back the sparkle in our eyes. Another coconut seemed to have more shell and meat than water, while the third was simply OK. All in all, our coconut peddler friend taught us that the softer the shell the sweeter the water. Madame, you are right and we salute you.
After walking around Maha Wong Village for 2 hours, our team decided to head into the only air-conditioned space nearby - a local mall. Even in Thai winters, temperatures in Bangkok can exceed 85 degrees Fahrenheit without a problem. In Thailand, finding a mall, even a small one with air-con, is quite easy and much appreciated by locals and farang alike. We walked around and didn't notice anything too out of the ordinary with the exception of Singaporean tourists lost on their way to Wat Arun. They seemed content to find other English-speakers and immediately spurred a conversation. After 15 minutes, we knew that our adventure in Maha Wong Village couldn't be complete without capturing them on PdM. John, Lisa, and Lin eventually took a cab with us back into the city centre.
Maha Wong Village, both historically-captivating and a delicious adventure, is worth visiting, even for a short time. Locals know that no matter what time of year you go, it will be the same as it was the previous season. Travelers can appreciate how time sits still in this Thai-Chinese town while enjoying tofu-links and coconut water. Even as Bangkok continues to develop into a cosmopolitan Asian city, Maha Wong Village does a nice job of reminding us of the bits of Thai culture and history that are too often forgotten.
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