Bangkok · Sathorn

Sathorn and Silom

Sathorn and Silom are among the older business districts in Bangkok. The BTS Silom Line serves Sala Daeng, Chong Nonsi, Surasak and Saphan Taksin. The MRT Blue Line stops at Silom and Sam Yan. Many offices are still here, even as newer towers have gone up at Rama 9 and elsewhere.

Weekdays are crowded, both on the pavements and in the stations. Some streets quiet down on Saturday and Sunday, which can be a relief if you live here and a problem if you hoped for shops to stay open. The river is close at Saphan Taksin, where you can pick up a Chao Phraya boat. That is useful for trips to the older river piers; it will not help you get to a Sukhumvit soi any faster than the train.

Housing is a mix of older apartments, a few houses on quieter sois, and condominiums packed around the stations. Some of the sois off Sathorn are surprisingly still once you leave the main road. Check flood reports for low-lying pockets near the river and ask the building about its backup plans in heavy rain. Also ask about noise if your windows face an expressway or a late-opening street off Silom.

If you work in this district and have children at a school in the east, the cross-city trip will take a visible part of the day. Read schools by area before you choose a lease length.