Local artists revive Bangkok’s historical waterside

Along Klong Bang Luang – once a busy canal in Bangkok – people are often drawn to a pagoda in the middle of an old teak house, its battered surface is covered in moss and creepers, along with some obvious traces of a bygone era.

Formerly part of Kamphaeng Bangchak temple, the pagoda has been the centrepiece of “The Artist’s House” – Ban Silapin, as it is locally known – since it opened in 2009. The space is dedicated to art and offers a platform for local artists to create and display their work.

Back in 2007, the community was quiet and rundown. Boats and waterways had been superseded by cars and roads. Residents had left their wooden houses by the canal for new accommodation and careers downtown.

Visitors to Klong Bang Luang breathe new life into a declining community and help preserve a traditional way of life. To make art more accessible to the public, the House’s founders hope that businesses will be created there. The transformation of Klong Bang Luang took place gradually as The Artist’s House became better known among tourists from around the world. Small shops, eateries and B&Bs emerged along the canal, which is now part of many boat tour routes.

Contemporary art and remnants of the past stand side-by-side in a lush green space behind the two-storey teak house, which once belonged to a family of goldsmiths.

For more than a decade, Klong Bang Luang has drawn visitors, to watch traditional performances by a troupe of Thai puppeteers.

The Artist’s House was forced to close temporarily when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted tourism and social activities. The impact was felt across the neighbourhood. The puppet show was discontinued and relocated to the Kamphaeng Bangchak temple, a short walk away.

Visitors can now enjoy drinks from a bijoux cafe, browse in the shop and gallery, or simply relax in the building and soak up the slow life by the waterway.