Rama 3 - Hidden gem?

[digbeth]

Despite being around Thailand for around 2 decades, I'd only recently been around Rama 3 road on the riverside...

 

seems like a curious area developmentwise, despite the closeness to the cbd like Silom/Sathorn and Asoke/Sukhumvit, the area is still underdeveloped, plenty of empty land plots or old warehouses. Some old money houses and early 90s condos, some new ones are starting to pop up both low-end and mid high end. Walking around the couple of community malls, mostly Thais, but surprisingly lots of Indians(Thais but seems like new generations also) A bit of Chinese, hardly any Farangs around.  Shopwise, ther's a Tesco and Foodland, and with Terminal21 coming, things could only get better, if you don't have to commute into other areas of Bangkok for work, you could consider this a mini suburb you can comfortably live in.

 

Transportation wise, the riverside road is practically traffic free, but access to other part of Bangkok is bottlenecked at Klongtoei and is atrocious during rush hour, roadwork construction would see this continue for another couple of years at least. Expressway connection is close but not much good when Jammed up anyway. On motorbikes, Silom or Sukhumvit is only half an hour away. Commuting in/out carwise, it's probably just as bad as area like Ratchada. There's the BRT bus which is infrequent and doesn't look like it will be there forever.

 

The views from the riverside condos overlooking Bang Krachao is pretty good.. most of the buildings already up are not full, a couple of new build site looks stalled 

 

With many underdeveloped land around I'm surprised it hasn't been bought up more... seem like an area with good potential, closer to the city centre than many of the suburbs that's more built up... has anyone lived there or got a take on why it hasn't taken off? 

[mstevens]

I lived down that way between 2003 and 2010. That's a good few years ago, I know, but still have friends down there and gather the traffic patterns aren't all that different these days. It is quiet at the weekends and getting to and from Sukhumvit and Silom is easy then. Weekdays are another story and the traffic getting to and from the central city can be really, really bad from Monday to Friday. That to me was the major downside of living down there. If you have little need to get in to the downtown area then Rama 3 has a lot going for it. Plenty of river-view condos down there too, and not that pricey.

[gamesgplayemail]

2 decades to reach rama 3. Soon you discover Khao san road ❤️

 

 

[digbeth]

9 hours ago, gamesgplayemail said:

2 decades to reach rama 3. Soon you discover Khao san road ❤️

 

 

I was stuck in Pattaya... for most of that time too

[Number 6]

I don't find the area appealing. River? Yes, but no public transportation. If you live this far out might as well  really live in the provinces. Further, pollution is worse

down there.

 

Hardly a gem.