Expat enclave: Chinese expat population doubles, Bangkok's Ratchada becomes ‘Chinatown’

[webfact]

Expat enclave: Chinese expat population doubles, Ratchada becomes ‘Chinatown’

By Coconuts Bangkok 

 

Photo: Robert Torres/Flickr

 

Bangkok’s expat population isn’t what it used to be, and that’s having an effect on the city’s property rental market.

 

In past years, the majority of expats hailed from Europe, North America and Japan. Today, Chinese nationals make up large part of the expat community as well. Today, Chinese nationals hold 13.3 percent of Thai work permits, which represents a 19.4 percent increase since last year. Over the last five years, the number of Chinese employees doubled, making them the second-largest expat population.

 

Japanese citizens have, traditionally, been the largest expat nationality in Thailand. They have accounted for more than 25 percent of expats working in Thailand. However, now they are down to 22.8 percent this year.

 

Over the last few decades, Japanese and Western expats usually chose to live along Sukhumvit, near Lumpini Park or in Sathorn.

 

Full story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/11/17/expat-enclave-chinese-expat-population-doubles-ratchada-becomes-chinatown

 

-- © Copyright Coconuts Bangkok 2016-11-17

[fruitman]

Well in the real Chinatown every small corner is occupied by somebody so it's time to expand the area.

 

Chinatown is absolutely lawless though, there are no trafficrules and you can park where you like, yup even on the busy road.

 

There's double pricing everywhere and sidewalks are for vendors. Pushing people is normal and good service is nowhere to be found.

Also nobody speaks english except the new generation who's been abroad to study, soon they will own BKK and Thailand i assume.

 

But the Chinese are real businesspeople and i hope they move their business to other neighbourhoods in BKK who are better accessable by public transport. The electronic department should move to the old Phuntip mall. 

 

The Chinese are very rude and unmannered, they laugh about being corrected and don't care at all. There are still decent well mannered chinese shops though who won't extort farang and even offer you to eat with them.

 

I wished there was a big Japanese town in BKK with shops and restaurants, also a farangtown...but that will stay a dream i guess.

[trogers]

Chinatown?

 

Meaning infestation of drugs and gambling enclaves?

[kotsak]

The first mass wave arrived 3 generations ago, and now these.. Resistance is futile,  assimilation is inevitable 

[tonray]

40 minutes ago, trogers said:

Chinatown?

 

Meaning infestation of drugs and gambling enclaves?

There has been an explosion of karaoke 'clubs' on Ratchada. Selling expensive liquor and renting time for both booths and 'attendants' is big business. What is so funny is after they leave the club they head over to the MaxValue store a hundred meters away to stock up on the after 8 PM discounted prepared meals.

[trogers]

12 minutes ago, tonray said:

There has been an explosion of karaoke 'clubs' on Ratchada. Selling expensive liquor and renting time for both booths and 'attendants' is big business. What is so funny is after they leave the club they head over to the MaxValue store a hundred meters away to stock up on the after 8 PM discounted prepared meals.

 

Shows the class of Chinese populating that area...

[Lupatria]

Nearer, My God, to Thee.

[JAFO]

And to think, some people here want easier Visa requirements. Imagine what would happen. Some people think its a problem now, give it another 5 years. Look at what happened to California. Its new nickname is ChinaFornia.

[yellowboat]

Huai Khwang has always had a fairly large Chinese population.  It must just be getting larger. Still prefer the original Chinatown .   

[Grubster]

2 hours ago, JAFO said:

And to think, some people here want easier Visa requirements. Imagine what would happen. Some people think its a problem now, give it another 5 years. Look at what happened to California. Its new nickname is ChinaFornia.

Mexifornia by far.

[dunroaming]

The changing face of Thailand and the world.  Expect an influx of the newly wealthy Chinese, not only in Thailand but elsewhere as well.

[trogers]

4 hours ago, fruitman said:

Well in the real Chinatown every small corner is occupied by somebody so it's time to expand the area.

 

Chinatown is absolutely lawless though, there are no trafficrules and you can park where you like, yup even on the busy road.

 

There's double pricing everywhere and sidewalks are for vendors. Pushing people is normal and good service is nowhere to be found.

Also nobody speaks english except the new generation who's been abroad to study, soon they will own BKK and Thailand i assume.

 

But the Chinese are real businesspeople and i hope they move their business to other neighbourhoods in BKK who are better accessable by public transport. The electronic department should move to the old Phuntip mall. 

 

The Chinese are very rude and unmannered, they laugh about being corrected and don't care at all. There are still decent well mannered chinese shops though who won't extort farang and even offer you to eat with them.

 

I wished there was a big Japanese town in BKK with shops and restaurants, also a farangtown...but that will stay a dream i guess.

 

There is a Japanese and Korean shopping mall each, next to each other in Sukhumvit 26, behind Big C Rama 4.

[SiSePuede419]

"expats working in Thailand"

 

Should have used quotes around "working", 555

[soalbundy]

bang goes the neigbourhood,who would want to live in a condo full of Chinese

[Tiffer]

Once again proving that Toyland has never been colonized and never will be...

[YeahSiam]

5 hours ago, trogers said:

Chinatown?

 

Meaning infestation of drugs and gambling enclaves?

 

As opposed to farang enclaves packed with alcoholics, perverts and paedophiles?

4 hours ago, trogers said:

 

Shows the class of Chinese populating that area...

 

And what's the class of the farangs grazing on 30 baht meals at Tesco Lotus?

[henry15]

6 hours ago, fruitman said:

Well in the real Chinatown every small corner is occupied by somebody so it's time to expand the area.

 

Chinatown is absolutely lawless though, there are no trafficrules and you can park where you like, yup even on the busy road.

 

There's double pricing everywhere and sidewalks are for vendors. Pushing people is normal and good service is nowhere to be found.

Also nobody speaks english except the new generation who's been abroad to study, soon they will own BKK and Thailand i assume.

 

But the Chinese are real businesspeople and i hope they move their business to other neighbourhoods in BKK who are better accessable by public transport. The electronic department should move to the old Phuntip mall. 

 

The Chinese are very rude and unmannered, they laugh about being corrected and don't care at all. There are still decent well mannered chinese shops though who won't extort farang and even offer you to eat with them.

 

I wished there was a big Japanese town in BKK with shops and restaurants, also a farangtown...but that will stay a dream i guess.

 you should visit Isitan, many japanese shops, restaurant, bakeries and a Japanese supermarket

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, trogers said:

There is a Japanese and Korean shopping mall each, next to each other in Sukhumvit 26, behind Big C Rama 4.

 

I only know Isetan and Tokyo and Zen, what is the name of those malls? I probably know them but i miss a real neighbourhood like in Chinatown.

[fruitman]

3 minutes ago, henry15 said:

 you should visit Isitan, many japanese shops, restaurant, bakeries and a Japanese supermarket

 

I sure do that, everything is great there but i miss a japanese neighbourhood. In Tokyo it's great to walk around, small shops are also very good there, no traffic, good pavements, good transport, great food, polite people...and everything high quality for almost same price as BKK malls.

[trogers]

23 minutes ago, fruitman said:

 

I only know Isetan and Tokyo and Zen, what is the name of those malls? I probably know them but i miss a real neighbourhood like in Chinatown.

 

J Village and K Village

[trogers]

1 hour ago, YeahSiam said:

 

As opposed to farang enclaves packed with alcoholics, perverts and paedophiles?

 

And what's the class of the farangs grazing on 30 baht meals at Tesco Lotus?

 

And we know the ghettos these farangs reside...

 

But this post is about the up and coming Chinese ghettos...

[Thechook]

China coloncise Thailand years ago and thais can't see this.

[trogers]

56 minutes ago, Thechook said:

China coloncise Thailand years ago and thais can't see this.

 

Years ago, or centuries ago?

[bumpkin]

China has 20+ % of world population.  Why is it surprising that  Chinese nationals hold 13+ % of Thai work permits ? Many Chinese are very "business minded" and have relocated to countries all over the world  to make a new life through hard work.

[Moonmoon]

12 hours ago, fruitman said:

Well in the real Chinatown every small corner is occupied by somebody so it's time to expand the area.

 

Chinatown is absolutely lawless though, there are no trafficrules and you can park where you like, yup even on the busy road.

 

There's double pricing everywhere and sidewalks are for vendors. Pushing people is normal and good service is nowhere to be found.

Also nobody speaks english except the new generation who's been abroad to study, soon they will own BKK and Thailand i assume.

 

But the Chinese are real businesspeople and i hope they move their business to other neighbourhoods in BKK who are better accessable by public transport. The electronic department should move to the old Phuntip mall. 

 

The Chinese are very rude and unmannered, they laugh about being corrected and don't care at all. There are still decent well mannered chinese shops though who won't extort farang and even offer you to eat with them.

 

I wished there was a big Japanese town in BKK with shops and restaurants, also a farangtown...but that will stay a dream i guess.

not true, chinatown yaowarat is much better nowadays. 

 

no more illegal parking. if u do u face a wheel clamp n 500 baht fine. no bribes. 

 

infact i m at chinatown now.

[YeahSiam]

53 minutes ago, bumpkin said:

China has 20+ % of world population.  Why is it surprising that  Chinese nationals hold 13+ % of Thai work permits ? Many Chinese are very "business minded" and have relocated to countries all over the world  to make a new life through hard work.

 

Those being negative towards the Chinese are making the mistake of believing that all Chinese are like the package tourists who flock here.

Just another way in which self-important farangs like to imagine they're more upmarket than everyone else..........and they're so not.

[fruitman]

5 hours ago, Moonmoon said:

not true, chinatown yaowarat is much better nowadays. 

 

no more illegal parking. if u do u face a wheel clamp n 500 baht fine. no bribes. 

 

infact i m at chinatown now.

 

Strange, i 'm also in yaowarat often and see cars parked everywhere on the roads holding up traffic.  I've also seen the wheelclamps but i bet handyman somchai can easy detach them with some tools.

 

Latest trick they do is just park anywhere you like but keep the driver in the car.

 

 

[impulse]

6 hours ago, YeahSiam said:

Those being negative towards the Chinese are making the mistake of believing that all Chinese are like the package tourists who flock here.

Just another way in which self-important farangs like to imagine they're more upmarket than everyone else..........and they're so not.

 

And even more egregious is their firm belief that the only acceptable behavior worldwide is the one they learned in the little patch where they grew up.  

 

Which begs the question, why even bother traveling if the behavior of people not like their countrymen is so abhorrent to them?

 

[fruitman]

4 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

And even more egregious is their firm belief that the only acceptable behavior worldwide is the one they learned in the little patch where they grew up.  

 

Which begs the question, why even bother traveling if the behavior of people not like their countrymen is so abhorrent to them?

 

 

Don't worry mate, you won't see me in China for a holiday. My wife went there alone last month, without me. China mainland that is, i 've been to Hongkong where the better mannered chinese live and it's perfect there.

 

Last week in Singapore i saw the whole group of chinese tourists run to the shortes qeueu at the immigration and started pushing there. It was the lane for handicapped and the officer yelled very loud NO NO NO to them. When they came into the normal qeueu's they had big fun about that. Little brats they are, they even had a guide with them.

[trogers]

7 hours ago, bumpkin said:

China has 20+ % of world population.  Why is it surprising that  Chinese nationals hold 13+ % of Thai work permits ? Many Chinese are very "business minded" and have relocated to countries all over the world  to make a new life through hard work.

 

Sorry to prick your bubble. You forgot to include the deciding factor. Why would they stork up on discounted 7-11 ready to eat food? Because they spent most of those hard earned money in the expanding karaokes...

 

Don't underestimate the weakness of the flesh...which had led a German to kill his wife back home...