Surawong Road

Surawong road in front of The British Club in 2009

Gay bar in Soi Pratuchai, it connects Surawong, Si Lom alley 2 and Rama IV roads.

Surawong Road (Thai: ถนนสุรวงศ์) is an one road and three-way junction in Bangkok located in Suriyawong and Si Phraya sub-districts, Bang Rak district. It's a short road that can be considered as a counterpart with Si Lom and Si Phraya roads nearby.

Its name "Surawong" after Chao Phraya Surawong Wattanasak or To Bunnag (while he was Phraya Siharat Dechochai), an aristocrat who bought land and built two roads, one is road runs from Charoen Krung road to the end of Khlong Wua Lamphong (currently, the area near Hua Lamphong railway station and Rama IV road). And one starts from the road before that toward east and spans canal until ends at Si Lom road. When both roads were built successfully, his wife Than Puying Talab sked for names from the Queen Saovabha Phongsri, she was the regent of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who traveled to many European countries in 1897. The queen gave two names "Surawong" for first route and "Decho" for second route, both of them are named in honour of her husband.

However, for Surawong in the reign of King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), it was renamed "Suriyawong" (สุริยวงศ์) according to Prince Paribatra Sukhumbandhu's considers, the old name is unlikely to be spelled correctly on August 11th, 1930 (this name has become a sub-district in Bangrak). Before that It's called "Suriwong" (สุริวงศ์) for a period of 30 years.

Presently, it's officially named "Surawong".

This road is considered to be another Bangkok's business district alike Si Lom and Sathon roads nearby. Moreover, the famous and well-known nightlife are Patpong, Thaniya include Soi Pratuchai. They're also portions of the road.^[1]

References

Coordinates: 13°43′31.50″N 100°30′58.48″E / 13.7254167°N 100.5162444°E / 13.7254167; 100.5162444