From the king's palace to Little India and Chinatown, through the old European quarter and on to the beginnings of Bangkok's modern business district, a stroll down Charoen Krung Road touches nearly all of the historical-cultural threads that weave this fascinating city together. With eclectic food, bustling markets and a diverse mix of attractions, it's also a feast for the senses. Khao San and Sukhumvit roads may be better known to travellers, but nowhere is Bangkok's spirit more vivid than along Charoen Krung.
Granting the wishes of European merchants who requested thoroughfares suitable for horses, the road was built by order of King Rama IV in 1861 and roughly follows the path of the Chao Phraya River. In those days, Bangkok was tied together by canals and dirt paths, and Charoen Krung is thought to have been the city's first proper road. The 8.5 kilometre-long avenue was initially called "New Road", but Rama IV officially named it Thanon Charoen Krung -- "Road of the Prosperous City".