SeeSilom

Old Customs House

ศุลกสถาน

This is where the 19th-century port of Bangkok used to be. Now it is a crumbling building that needs a lot of renovation to get back into a useful state, but its obvious that this grand colonial-style home was once the pride of the area. It was built in the 1880s and used to levy taxes on traders that moved in and out of Siam. It's not open to the public, but you can walk around and try to grasp the atmosphere of Bangkok in earlier times. It was used in Wong Kar-wai's In the Mood for Love, a great film worth the watch.

outdoors

Address: Charoen Krung Soi 36
Getting there: Oriental Pier

Directions Suggest a nearby place

Listing from Wikivoyage: Bangkok/Silom, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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DrinkSilom
Bamboo Bar
Jazz lovers will want to stop by the Oriental's famous bar, which is surprisingly small and intimate, for classy colonial surroundings, live music and a Cuban cigar. Dress code applies: no shorts, sleeveless shirts, slippers or sandals.
Fri Sat 11:00-02:00, Sun-Thu 11:00-01:00
BuySilom
O.P. Place
This luxury neo-classical building is a great starting point for your antiques hunt through Silom. There are many floors with different shops selling antiques, carpets, decorations, handicrafts, jewellery, paintings, silk and many other cultural objects. The third floor is an arts and crafts gallery. The whole mall has a high-class atmosphere, so expect truly expensive objects on sale.
Daily 10:30-18:30
SeeSilom
East Asiatic Company Building
อาคาร บริษัท อีสท์ เอเชียติก เก่า
Right at the banks of the Chao Phraya River is this classical Venetian-style building from the Danish East Asiatic Company. It was built in 1901. A large share of foreign trade that came from the warehouses had to go through this building before heading for Europe. No public entry allowed.
SeeSilom
Assumption Cathedral
อาสนวิหารอัสสัมชัญ
The Assumption Cathedral is the main Roman Catholic church of Bangkok. The original building at this place was the brainchild of French missionary Father Pascal in 1809, and completed in 1821. Throughout the second part of the 19th century, the area surrounding the church played an important role for French Christian missionaries arriving in Bangkok. It is near the Oriental Hotel and the French Embassy in an area that still captures somewhat of its French history. The current church dates from the 1910s, when the building was completely reconstructed in a Romanesque style. It was heavily damaged by bombing in World War II, but was restored after extensive repairs. Its rectangular structure and red brick exterior makes it stand out from the dull white surroundings. Its interior is spacious with a high ornate ceiling. Pope John Paul II visited the church in 1984, showing the prominence of the church in the Roman Catholic community of Thailand. The only religious service in English is held Sundays at 10:00.
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