Phloen Chit Road


Phloen Chit Road is a major road in central Bangkok. Located entirely within in Lumphini Subdistrict of Pathum Wan District, it runs a short distance of between Ratchaprasong Intersection and the Maenam railway branch line, forming a continuation of the westward Rama I Road and then itself continuing on to the east as Sukhumvit Road. It serves the neighbourhoods of Ratchaprasong, Chit Lom Intersection and Phloen Chit Intersection, which are home to major shopping malls, hotels and office towers. The areas are served by the Chit Lom and Phloen Chit Stations of the BTS skytrain, whose Sukhumvit Line runs above Phloen Chit Road.

History

Phloen Chit Road was built in 1920, in the reign of King Vajiravudh. Much of the area was then developed by the enterprising Chinese businessman Nai Lert, who bought large amounts of land, building for himself an estate and subdivided the rest into plots to sell. The British Embassy, established on the corner of Phloen Chit Intersection in 1922, used to occupy one of the largest compounds in the area.
Its name "Phloen Chit" means "enjoy the mind" from the proposal of Prince Narathip Praphanphong. Because in those days, the location of this road can be considered a suburb and far away from the downtown. Therefore had to travel with inconvenience, so people are often referred to by the irony that "don't worry".