Though the small city of Tak rarely makes it onto anyone’s Thailand tour itinerary, it is worth visiting the historic neighbourhood of Ban Chin Alley (sometimes known as Trok Ban Chin) if you are driving through this part of the country. This street is the best-preserved part of old Tak, the area located just back from the Ping River. Though most transport in modern Thailand is based on its extensive highway network, things were different in the past. At that time, Thailand’s numerous rivers functioned as important transport arteries. Before walking down Ban Chin Alley, it is worth stopping for a look at the Ping. Its banks have a lush, tropical look as they pass through Tak.
In the early twentieth century, there was a thriving trader’s community located just back from the Ping River. Though the majority of the merchants were ethnically Chinese, they was also a substantial Thai minority. Unlike in other parts of South-East Asia, the relationship between the ethnic majority and the Chinese minority has been mostly harmonious in Thailand. You can even see this in the rooflines of the houses. While some of the houses follow Chinese models, there are also numerous fine examples of Thai vernacular architecture, including both houses and shops.
There is quite a range of buildings on the alley, reflecting a mixture of ethnicities and social classes which rubbed shoulders in the street’s heyday. While there are some modest, timber shops and houses, the street also includes some ostentatious mansions of rich Chinese merchants. There is also a mixture of vernacular and religious buildings. At one end of the street there is a leafy Thai wat, while the surrounding streets have a number of Chinese shrines. One commonality which united both communities was the Buddhist faith. This is not only evident in the places of worship. One house has an outstanding woodcarving of the Buddha on its exterior, which is done in a distinctly Chinese style. It shows the central Buddha figure flanked by two devotees and a wealth of vegetal motifs.
At this point, there is no commercialisation of the alley’s built heritage. There is a single business open on the street (a noodle shop) but this is very much a traditional business rather than a hipster-oriented venue. Nonetheless, there is a growing awareness of the street’s heritage value. The authorities have surveyed the street and put up signs about the history and design of the most important buildings. And at the time of our visit, some Thai tourists were using the buildings as backdrops for Instagram-style shots. If you want to see this street before it is commercially developed, you should come as quickly as possible.
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