Ban Khrua Nuea community

Few visitors to Bangkok realise that one of the city’s oldest Muslim communities sits just minutes from the BTS, tucked behind Ratchathewi’s shopping streets on the north bank of Khlong Saen Saep. Ban Khrua Nuea traces its origins to the reign of King Rama I, when Cham troops from Cambodia who had fought alongside the Siamese army in the Burmese-Siamese War of 1785–86 were granted land here as a reward for their service. Their descendants, now well over two centuries later, have maintained Cham Muslim identity, dialect, and craft within a sprawling modern city.

The community’s defining legacy is silk. Baan Khrua Nuea weavers had long produced hand-woven silk when an American entrepreneur named Jim Thompson arrived by canal boat in the early 1950s and recognised their artistry. Thompson began commissioning fabric from the community for his newly founded Thai Silk Company, introducing new dyeing techniques and international markets. The weavers here helped power a revival of Thai silk that reached global fame — the fabric was featured in the 1959 film Ben-Hur. Thompson’s mysterious disappearance in 1967 disrupted the trade, and today only a handful of families still work their looms, but the craft endures.

Walking through the narrow canal-side alleyways you will find traditional wooden houses alongside newer shophouses, small halal food stalls, and the Jamiul Khairiah Mosque, whose call to prayer marks the rhythm of the day. Residents are generally welcoming to respectful visitors who do not treat the neighbourhood as a performance. Dress modestly and arrive in the morning when the community is most active. Take the BTS to Ratchathewi station and walk about 10 minutes toward the canal, or hop on a Saen Saep canal boat and alight at the Baan Khrua pier. Entry is free.