Back Alleys of Bangkok: The Hidden Sights Perfect for Street Photography

The bustling, lively streets of Bangkok are bursting with excitement and charm, with characters and sights popping up everywhere you glance. It’s a street photographer’s paradise, and you can easily spend days on end capturing the daily life on the main strips. 

But you’ll find some of the most special shots slightly off the beaten track, through the back alleys that pump life through Bangkok. There’s the Grand Palace, Chinatown, and plenty of markets to visit too. All the gestures and colours and characters of the city will inspire enough photos for a second holiday just from sitting down at your photo editor.

If you are keen to capture all the vibrance and energy of Bangkok’s back alleys, here are our top must-see sights across Thailand’s bustling capital city.

Key Locations for Street Photography in Bangkok

Lamai Walking Street

Hit Lamai Walking Street first. It’s a market street pulsing with trades, smells, sights and life. Immerse yourself in the market first to get a feel of the street. And then take a physical and metaphorical step back to absorb the movement. As a photographer, you’ll find plenty of action to shoot here, both up close to the market and of the street itself.

Khao San Road

Filled to the brim with stores, people and neon signs, Khao San Road is world-famous for good reason. If you’re visiting Bangkok as a backpacker, it’s probably also where you’ll want to stay. There are bars, street food and a lively nightlife. It’s chaotic, exciting and completely chocked full of street photography opportunities. Check it out at different times of the day, too. At night, you’ll capture the bustling experience of nightlife in Bangkok, and during the day, you can get some great shots of a quieter, yet buzzing, street.

Yaowarat Road in Chinatown

Every major city may have a Chinatown, but Bangkok’s ranks among the best. Not only is the sheer size enormous, but the collection of Chinese restaurants creates a continuous festive feeling while the air is filled with the smell of delicious street foods. The main colour here is red, with red lanterns, neon signs and banners colouring the place. Everything is closely packed together, so bring a short lens – unless you want to try to wrangle a long lens through tight corridors and low ceilings. 

Ban Krua Area

Ban Krua Area has served as the centre of Bangkok Design Week. It has somehow managed to maintain a peaceful composure and old-town charm in the centre of the metropolis that is Bangkok. The area comprises alleyways that conjoin to form a cultural melting pot, blending Islamic culture with Thai houses, infrastructure and canals. We don’t have much advice for photographers here, just head to this area, and you’ll find endless inspiration.

Siam

In contrast, a trip to Siam after Ban Krua offers the epitome of what it means to live in a city. As the commercial hub of the city, Siam juxtaposed against the older neighbourhoods is a fascinating spectacle, and the vibe is truly different from the rest of the city. It’s sleek, upmarket and ultra-modern. For minimalist architecture and photography fans, you’ll find more engaging subjects down the back alleys of Siam than the rest of the city. It also attracts different people and lifestyles than the more touristy spots, giving you a better glimpse at the many sides of the city and its people. Because of all this, Siam is a must-visit area.

Nana/Soi Cowboy

For the nightlife hub of the city, try Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy. Bright lights, loud bars and all sorts of people visit these spots when the sun goes down. Soi Cowboy is the more laidback of the two, but both give you a glimpse at the city’s wild side. Shooting in this area will likely deliver some adult-only photos, so keep your wits about you and don’t capture anything intrusive, or ask permission before taking people’s photographs.

Maha Rat Road

Maha Rat Road runs along the river, with quirky market stalls on one side and some of the city’s best attractions on the other, including the Grand Palace. The palace is the Statue of Liberty of Bangkok. You’ve got to see it, and so does everyone else, meaning it’s a great spot to capture life in Bangkok. The Grand Palace is a complex of ornate buildings in the heart of Bangkok. But what makes for an even better shot, is the contrast between the river, the market stalls and the grandiose palace building, offering many flavours of Bangkok in one shot.

Khlong Toei Market

Lively, loud, chaotic and fun, these markets are another spot packed with potential photos to take. Also known as the flower markets, there are baskets and stalls and truckloads of flowers moving around the place at all times. You won’t have any trouble getting some striking images in this location, not to mention some fun gifts too.

The Journey to Bangkok’s Ultimate Photo Album

To give you a path to follow (or get sidetracked along), here’s how you explore the hotspots:

1. Start at Khao San Road.
2. Walk along to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
3. Visit the river and the Flower Market.
4. Follow the road along to Chinatown.
5. Finish at the Bangkok Railway Station.
6. Or go shopping in the Siam shopping district, or capture the nightlife in Nana/Soi Cowboy.

Street Photography Tips for Bangkok

Plan Your Route with a Map

The journey above can be a lot to pack into a day. Another way to get the most out of your trip is to plan the areas you want to visit on a Map before you head out for the day. That way you’re spending less time thinking about where to go or how to get there, and more time appreciating the location and taking photos.

Use Boat Taxis

Not only do the boat taxis allow for some unique and interesting angles and shots, but they’re the only way to visit some iconic photography spots. One popular boat taxi journey is to get picked up along the Chao Phraya River for an exciting way to get from the Grand Palace area to the flower markets.

Bangkok & Street Photography

As a tourist hub, people don’t mind a camera in Thailand. If you ask for a photo you’ll more than often be offered a smile – so much so it’s nicknamed the “Land of Smiles”. Because of this, street photographers tend to consider Bangkok a comfortable city to practise street photography and capture the local life. That said, like any city, there are bound to be areas and people who are less comfortable around cameras so be respectful of that.

Bangkok offers a rich, diverse street photography experience, from its royal landmarks and busy markets to its wild nightlife and modern shopping districts. While the city can feel overwhelming due to its size and spread, knowing where to go makes all the difference. So, get your things in order, book your flights, pack your camera and get ready for the trip of a lifetime. With this guide, you’ll be ready to navigate Bangkok’s streets and capture its unique character through your lens.

Disclaimer: This is a paid guest post by the author introduced below.