The business heart of the country Like so much of Bangkok, Silom Road is a street of contrasts. The glass-clad office towers are populated by bankers, investors, corporate lawyers and the like, while on the kerbside there are young people selling cheap clothing and trinkets. Starting at the southern end, you’ll find the “The Gem Capital of The World” where there are many jewellery shops and out of sight in the offices, gem traders from around the world are negotiating with their Thai counterparts.
	In this area there is also a Indian temple where devotees stage colourful festivals according to their Hindu gods. The mid-section of Silom Road is mainly office buildings with some more jewellery shops, handicrafts and bronzeware shops. There is a small lane beside the Bangkok Bank headquarters building called Soi La Lai Sap which becomes very crowded at lunchtime as the female office workers shop for inexpensive cosmetics and clothes. There are also stall where they have their midday meal. On the northern end there are more office blocks and some department stores as well as many international fast food restaurants. And of course more kerbside vendors selling fried bananas.	The last side street on the northern end is Soi Thaniya which is like a “Little Tokyo” with its many bars and restaurants catering to an exclusive Japanese clientele. How to get there: Skytrain to Saladaeng Station. Subway to Silom Station. Bus routes 15, 76, 77, 163, 164, 177, 504, 514, 547
	As night falls, hundreds of vendors come out with their push carts to set up their stalls for the night market mainly near the entertainment district called Patpong, named after the man who built the street called Patpong Road. This is a well-known entertainment area that turns into a market as night falls. The street beomes crammed with the vendors selling clothes, watches, music discs and jewellery.