At a glance, Charoen Krung Road looks no different from other Bangkok streets -- it's jammed with traffic most of the day and surrounded by clusters of buildings and narrow footpaths.
Late at night, the busy road turns quiet. Signs warning of "snatch and run" thieves appear in small alleys. Dark corners behind rows of buildings keep some passers-by out.
In some parts Charoen Krung Road is only 200 metres from the Chao Phraya River. But many local residents say they have never spent a single day relaxing by the waterfront.
There is limited access to the riverside, which is mostly occupied by grand hotels and tourist developments, commercial buildings or government land.
Local groups are seeking to change all that, by looking at the potential of the road and surrounding areas, along an 8.5km stretch through Bang Rak, Sathon and Ban Kho Laem, to become a creative district.
At Charoen Krung Soi 36, at the back of a high-rise luxury hotel, jewellery artist Atinuj Tantivit, 41, is renting a 50 square metre space in a shopping centre for her business, Atta Gallery.
The gallery showcases local and international contemporary jewellery. She pays about 50,000 baht a month in rent, an amount that could get her twice the space in other districts. Attracted by the mix of the old and the new, she is happy to be located there despite the higher rent.
Ms Atinuj said it creates an atmosphere conducive to her business, with historic buildings and a steady flow of high-end customers who appreciate, and are willing to pay for, art.
"I like this area," she said. "There are many artists who want to launch creative businesses here. But the expensive rent is a big barrier."
ABANDONED SPACE
Look through old photographs from the early 20th century of Charoen Krung, which translates to "flourishing town", and you discover it certainly lives up to its name.
Early photographs show it was the most modern, and Westernised, street of Bangkok at the time. Trams with advertisements from Coca-Cola ran down the middle of street, while three-wheeled carts, horse-drawn carriages and early-model cars jostled for road space. A giant Kodak sign was located on the roof of a neoclassical building.
Built in 1861 during the reign of Rama King IV, Charoen Krung served international visitors who arrived in Bangkok via the Chao Phraya River.
The headquarters of foreign embassies and customs house were located there. Most of the important buildings fronted the river, an indication of Chao Phraya's importance as a transport route.
But as the number of Bangkok's roads increased, many buildings -- such as the British embassy, the post office and customs -- moved to new commercial districts such as Silom, Sukhumvit and Chaeng Wattana, leaving Charoen Krung to face a decline in its wealth and status.
Today, Charoen Krung Road itself cannot support the expansion of a modern economy, said Peeradorn Kaewlai, an assistant professor of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at Thammasat University, who has been studying the potential of the area for more than four years.
Owners of many of the private properties have abandoned their buildings as they do not see any economic potential, he said.
According to a survey conducted by his faculty in association with the Thailand Creative Design Centre (TCDC), 20% of the commercial buildings located on Charoen Krung were unoccupied in 2013.
Another survey in 2015 found the number of abandoned buildings had fallen to 18%, or 175 properties.
"This is considered a lot," said Mr Peeradorn. "If we can inject new businesses [into these buildings] Charoen Krung will recover. These are opportunities."
Many empty buildings have been shut down because the owners, many of whom have interests in large local and international companies, have properties in other districts that better suit their business needs.
They are not struggling financially and are in no rush to rent out the space, said Mr Peeradorn. Despite this, rent in the area is still considered expensive.
Property investors are also speculatively buying up shophouses to accumulate enough space to build high-rise condominiums or shopping malls in the future.
Other abandoned buildings belong to government agencies such as the Crown Property Bureau and Treasury Department.
I'M STILL STANDING
Thammasat's architecture faculty also identified many valuable historical buildings reflecting the cultural diversity along Charoen Krung Road.
There are some iconic building such as the Grand Postal Building, a grey neoclassical edifice used as a communication centre during World War II. Today, the 75-year-old building is a postal museum.
Just 400 metres from the Grand Postal Building a century-old fire station and a former Customs House stand dilapidated and ignored in a narrow alley by the river. They are covered in flaking paint and the exterior shows serious signs of decay.
Not far away, at the back of the five-star Shangri-La Hotel, is the old Ban Au Mosque hidden among aged wooden houses.
Within walking distance there is also a 150-year-old Chinese Shrine, the Roman Catholic Assumption Cathedral, consecrated in 1919, and the Yannawa Temple dating back to the Ayutthaya period (1350-1767).
Due to its unusual mix of culture and religion, Mr Peeradorn believes Charoen Krung should become a creative district, rather than a purely commercial area dwarfed by giant modern buildings.
To attract people and promote the economy, he said, space should be made affordable to creative and cultural communities.
This means government policies should be introduced with incentives for the private sector to provide the space.
Urban planning laws allow the construction of high-rise buildings in Charoen Krung, so new laws that protect old buildings and maintain the historic image of Charoen Krung and surrounding districts should be implemented urgently, he said.
"When we talk about urban renewal, we talk about the next generation," Mr Peeradorn said. "Developers may not be able to see that today."
In an indication that the message is getting across, the TCDC announced a plan to move its headquarters to the Grand Postal Building early next year, in the hope of bringing more creative people to Charoen Krung.
The TCDC was established in 2004 under the government of then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as a hub to connect and promote interaction among creative workers and entrepreneurs.
Its headquarters are now in the Emporium shopping complex on Sukhumvit Road. It stages regular exhibitions and its library is open to visitors.
The planned move to Charoen Krung is said to have been encouraged by the history and identity of the area which lends itself to a creative atmosphere.
But the TCDC has a bigger plan than just moving in; it wants to renew the district.
The "Co-create Charoen Krung" project was launched in November last year as a start-up to achieve that goal.
"We don't want to just move into the place. We want to involve local people to create a liveable space for everyone," said Charintip Leeyavanich, the TCDC's senior research and development officer.
"We want to bring a dynamic to the area. The global trend is heading in the direction of creative cities."
NOW SHOWING
After launching Co-create Charoen Krung, TCDC staff ran a series of workshops and surveys with stakeholders including residents, local administration and the private sector to find what they want in the future.
Ms Charintip said some shocking truths came out. Many residents never hung out by the Chao Phraya River despite it being so close.
Also, many weren't aware they were surrounded by historical buildings and complained of a dearth of public spaces, saying there wasn't even a small public park.
Many Charoen Krung residents work in other districts, while those working in the area typically come from outside, meaning the streets are often quiet at night.
This weekend, the TCDC is displaying mock-ups of buildings and renovations it would like to see in different spots along Charoen Krung to gauge people's reactions.
Among the mock-ups is a green pocket and signage directing people to interesting spots. Abandoned shophouses have been temporarily opened for artistic workshops and photo exhibitions. The TCDC has contacted owners of commercial buildings asking them to open their riverfront terraces for film screenings and music and dance performances.
Ms Charintip is hoping the event sends a message, showcasing ideas for a rejuvenated district.
The project is also part of TCDC research that will be submitted to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Bang Rak district office.
"The state and private sectors may not see the economic potential [of a creative district] now. But they will," Ms Charintip said.
"Urban renewal is still a new concept in Thailand. It needs time to make people understand, but we are going to have a good start."
There is also an emerging movement in the business sector of Bang Rak and Klong San districts to attract creative individuals and small businesses.
They launched the Creative District Foundation in collaboration with universities, government bodies, hotels and developers, small business, and local artists and artisans.
"Tourists will want to go where the locals hang out, and they are also more interested in the real Bangkok than shops they can find in every big city in the world," said David Robinson, director of Bangkok River Partners (BRP) and a core member of the foundation.
"If we can do all this we can renew and revitalise the areas along the river where we are working."
Today, funky bars and restaurants, hostels and boutique hotels, artists spaces and small shops have already established themselves along the road in the area between the Saphan Taksin BTS and Hua Lamphong MRT stations.
Further walking areas will generate business for the shops and street vendors, Mr Robinson said. The challenge is maintaining the authenticity and social fabric of the riverside.
His team has been regularly approached by groups or individuals who ask how they can become involved in developing a creative district.
In terms of providing affordable rental space, the BRP is holding talks with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, the Crown Property Bureau, the Treasury Department and local building owners.
The key is to keep an open mind and balance persistence with patience, Mr Robinson said.
ALMOST SHANGRI-LA
Living in a shophouse at the back of the Shangri-La Hotel since his childhood, businessman Somkid Weerapongsakul, 54, wants to see improvements made to the area.
Despite the success of his family business, an importer of tools used in cutting granite, he said he has to overcome traffic jams, alleys without footpaths, cars parked in prohibited areas, unsafe street corners and road accidents. He also laments the lack of public space in which to exercise.
He said schoolchildren are placed at risk from motorcycles driving fast down narrow lanes. Access to the local mosque is often blocked by vehicles as the drivers are unable to find free parking elsewhere. He fears people would be trapped if fire engulfed their community as the streets are always filled with parked cars.
Expensive rents also trouble locals, he said. Street vendor are charged 300 to 400 baht a day to station a cart in front of private buildings.
Mr Somkid said offering affordable rental space for businesses to local residents so they can work close to home is important too. Solving the chaos of vehicles on the streets is also a must.
Trams, such as the those in old photographs, would be good if they can solve traffic problem, he said. "Who knows? Maybe a creative district will bring people in that can solve all these sources of frustration."
Past and present: Clockwise from top left, the Grand Postal Building; Muang Kae temple under the shadow of a skyscraper; the abandoned fire station; and the Assumption Cathedral.
Room to move: Charoen Krung Road, below left, and Siphaya intersection, right, in the 1970s.
Change of art : Atta Gallery, above; Haroon Mosque, top right; and a mural on the wall leading to Grand Postal Building, right.
Highs and lows: The community of Bang Rak is home to a wide array of buildings, from abandoned skyscrapers to dilapidated shophouses. Inset, at street level Talad Noi is bustling with activity.
Melting pot: Inside the Ban Au Muslim community on Charoen Krung Road.