Nearly every Israeli visiting Thailand passes through Bangkok, a sprawling city with around 10 million residents. Its main thoroughfare stretches for 97 kilometers—almost the distance from Tel Aviv to Haifa. Bangkok is a city of contrasts: towering skyscrapers stand beside modest, leaning houses, and luxury malls neighbor bustling street food stalls. It's a vibrant city, full of colors and aromas, but also plagued by pollution and smog.
Bangkok is home to over 20,000 Buddhist temples and a lively Jewish community. Today, thousands of Israeli and American Jews live in the city, having originally arrived for work and decided to stay. Surprisingly, many Thais I spoke with were unfamiliar with the term "Jewish."
Synagogues in Bangkok
Bangkok has three operational synagogues, reflecting a richer Jewish history than other cities in the Far East. About a hundred years ago, Jews from Europe, Syria, and Iran arrived in Bangkok. Initially, they prayed in private homes. One community member bequeathed a plot of land for an Ashkenazi synagogue, "Beth Elisheva," named in her memory. The building, with its colorful Star of David stained glass and gate-like grilles shaped like a menorah, wasn't large. Recently, "Beth Elisheva" has been demolished for reconstruction (Address: Sukhumvit Soi 22).
The city also hosts a Sephardic synagogue, "Even Chen," established by jewelers—some of whom live in Bangkok permanently, while others visit for weeks or just days each year. "Even Chen" doesn’t have a permanent location, moving between hotels in Bangkok’s diamond district. Today, it operates under the leadership of Rabbi David Hadad at the Hilton Silom.
Thirty-three years ago, worshipers of "Beth Elisheva" wrote to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, requesting a rabbi. The Rebbe sent Rabbi Yosef Kantor, now the chief rabbi of Thailand. About three years later, Rabbi Kantor wrote to the Rebbe about his struggles in managing the community and the 30,000 tourists visiting each year (a number that has now grown to over 300,000). The Rebbe sent Rabbi Nechemya Wilhelm, who founded a unique Chabad House for travelers in 1995, the first of its kind in the world. Two years ago, a magnificent building for the Chabad House on Khao San Road was inaugurated, serving as a central meeting point for Israelis.
Jewish Cemetery
Around 20 years ago, a plot of land was purchased for a Jewish cemetery in central Bangkok. While there are no notable tombstones of great Jewish figures, it’s still worth visiting, if only to see a Jewish cemetery in an unexpected place. The tombstones are uniform in shape, reminiscent of those in a military cemetery in Israel.
The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace is one of Bangkok's top attractions. Built about 250 years ago by the king of Siam (the former name of Thailand), the royal palace is surrounded by a white concrete wall, enclosing numerous temples, gardens, and stunning architectural structures.
The most magnificent is Dusit, built on a marble platform. Phra Kaeo Temple, Thailand's most important temple, houses the Emerald Buddha, a symbol of the country’s good fortune. Visitors must dress modestly; shorts and sleeveless shirts are not permitted.
Today, the palace is used only for ceremonies, as the king resides in another palace in the city. Thais hold their king in high esteem, with his portrait and a special altar-like table, draped in a yellow cloth, prominently displayed along main streets and in many shopping centers. Preparations are currently underway for the king's birthday celebrations, and it’s illegal to criticize the king or discuss his age.
Chao Phraya River
From the Grand Palace, a 5-minute walk brings us to the river that bisects the city from north to south. Often called the "Venice of the East," the river features small canals and is traversed by narrow, long-tailed boats with noisy engines. There are also river buses that stop at nine stations along the way. Taking one of these boats is a great way to see how people once lived in Bangkok, with ancient wooden houses lining the riverbanks. It’s best to sail with a city map to understand what you’re seeing along the way.
Wat Arun Temple
While sailing on the river, you'll spot Wat Arun, a temple shaped like an inverted bell, towering 82 meters high. The structure is adorned with intricate architectural decorations, with each step reaching chest level. The temple's construction materials include Chinese ceramics, shells, and porcelain, adorned with numerous figures and geographical elements. Inside, there are stairs leading to an observation point with a panoramic view of the city. I recommend renting traditional attire from one of the outdoor stalls (for about 4 shekels) and taking photos with the temple in the background.
It’s worth visiting Wat Arun twice: once during the day after your river cruise to appreciate its architecture, and again at night. Despite its name, "Temple of Dawn," it’s even more beautiful at night when special lighting gives it a golden glow, enhanced by the ceramics’ shimmer. The best view is from the opposite bank of the river.
Floating Market
Located in the Damnoen Saduak area, the floating market is about an hour and a half drive from central Bangkok (when traffic isn’t jam). Plan to spend half a day here. On the docks and moorings, canoe-boats sell fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Women wearing wide-brimmed straw hats navigate these picturesque boats, some of which double as kitchens where locals cook soups and noodles. You can either walk along the banks or take a boat ride among the stalls. Once the local shopping center, the market has become primarily a tourist attraction since a more accessible road was built, leading locals to shop in the city center. As a result, many stalls and boats here have turned into souvenir shops.
Flower Market
The flower market offers a dazzling array of jasmine, orchids, and dozens of other types of flowers in various colors and sizes. At most stalls, women create bouquets or weave leaves into charming shapes like necklaces, stars, and cubes. Their skilled work is fascinating to watch. The market operates 24 hours a day, but it’s best to visit in the morning when boats and trucks arrive with fresh supplies, and local flower shop owners come to stock up.
The Train Market
Talat Rot Fai market’s stalls extend all the way to the train tracks, sometimes even between the rails. This market is crowded and vibrant, with the smell of dried fish in the air, though fabrics and vegetables are also sold here. Shoppers walk in the middle of the tracks.
Every half hour, an announcement is made: "Here comes the train," and the vendors quickly and efficiently clear their goods from the tracks. Some boxes are left close to the rails, just below the train car floors. The vendors also move aside the poles that support the shade canopies. The train slowly passes through the market, and as soon as it’s gone, the vendors immediately return their stalls to their previous positions.
Patpong Night Market
Bangkok is home to numerous night markets, which open at 8 PM. Visiting a night market is worth it for the experience alone, not just for shopping. One of the largest and most lively is Patpong, where you can find everything—clothes, toys, souvenirs, and tropical fruits like mangoes or guavas the size of a melon. Patpong is also a hub for counterfeit brands such as Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton wallets, and Adidas shoes, all at rock-bottom prices. You’ll also find many stalls selling Thai food, mainly various noodles and soups like shark fin soup. Some stalls even offer snake meat, various insects, and a small skinned crocodile, from which the vendor slices pieces, much like shawarma in Israel.
Shopping Malls
Bangkok is blessed with many modern malls offering a wide variety of goods. One of the largest is IconSIAM. Every evening at 7 PM, there is a colorful and musical water fountain show outside the mall on the promenade between it and the river.
Kidzania
If you’re traveling with children, Siam Paragon mall is a must-visit. Inside, you’ll find a small town with buildings and roads, where every child is invited to "work" in a profession of their choice, such as a doctor, builder, driver, chef, and more. The children receive matching professional attire and, after some training, work in their chosen profession. At the end, they receive a "salary" in local currency, which they can use to buy gifts at the local shop—an unforgettable experience.
Khao San Road
Khao San Road is often referred to as the "Israeli street" of Bangkok, or the "backpacker ghetto." It’s a vibrant, bustling area known for its lively nightlife, affordable accommodations, and unique atmosphere. Hebrew can be heard frequently on this street, which is lined with restaurants offering menus in Hebrew, street food vendors (some selling fried insects), bars, nightclubs, massage parlors, and shops selling electronics and jewelry—many of which are owned by Israelis. The street also features numerous travel agencies specializing in tours around Thailand.
It’s no surprise that a Chabad House was established here, serving as a central hub for Israeli tourists. The Chabad House is modern and luxurious, offering 5-star amenities. Inside, there are dairy and meat restaurants, luggage storage, and a laundry service. Naturally, there’s also a synagogue and a Beit Midrash, which includes a yeshiva, a children's daycare, and an elementary school. The second floor boasts a comfortable lounge with sofas, while the ground floor features a kosher grocery store. There is also a kosher supermarket on the other side of the city. Every Friday night, the Chabad House hosts a Kabbalat Shabbat dinner, attended by 300-600 Israelis, both locals and visitors. Last Passover, Rabbi Nehemya Wilhelm organized the world's largest seder, with 6,000 participants. In the Chabad House basement there is a mikveh for men and women, which, according to my wife, is the most beautiful mikveh in the world.
The Chabad House in Bangkok also has an extensive library of religious texts for study and borrowing. Rabbi Nehemiah Wilhelm's next project is to launch a mobile library that will travel between the Chabad Houses in Thailand, allowing tourists to borrow a book in one city and return it in another.
Rabbi Nehemya Wilhelm explains: "The Rebbe wanted us to help people both physically and spiritually. We identified what tourists were lacking, and we strive to provide it. Our goal is to give people reasons to come to us."
The author was a guest of TAT and its chamber in Israel.