5
Walk whisperer Mark picked a suitably spooky route for our October photo walk, which took
place just a few days before Halloween. From Saint Louis BTS station, we headed south along
Sathon Soi 11, then looped back around via Teochew Cemetery Park and the neighbouring
Thai Muslim Cemetery before returning to Sathon Tai Road close to Surasak BTS station.
The route technically visited a total of four graveyards. Established in 1899, Teochew
Cemetery consists of three neighbouring cemeteries administered by separate organisations:
the Tio Chew Association of Thailand, the Poh Teck Tung Foundation and the Hainan Dan
Family Association. The 105-rai (16.8 hectares or 42 acres) graveyard became a public park
in 1996, after it had been renovated. It had fallen into disrepair because frequent ghost
sightings scared any visitors away. It was said that those who drove around the area alone
would appear horribly ghoulish to bystanders, as would the ghostly apparition that would
appear in their passenger seat. The cemetery was also an execution ground during the rule of
Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat from 1957 to 1963, which probably didn’t help its popularity.
The entire area is a fascinating mix of multiple peoples and faiths. Naturally, there’s the
Saint Louis Catholic Church attached to the hospital that gave the area its name. However,
Mark’s route also passed Wat Prok Yannawa (which serves the local Mon community), the
Arya Samaj Hindu temple, and Jawa Mosque.
The last few photographers of the 54 who joined the walk got the opportunity to see the
Mon community emerging from the wat in their Sunday best as services ended. There aren’t
many pictures of the friendly ladies in their striking red Sbai (or Yat Toot in Mon, meaning the
shawl-like garment warn over one shoulder) in the following pages, though. The back of the
group was really far back. In fact, Ben only reached the finish point with the final group most
of an hour after Mark arrived with the first.
Greg received submissions from 38 photographers for this issue of the Bangkok Photo
Walks magazine. That’s an impressive percentage for such a large group, and we’re grateful
for every one of them. We hope to continue seeing so many of you on upcoming walks and
on the contents pages of future issues.Have fun,
Greg, Mark, and Ben.Bangkok Photo Walks
Magazine Issue #94 • Walk #
Bangkok Photo Walks is a not-for-profit, community-created
publication. All photographs herein are copyrighted by their
respective creators and published only with their permission.
Reproduction of this magazine in any form is not permitted
without the written permission of the publishers.
Please contact: [email protected]
Head of BPG Greg Rhodes
Magazine Editor Ben Reeves
Photo Walk Coordinator Mark A. Hathaway
Logo Design Ubonpayom Ongsara
Front Cover Photo Moritz Alexy
Title Page Photo Tony Watts
Group Photo Greg Rhodes
Back Cover Photo Muhamad Prayogo
© 2023 Bangkok Photographers GroupSuitably Spooky