Due to the large number of restaurants and shops run by Thais, the Kowloon City district of Hong Kong is known as Little Thailand.
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Thai migrant workers in Hong Kong are a significant minority
and about half of them are domestic workers.
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| Thai restaurant |
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Hong Kong's Thai population is around 30 000.
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Some are domestic helpers while others are Thai-speaking ethnic Chinese
who came to Hong Kong in decades 1980s and 1990s.
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| Thai restaurant |
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Hong Kong's Thai neighborhood used to be in Central but redevelopment pushed it out in decade 1990s. Kowloon City became the new Little Thailand because it is affordable, centrally located and close to old airport Kai Tak.
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Thai food in Kowloon city can be made spicy for Thai people or mild as Hong Kong
people prefer their food less spicy.
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| Ruamjai restaurant |
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Website openrice.com website lists 623 Thai restaurants in Hong Kong. Thai food is so popular here.
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Some shops were selling some original old Thai movies but now
unfortunately only focus on recent Thai movies. VCD is the popular format
for bad copies with an ugly printed cover.
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| Pawn shop |
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In Kowloon City, on two blocks, there are more than 30-40 Thai restaurants and shops. It is close to old Kai Tak airport.
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Thai people are used to call Kowloon city district as Kowloon Sing
(Kowloon สิง).
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| Kowloon city |
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If a lady is seen using a small portable inhalant ("YA DOM" - ยาดม) every five minutes, she is 95% a Thai lady.
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Most Thai businesses are located in the eastern part of the neighborhood
(near the corner of South Wall Road and Nga Tsin Wai Road).
Fly there with
Google Earth |
| Thai restaurant |
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On Sundays or public holidays, many Thai maids enjoy their day off by sitting in gardens around Little Thailand area.
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The street is very busy on Sundays when Thai-Chinese families and Thai maids
gather here to buy genuine Thai food and gossip on various topics.
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| Kowloon City |
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In Hong Kong, Thai boxing clubs are also very popular especially for ladies. Ladies can learn self-defense skills.
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In front of many Thai restaurants in Kowloon City, offerings
are placed in front of Thai altars.
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| Altar |
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Kowloon City offers a big concentration of Thai businesses, i.e. snack stalls, video stores, beauty salons and grocery stores.
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Thai noodle soup in restaurant Ruamjai (ร่วมใจ)
in Kowloon City district are one of the best in town.
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| Restaurant Ruamjai |
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Such small Thai eateries are numerous in Kowloon City. On week-end, many Thai maids have their lunch there as prices are cheaper than higher scale Thai restaurants targeting local Chinese people.
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Diner in restaurant "SAEB-E-HLEE LUB PED" on
27-29 Nam Kok Road is highly recommended especially the "LUP PED"
(ลาบเป็ด) dish.
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| Thai restaurant |
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It is easy to go to Kowloon City as it is well served by buses and minibuses. From Hong Kong island, buses 101 and 111 stop by Kowloon City.
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Local grocery stores sell fresh food from Thailand including limes, lemongrass,
chilies and Thai herbs. Along with food, large sections of the stores are dedicated
to soap, shampoo and beauty products imported from Thailand.
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| Kowloon City |
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Officers from the anti-gambling squad raided an underground casino in Kowloon
City which catered for Thai nationals in Hong Kong.
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| Karaoke bar |
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In Kowloon City, the Chinese altars that are common throughout Hong Kong
are replaced by Thai Buddhist or Brahminic altars adorned with colored flowers.
Ganesh is recognised by his elephant head and pot belly. He is also believed to
be the god of good fortune, and revered by businessmen who wish for success in
their ventures.
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| Altar |
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In Kowloon City, a few shops sell Thai Buddhist amulets, .
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Many shops have both Thai Buddhist altars and traditional Chinese altars.
Brahma is recognised by his four heads. Brahma is known for his great boon-giving power.
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| Altar |
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A side industry has developed in Kowloon city in which there are
handsome young Thai men available for 'friendship' with women and gay men. Since these shops
cater only to regular customers or Thai nationals, the Hong Kong police had difficulty in
collecting evidence.
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| Karaoke bar |
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Thai Regional Alliance in Hong Kong (สมาคมรวมไทยในฮ่องกง) provides
English lessons for Thai people living in Hong Kong. Every sunday during two hours, a teacher
(อาจารย์) explains the basis of English language to a dozen of students.
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| School |
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Portraits of current Thai King Rama IV or Thai King Rama V
can be seen in any Thai owned business.
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| Altar |
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Looking for Thai products such as newspapers, magazines, VCDs, DVDs and CDs,
Kowloon City is the right place.
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| Altar |
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Delicious Thai sweets can be found in Kowloon City.
Favourite as banana fritters, sweet lotus root rice wrapped in banana leaf,
mango sticky rice and so on...
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| Thai restaurant |
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A few pawnshops can be found in Kowloon City district. This one targets Thai people.
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| Pawnshops |
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Kowloon City district is a good place for a Thai lunch.
Menus are written in Chinese, Thai and English.
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| Thai restaurant |
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Fresh Thai goods coming directly from Thailand through Thai Airways cargo boxes.
Kowloon City is a district close to old Kai Tak airport.
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| Fresh Thai goods |
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There is even a shop selling every kind of sacred items in Kowloon City
such as Mae Nak, tiger masks, palat klik...
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| Thai shop |
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Thai restaurant "Saeb e hlee" is one of the best choice around Kowloon City
with its spiced minced duck salad (ลาปเป็ด).
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| Thai restaurant |
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The Lemon shop sells many Thai products including fresh Thai vegetables, fruits
and desserts.
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| Thai shop |
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The "NANG KWAK" (นางกวัก) is a spirit supposed to
bring money in the household. Its statue represents a woman in Thai traditional clothes,
sitting on her knees with the right hand up and the hand making the gesture to bring money
to herself. Thai people like to have this statue in their home or in front of their shop.
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| Thai restaurant |
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Normally all Thai shops in Kowloon City district are opened
every day including on Sunday.
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| Thai shop |
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Kowloon City district also features a few Buddhist religious associations.
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| Brahma association |
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| Home > Culture > Thailand in Hong Kong > Kowloon City |
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