The district acquired the name "Ximen" during the Japanese Rule. At the time, most people lived in the city center, and Ximen served as a suburban recreational place. In 1896, the first theater, "Tokyo Pavilion," was inaugurated. In 1922, the area was formally named "Ximen."
After the nationalist government came to Taiwan in 1949, much more capital was introduced to this place. Other than movie theaters, department stores and other recreational business venues popped up. As soon as Zhonghua Shopping Mall was established, Ximen became the country's largest entertainment hub.
In the 1990s, businesses in Taipei started to move to the East District, Zhonghua Shopping Mall was demolished, and the main roads were being refurbished. These made Ximen quiet for a long while. It was only until MRT Bannan Line was inaugurated that Zhonghua Road transformed into the Champs-élysées Avenue of Taipei, as the city government planned.
Ximending Night Market, technically not a night market but a ...
Wat Bowon Sathan Sutthawat (วัดบวรสถานสุทธาวาส), also widely known as Wat Phra Kaew Wang Na, stands as a quiet yet significant royal temple within the grounds of Bangkok’s former Front Palace, now part of the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute complex near the National Theatre and close to the Bangkok National Museum. Unlike ordinary temples, this sacred site has never housed resident monks, serving instead as the private chapel of the Front Palace in much the same way that Wat Phra Kaew functions within the Grand Palace.
Its story begins in the reign of King Rama I, when Prince Maha Surasinghanat established a small convent called Wat Luang Chi for royal women of Khmer origin to observe religious precepts.
By the time of King Rama II the buildings had fallen into disuse and were cleared to create a rabbit garden. Under King Rama III, Prince Maha Sakdiphonlasep, the Front Palace ruler of the day, dedicated the land to a new temple as an act of Buddhist merit and ...
Thailand has dominated the ASEAN Championship (formerly AFF Championship), claiming a record seven titles in 1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2022, along with multiple final appearances that underscore their status as the region’s most successful side.
Vietnam has emerged as a consistent challenger in more recent decades, securing three championships in 2008, 2018 and 2024 while regularly reaching the later stages and building a fierce rivalry with their Thai counterparts through several high-stakes final meetings.
The first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Championship final unfolded at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok on 22 August after earlier rain. Thailand, coached by Anthony Hudson, controlled much of the opening period with greater possession and created the clearer chances, including a notable miss by Yotsakon Burapha when clean through. Vietnam, the defending champions under Kim Sang-sik, remained compact and patient, relying on solid defending and goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang to keep the ...
Ban Mai Market, also known as the 100-Year-Old Ban Mai Market or Baan Mai Riverside Market, stands along the west bank of the Bang Pakong River in Chachoengsao Province, Thailand.
This historic riverside gathering place has long served as a cultural and commercial heart for the local Paet Riu community, offering visitors a glimpse into traditional Thai-Chinese life that feels far removed from the pace of modern cities.
Its roots stretch back more than a century, with the market flourishing as a key trading hub during the reign of King Rama V and earlier connections reaching into the time of King Rama III.
Chinese marine merchants once gathered here amid surrounding plantations of pineapple, sugarcane, and vegetables, exchanging goods when river travel formed the main artery of commerce.
The original riverside market burned down in 1904, after which a new one rose in its place as a living memorial to the Chinese community that had shaped the neighborhood. For decades it thrived with rows of gold ...
