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Due to the large number of restaurants and shops run by Thais,
the Kowloon City district of Hong Kong is known as Little Thailand.
Kowloon city
Thai people are used to call Kowloon city district as Kowloon Sing
(เกาลูน สิง).
Thai migrant workers in Hong Kong are a significant minority
and about half of them are domestic workers.
2016 population of
foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong indicate there are 2529
Thai people (2501 women, 28 men). There are 151 996 domestic helpers
from Indonesia and 185 673 domestic helpers from Philippines.
School
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.
Their website can be visited here.
Hong Kong's Thai population is around 30 000.
SHOPS
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.
Pawnshop
Some shops were selling some original old Thai movies but now
unfortunately they now only focus on recent Thai movies. VCD is still a popular format
for bad cheap copies with an ugly printed cover.
In Kowloon City, on two blocks, there are
more than 30-40 Thai restaurants and shops. It is close to old Kai Tak
airport.
Pawnshops
A few pawnshops can be found in Kowloon City district. This one targets Thai people.
Looking for Thai products such as newspapers,
magazines, VCDs, DVDs and CDs, Kowloon City is the right place.
Thai restaurant
Most Thai businesses are located in the eastern part of the neighborhood
(near the corner of South Wall Road and Nga Tsin Wai Road).
On Sundays or public holidays, many Thai maids
enjoy their day off by sitting in public Gardens around Little Thailand area.
Thai shop
Many Thai shops sell prepared food such as delicious Thai sweets including
mango sticky rice.
If a lady is seen using a small portable inhalant
("YA DOM" - ยาดม) every five minutes,
she is 95% a Thai lady.
Kowloon City
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.
In Hong Kong, Thai boxing clubs are also very popular
especially for ladies. Ladies can learn self-defense skills.
Karaoke bar
Officers from the anti-gambling squad raided an underground casino in Kowloon
City which catered for Thai nationals in Hong Kong.
Kowloon City offers a big concentration of Thai businesses, i.e.
snack stalls, video stores, beauty salons and grocery stores.
Karaoke bar
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
Normally all Thai shops in Kowloon City district are opened
every day including on Sunday.
Thai shop
The Lemon shop sells many Thai products including fresh Thai vegetables, fruits
and desserts.
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.
Fresh Thai goods
Fresh Thai goods are coming directly from Thailand through Thai Airways cargo boxes.
Kowloon City is a district close to old Kai Tak airport.
RESTAURANTS
Thai restaurant
Many Thai people are domestic helpers while some others are Thai-speaking ethnic Chinese
who came to Hong Kong in decades 1980s and 1990s. Most restaurants in Kowloon city have menus
in Thai, Chinese and English.
Website openrice.com website lists 623 Thai restaurants in Hong
Kong. Thai food is so popular here.
Ruamjai restaurant
Thai food in Kowloon city can be made spicy for Thai people or mild as Hong Kong
people prefer their food less spicy.
Restaurant Ruamjai
Thai noodle soup in restaurant Ruamjai (ร่วมใจ)
in Kowloon City district are one of the best in town.
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.
Thai restaurant
Diner in restaurant "SAEB-E-HLEE LUB PED" on
27-29 Nam Kok Road is highly recommended especially the "LUP PED"
(ลาบเป็ด) dish.
Thai restaurant
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...
Thai restaurant
Kowloon City district is a good place for a Thai lunch.
Menus are written in Chinese, Thai and English.
Thai beer
Singha beer is one of the most famous Thai beer. It is available in all Thai
restaurants. A special commercial offer is happening during Songkran festival.
Thai restaurant
Thai restaurant "Saeb e hlee" is one of the best choice around Kowloon City
with its spiced minced duck salad (ลาปเป็ด).
Thai restaurant
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.
RELIGION
Altar
Some Thai restaurants feature a prominent altar with a big Buddha effigy.
Altar
In front of many Thai restaurants in Kowloon City, offerings
are placed in front of Thai altars.
Altar
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.
Nang Kwak
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.
Altar
There is even a shop selling every kind of sacred items in Kowloon City
such as Mae Nak, tiger masks, "PALAT KLIK"
(ปลัดขลิก)...
Altars
The Thai altar is on the upper part and the Chinese altar is on the bottom part.
Brahma association
Kowloon City district also features a few Buddhist religious associations.
Thai monk
Some Thai monks can be found on Sunday morning in Kowloon City. Some Thai people
might be too busy to go to the remote Thai Buddhist temples. So some monks come
to Kowloon City offering the possibility to Thai people to perform good deed
duties.
Altar
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.
Altar
Portraits of current Thai King Rama IV or Thai King Rama V
can be seen in any Thai owned business.
Altar
Food offerings are placed in front of this Thai Buddhist altar located at a Thai
restaurant entrance.
In Kowloon City, a few shops sell Thai Buddhist amulets.
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