Sitting on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the Samphanthawong district is home to a large Chinese community and the Sampheng neighbourhood, which once functioned as Bangkok's primary commercial core. Browsing around, visitors can see historic Chinese shrines with striking architecture nestled among clusters of classic shophouses, transporting visitors back to the early Rattanakosin period when Chinese sea merchants played a major role in the import and export industry.