The Thai capital is home to numerous cultural centers where foreign nations promote their culture and traditions. You have France’s Alliance FranÇaise, Germany’s Goethe and UK’s British Council, for instance. China, a country whose culture has greatly influenced modern Thai society, has one too—and we’re not talking some converted shophouse structure along Yaowarat.
Nestled in Ratchada (nicknamed the new Chinatown) close to the Embassy of China, the China Cultural Center was erected in 2012, following a bilateral friendship agreement between Thailand and The Red Dragon. The building boasts awe-inspiring architecture influenced by an ancient Chinese wood-interlocking construction Modern Chinese architecture that bridges the past and the present technique called dougong, but fused with Thai aesthetics. The first of its kind in Southeast Asia, the 7,900-square-meter center houses an exhibition hall, a theater, a library—and classrooms where you can learn the Chinese language (B3,600/30hrs), guzheng (Chinese plucked string instrument, B4,800/12 classes), Chinese brush painting (B2,000/12 classes), Chinese food cooking (B1,500/10 classes), Chinese folk dance (B1,500/10 classes), tai chi (B1,500/12 classes) and kung fu (B200/hr). The establishment also hosts free movie screenings and cultural activities. Check out its Facebook page for details.