Bangkok's Wireless Road: A Journey Through Time

Visitors will need to spend no more than an hour admiring the old-designed, one-story “wooden” building but team of multi-disciplined experts took more than a decade rebuilding this edifice that once housed Thailand's first radiotelegraph station.

The Wireless House One Bangkok, which officially opened on January 13, 2025, marks the 111th anniversary of the original Sala Daeng Radio Telegraph Station, inaugurated by King Rama VI himself.

Photo: Part of the exhibition tells the history of Thailand's communications.

Photo: The exhibitions consist of historical items and newly curated artworks.

Wireless Road derives its name from a pioneering technology that served as a precursor to modern wireless communication, using radio waves to transmit messages like telegrams or sound.

Contrary to popular belief among the current generation that Wireless Road (known in Thai as Thanon Witthayu) starts at the Ploenchit Intersection, its actual beginning is at the location of Wireless House in One Bangkok.

The Sala Daeng Radio Telegraph Station is not just an elegant and photogenic historical building but also a site rich in history.

A Walk Through History

Photo: History retold in a modern and interactive way.

As you approach the house, you’ll notice a wooden bridge leading to the building—a replica of the original, built to traverse what were once rice fields over a century ago.

This bridge was necessary to provide access to the station, as the area was then on the outskirts of the city. Before stepping onto the bridge, take a moment to observe the original pier foundations preserved here that represent a vivid connection to the past.

The bridge was added during the original conservation after the excavation unearthed fragments that matched old photographs.

Conservation and Development in Harmony

The restoration of The Wireless House One Bangkok is a prime example of how conservation and development can coexist. According to Manatchaya Vajvisoot, Senior Professional Architect at the Fine Arts Department, balancing preservation and progress can create significant benefits.

The relocation and restoration of this historic building were done thoughtfully, enhancing its role as a cultural and educational asset.

Watanyoo Thephuttee, a conservation architect with Kudakahn Co., Ltd., who has worked on this project for nearly eight years, highlights it as a model of collaboration.

The project brought together One Bangkok developers, the Fine Arts Department, conservation architects, archaeologists, and others to weave together history, modernity, and the promise of future development. It sets a precedent for future projects destined to integrate heritage conservation with urban advancement.

The present structure is a reconstruction of the exact building from the past.

However, important archaeological objects are kept on the basement floor, which was designed to house the radio mast and building components, while also serving as a storage space for archaeological artifacts uncovered during the excavation.

Photo: The Radio Mast, originally 20 metres tall, includes the original mast.

Also exhibited in the basement are pieces of walls on which some Chinese characters are inscribed. The Chinese laborers, so-called Gu-li at that time, wrote on the wall.

Photo: The basement displays the original foundation of the Sala Daeng Wireless Telegraph Station.

The reconstruction and preservation of the historic radio mast required meticulous planning and innovative engineering. To ensure the preservation of the original foundations, the alignment was carefully adjusted and a complex structure was designed to fit within the narrow space of the deep pit.

This process demanded precise planning and seamless coordination to rearrange and relocate foundation components to their original orientation, maintaining their integrity at the preservation level.

New Location, Old Spirit

Originally, the Sala Daeng Radiotelegraph Station was located in the middle of the land belonging to the Crown Property Bureau, where the mixed-use commercial complex is now located. The architect team had already planned to relocate it from its original home.

“Placing it at the corner of Wireless Road would make it more visible,” Watanyoo explained.

Photo: Old photograph of the original Sala Daeng Radio Telegraph Station.

Photo: Exhibit items on display at the Wireless House One Bangkok.

Photo: Part of the team, from lef, conservation architect Watanyoo Thephuttee, archaeologist Kasama Kaosaiyanont and curator Nunthakarn Thongvanit.