One of Bangkok’s oldest neighborhoods is steeped in history, as seen with its old buildings and street art. Talat Noi or Talad Noi, which means “small market”, is next to Sampheng Market and Chinatown and ends on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

If you’re looking to explore Bangkok’s street art, this is a good place to start. You can book an organized walking art tour or go on a leisurely DIY stroll as I did.

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A post shared by Kate Alvarez (Kate Was Here) (@replikate)

There’s no right or wrong place to start. My Grab Bike driver mistakenly dropped me off along Soi Wanit 2 instead of Trok San Chao Rong Kueak, which was a fortunate thing because I ran into Momo, an ethically handmade New York fashion brand that’s manufactured in Thailand. While I love cheap elephant pants like the next excited backpacker, I’m also on the lookout for slow and sustainable fashion.

I walked further to see Song Wat Road filled with shops that remind me of the Filipino talyer (automobile workshop or garage). The shops are filled with used car parts and even junk art.

I walked further down the neighborhood of Chiang Gong until I found the street that’s filled with the IG-famous murals and historic photographs—Trok San Chao Rong Kueak. This place is usually filled with hordes of tourists, but I was there at 3pm under the scorching heat, so the crowd has dispersed.

I spotted the popular Mother Roaster Coffee Shop, a repurposed two-storey warehouse with the café on the second floor, while Elephant Parade, an art gallery, and a junk ark workshop take up the space below.

It was getting too hot for me, so I skipped the rest of Talat Noi for next time—Yaowarat Road, Warehouse 30, and other artsy shops and cafés.

I wrapped up my little DIY tour at Siphraya Polytechnic College, which had an interesting installation at the entrance.

What I like best about street art is that it’s accessible and welcoming. It’s both spontaneous and planned, in-your-face and hidden. Sometimes you know exactly where to look for it, but it usually pops out when you least expect it.

Street murals don’t gatekeep, snob, or look down at the person scrutinizing it. It doesn’t tell what you’re supposed to feel. The last thing it wants is to make you feel ostracized or snubbed. In fact, street art seems to want the opposite—it invites the passerby to look, seek, and feel. It doesn’t matter if you’re an art connoisseur or an inexperienced person appreciating art for the first time.

Most of all, street art is never permanent. It fades in time, interacts with the changing climate, and eventually, gets demolished or painted over.

Talat Noi, like many friendly street art neighborhoods, gives you that welcoming art experience.