A Nostalgic Glimpse into Soi Ari

A Nostalgic Glimpse into Soi Ari
.

I was casually scrolling through listings for land one day
when a post from the Socialgiver page caught my eye.
It was about the history of Soi Ari.
Out of curiosity, I clicked into Google for more information.
What I found
made me realize that this soi is not just a “prime location”
but a neighborhood full of untold stories.
.

Did you know
that Soi Ari’s history dates back to the reign of King Rama V?
And where does the name “Ari” even come from?
.

So I’d like to share a story my father once told me.
He was born in 1932 (B.E. 2475)
and sadly passed away this past July at the age of nearly 90.
He used to tell this story about Soi Ari often when I was a child.
.

Going back nearly 70 years...
when he bought land in this area,
it was still just rice fields.
Our house was basically built in the middle of the paddies 😄
.

Dad said this land once belonged to a “khaek” (a term once used for people of Indian or Middle Eastern descent)
named Mr. Ari
(or was it Ali? Just my personal guess 😅),
with the surname “Khatib.”
.

He told us that
the soi was named after this landowner.
True or not,
I can’t say for sure anymore
since Dad’s no longer around to confirm it.
But the name “Ari”—I remember him saying it very clearly.
.

Interestingly,
the old soi sign used to spell it “Ari”
without the silent “y” at the end.
But I honestly don’t remember
when that changed.
.

If any of you are around my age,
or had parents living in this area back in the day,
please do share your memories too—I’d really love that 🙏
.

We moved into Soi Ari
around 50 years ago.
The house was built many years before we actually moved in.
Back then, the soi was still very quiet.
There were only shop houses near the entrance (where Sanan Noppa is today).
.

Across the street,
there was a small department store called “Thai Yong Tiang” or Thai Y T,
which is now the IBM building.
There was even a bowling alley nearby.
.

The row of shophouses near the beef noodle place?
They came much later.
From our house toward Victory Monument,
there were just a few scattered shop houses.
.

There weren’t many restaurants at the mouth of the soi either,
nothing like today’s endless rows.
The most famous one was “Tai Hok Ice Cream” 🥰
At the corner of Soi 1, there was a double-fronted grocery store—
kind of like a mini-supermarket,
and they even sold fresh pork.
.

The real growth of Soi Ari
only started about 30 years ago.
.

What truly triggered the boom
was when Kasikorn Bank
moved its headquarters here.
Then came the IBM building, Phaholyothin Plaza,
and eventually, condos popped up like mushrooms after the rain.
.

Today,
Soi Ari has become one of the hippest spots in Bangkok.
Who would’ve thought
that what was once a house in the middle of a field
would become such prime real estate?
.

Life, much like Soi Ari,
changes year by year—
some things we remember,
some things we just “remember existed.”
But one thing that never changes
is the memory we have of this place.

.

Join the discussion at

https://www.facebook.com/Ex.MatchingProperty/posts/pfbid02LG7AmiFaoRGX8sojWa5817Z12pV82knDqTxrQHksQAk2EpnBNYx1pm2ytWoZvbkwl