As we usher in the Year of the Dragon, BK heads to China Town to talk to the families behind some traditional Chinese businesses. We find out how a new MRT extension and reluctant siblings are creating an uncertain future in Yaowaraj.

The Coffin Shop

Started by the owner’s great grandfather who emigrated from China, the Tia Heng Coffin shop has been open for 78 years. City regulations mean they no longer make their own coffins, while changing funeral customs have caused a real drop in business, but the biggest threat seems to come from the new MRT Line.

Current Generation
Prapaporn Euajitthaworn, 54

How have things changed?
We used to make all the coffins by ourselves. But now we have to stop making them at the shop because of city regulations barring businesses from creating noise or dust in densely-populated areas. We now have to order coffins from out of town.
This is a real family business right?
Yes, I used to run the place then my eldest brother took over. He went to run his own business four years ago, and my younger brother quit his job to take over. We are a really Chinese family so we still stick to the rule that the business must only go to sons.
What does the business entail?
We serve as an advisor for families wanting Chinese traditional funerals. Some of our clients buy their own coffins decades in advance. We let them keep them in our shop. We have one that’s been on hold for 14 years.
How is business?
It’s not as good as it used to be because traditions are disappearing. Now more people cremate their relatives instead of burying them like the old Chinese families did.
Does your business have a future?
Yes, but we might need to change our tactics. Our competitors wait at temples and hospitals for potential clients mourning recently deceased loved ones.

Next Generation
Saengchai Khunvisetpong, 48.

How did you get involved in the business?
I’ve been around the business since I was a kid, but I wasn’t involved. I was manager of a bank and had worked there for 19 years when I was called back by my family to run the business.
Do you like it?
I can’t say that I like it, but it’s in
my blood. It is my duty, as I am the son. I have to take care of the family business.
Does your business have a future?
I’m most worried about the rental agreement with the landlord. We are not sure when they’ll take the shop back. This building is really old, nearly a hundred years. They could decide to tear it down to develop the area because the MRT is going to open a station here. We’ve already bought another shop near Yaowarat to continue our business in case the landlord takes this one back.
Do you want your children to take over?
Definitely. But I have a feeling that they might not want to. They are young and still studying. They might want to do something else.

The Grocery Shop

Originally established more than 50 years ago by the current owner’s grandfather, the Yan Wo Yun Ta Sun grocery store sells hard-to-find imported ingredients from China, Korea or Japan. They’ve survived in a constantly changing market, but the next generation is undecided about taking over.

Current Generation
Joengsak, 54, and Woranuch Tangsombatwisit, 43.

How did you get involved in the business?
Joengsak: It was originally established by my grandfather, then my dad took over. He finally asked me back to help out about 25 years ago.
How have things changed?
We’ve been through a lot, like the emergence of the department stores’ grocery sections. We had to transform ourselves from just a grocery store to selling items that others won’t sell—like special salt soya beans, chili paste from China or instant noodles from Korea—and sell direct to restaurants instead of waiting for clients to walk in. We also created our own brand of soy sauce, too. It’s called Ta Kee Yan Wo Yun or Dek Uan (fat kid).
Who takes care of the business?
Joengsak: It’s mostly me and my wife, but I let my children help out with the accounts and sales to get them used to it.
Does your business have a future?
Joengsak: It does, but we need to continually change. We can’t just sell the same items we used to sell. We have to keep an eye on what’s popular.
Do you want your children to take over?
Joengsak: It’s up to them. I won’t force them to work here. I’ll let them do what they want.
Woranuch: I do. I don’t want to force them, but I have three daughters and we definitely need one of them to continue the business.

Next Generation
Torroong, 21, and Kwanwanas Tangsombatwisit, 16.

How long have you helped with the business?
Torroong: Since we were young. Mom and Dad let us help them and teach us what’s involved in running the business.
What are you doing now?
Torroong: Studying ICT at Silpakorn University.
Kwanwanas: Studying in grade ten. I’m not sure what I want to study at university.
Do you want to do something else outside the family business?
Torroong: Yes, I do. I want to work somewhere else to use my knowledge and gain more life experiences. I’m not sure about taking care of this business but I plan that I might help my parents with the advertising to make more people aware of us. I have no problem taking care of that but I want to do something else, too. I might continue my degree or work somewhere else for a while.
Kwanwanas: I don’t know. I haven’t planned anything yet.
What do you enjoy about the business?
Torroong:
It’s good working with newer clients, but some of the older ones treat me disrespectfully because they just see me as the daughter of the owners.
Kwanwanas: It’s good that I’ve learned how to run a business, while my friends just study or sit around at home.

The Decoration Shop

Things remain tough for this family, despite switching from making traditional clothing to Chinese decorations and sacrificial offerings, but at least Ussanee Sae-kang has two loyal childrens who are happy to keep the business going for another generation.

Current Generation
Ussanee Sae-kang, 66.

How did you get involved in the business?
My husband’s parents used to make traditional Chinese clothing for people in Yaowarat. As times changed, I switched to sell shoes or some newer-style clothes. It went well until the first malls arrived in Bangkok and I got really sick. I couldn’t walk. We used all of our money to treat me. When I finally beat the illness, I donated all of my stock and started selling Chinese decorations and sacrificial offerings. We are near a Chinese temple, so it is a good location.
Who takes care of the business?
It used to be only me. But now my daughter and son are helping me. My other children have families and work elsewhere.
How is business?
It’s just good during the festivals, like Chinese New Year or ghost or spirit Festivals. We have to save up then for other times of the year.
Do you want your children to take over?
Of course. We built it together, so I want them to take care of it.

Next Generation
Thanyada Sarapan, 39, and Kampol Kittithammawut, 33

How long have you helped with the family business?
Thanyada: About eight years. My brother and I used to help my mother when I was young. But I went away when I got married and worked for C.P. as a manager. I finally quit and came back to help out when I had a child and my mom couldn’t take care of the shop alone. My brother was still studying at the time, so I had to take over for him.
Kampol: I just started helping about two years ago after graduating from university. I studied advertising. Now I have to learn how to sell because selling Chinese decorations is all about belief. You have to remember everything that relates to the festivals, like people who were born this year must worship this thing to make their life better.
Do you want to do something else?
Thanyada: Now I don’t want to, but I have to eventually because at the end of the day, this business will go to my brother. I might open a shop somewhere else. But it’s quite hard because people always think you have to buy decoration stuff at Yaowarat.
Kampol: I want to take care of my family business. I don’t want to do something else. Now I have to learn how to sell it well. I even studied how to read Chinese to better explain items and their meanings to our customers.
Do you want your children to follow you into the family business?
Thanyada: It would be hard because the business might already belong to my brother’s family.
Kampol: I do. It’s our business.
Do you like working with your family?
Thanyada:
I like it. The only hard thing in running this is finding good, reliable workers.
Kampol: It’s good that we have the family feeling at work. I can see my mom and my sister every day. If I worked elsewhere, I wouldn’t have time to be with them like this.

The Tea Shop

Originally started in China, this centuries-old family business has now grown to cover Taiwan and Thailand, where they’ve been in wholesale and retail business for four generations. These days they run a number of tea shops including Ew Kee Tea. While the children are happy to continue the business, they face an uncertain future due to potential changes to the area brought about by the new MRT extension.

Current Generation
Dandit Watthanamaneenin, 66.

Who is involved in the daily business?
It’s me. I’m the one currently in charge of the branch here in Bangkok. We have other branches in Taiwan, but this is where I am based with my wife and three kids.
Does your business have a future?
It’s OK. But we are uncertain of our location. We’re currently waiting for the landlord’s decision on how they would like to manage the area after the MRT’s completion at the nearby Wat Mangkon Kamalawat station. We consider selling tea a long-term business. It would be a sad thing if we have to relocate from Chinatown, though. It’ll definitely affect our business operations, as our shop has had clients here for nearly fifty years.
Do you want your children to take over?
It’s really up to them.

Next Generation
Andrew Wang, 25.

Do you and your siblings help out with the family business?
I’m quite preoccupied with my own projects, while my brother just graduated from university and my sister still in high school, so we’ve been quite inactive. But that doesn’t mean we’re not supportive.
Do you like it?
I’ve never really been a big fan of tea, I’m a coffee addict. However, I’ve recently noticed a growing appetite and appreciation for tea, so as my interest grows, I believe I’ll be more involved.
What do you do now?
I’m a hip hop artist and producer, and I’ll be doing artist management in Shanghai. I also design and have my own clothing line, Luxlivin, and do online marketing. I am exactly where I want to be at the moment.
What is your plan for the future?
Anything can happen. I will definitely devote more of my time and energy into the family business once I’ve fulfilled my projects. I feel like this is one of those family responsibilities a sensible son has to live up to—it’s almost like an inheritance. I even have plans on developing the tea catering side of the business, as well as transforming the tea shop into a more creative/multifunctional tea bar without compromising the quality and original image of the brand. But nothing is certain until we know what our landlord wants to do.
What’s good about working in a family business?
It’s much easier to communicate with each other and sustain trust. There’s no office politics—no one’s trying to undermine anyone else. The badside is it’s difficult to scale up the size of the business unless there are more people to delegate the workload to.
Do you want your children to be part of the family business?
If my children happen to have a strong passion for the business, then I’d definitely encourage them.

Food Stall

The Je Gung food stall has been serving the hungry residents of Yaowarat with classic Chinese dishes from bird’s nest soup to fish maw and coffee for over fifty years. Like others in the area, they are unsure what the planned redevelopment might mean for their business.

Current Generation
Meeju Techa-anantpipat, 82.

How did you get involved?
I was born in Yaowarat. My Chinese parents sold clothing but when I got married, I had to help my husband’s family sell bird’s nest soup. It became hard to find quality bird’s nest, so we switched to selling fish maw soup, guaytiew lord and coffee.
Who takes care of the business?
My eldest daughter and her sister, who is in charge of the coffee stall.
How is business?
It’s OK. We can make a living.
Does your business have a future?
We’re not too sure about the development plan for Yaowarat after the MRT station is built. We might not be able to sell on the street anymore.

Next Generation
Thipmanee Techa-anantpipat, 52.

How did you get involved in the business?
I have helped my mom sell food since I was a kid. I also realized I wasn’t good at studying, So I decided to come take care of the business after grade 7.
Did you ever want to do something else?
I don’t have much education and this is the only thing I know. It can support my family. That’s all I know.
Do you want your children to take over the business?
I don’t have any but I do have nephews and nieces. All I want is to get them the best education they can. I won’t force them to do this. Still they come out to help on the weekend because it’s the busiest time.
What do you enjoy about the business?
It’s tiring, but it also makes me proud that I can take care of all my family members.

THE THREAT MRT Extension at Yaowarat

Project: MRT Hualampong – Bangkae – Putthamonthon Sai 4
Distance: 21.8 kilometers
Timeline: 2011-2014
Stations planned: 15 (Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, Wang Burapha, Sanam Chai, Itsaraphap, Tha Phra, Bang Phai, Bang Wa, Phet Kasem 48, Phasi Charoen, Bang Khae, Lak Song, Phutthamonthon Sai 2, Thawi Watthana, Phutthamonthon Sai 3 and Phutthamonthon Sai 4)
Construction issues: The route of the line from MRT Hualampong to Bangkae runs along Charoenkrung Road (Wat Mangkorn Kamalawat station), and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) are currently negotiating to expropriate the land. The exact location of some of the station entrances and the development plans for the area as a whole have still not be confirmed.

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