{{Short description|Neighborhood in Bangkok, Thailand}} {{Infobox road junction |country=THA |name =Pratunam |other_names={{lang|th|ประตูน้ำ}} |image = Lost in the City Lights (Unsplash).jpg |image_caption = Pratunam intersection in nighttime (seen from Ratchaprarop side) |maint = |location = Thanon Phaya Thai, [[Ratchathewi]], [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]] |coord ={{coord|13|44|59.87|N|100|32|27.93|E|display=title}}
|type = Four-way [[At-grade intersection|at-grade]] [[intersection (road)|intersection]] with bidirectional [[overpass]] |roads = [[Ratchaprarop Road|Ratchaprarop]] (north)<br />[[Phetchaburi Road|Phetchaburi]] (east–west)<br />[[Ratchadamri Road|Ratchadamri]] (south) |const = |opened = |map = }}
'''Pratunam''' ({{langx|th|ประตูน้ำ}}, {{IPA|th|prātūːnáːm|pron}}, also spelled as '''Pratu Nam'''), is an intersection and namesake neighbourhood in Thanon Phaya Thai sub-district of [[Ratchathewi district]], Bangkok. The intersection is where [[Phetchaburi Road]] passes and where [[Ratchadamri]] and [[Ratchaprarop Road]]s originate. The next major intersection along Ratchaprarop Road is [[Makkasan]].
The name "Pratunam" means "[[floodgate|water gate]]". Historically, there was a water gate located within the nearby [[Sa Pathum Palace]], commonly referred to as "Pratunam Wang Sa Pathum" (ประตูน้ำวังสระปทุม) or "Pratunam Sa Pathum" (ประตูน้ำสระปทุม). This gate was built in 1905 by King [[Chulalongkorn]] (Rama V) to help drain water from the [[Khlong Saen Saep]] canal, serving both agricultural needs and maintaining water levels for boats and rafts. Two other similar water gates were also constructed in [[Chachoengsao Province]] during the same period.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://coconuts.co/bangkok/news/then-and-now-16-vintage-photos-bangkok-0/|title=Then and Now: 16 vintage photos of Bangkok|date=2013-12-12|author= Coconuts Bangkok}}</ref>
In 1961, Pratunam was still a [[traditional market]] selling produce and other perishable goods. Over time, ready-made garment production began to develop, and more entrepreneurs gradually entered the trade. It eventually grew into a major clothing industry supplying retail goods to foreign customers as well as for export. As a result, Pratunam transformed into a hub for fashion retail and wholesale, which it remains today. Later on, a group of foreign investors, together with Thai businessmen such as M.R. [[Kukrit Pramoj]] and Lenglert Baiyoke, developed hotel and shopping center on the Ratchaprarop side under the names Indra Hotel and Indra The Arcade.<ref>{{cite web|title=“ประตูน้ำ” ย่านขายเสื้อผ้ายอดฮิตคนไทย มาจากอะไร ทำไมคนนิยมขายเสื้อผ้า?|url= https://www.silpa-mag.com/history/article_139967|date=2024-09-25|accessdate=2026-04-28|first=Padilavada|last=Bawornsak|work=Art & Culture|language=thai}}</ref>
Today, Pratunam is regarded as one of the largest centers for both wholesale and retail clothing in Bangkok and in Thailand as a whole. The area is home to numerous malls and markets, including [[Platinum Fashion Mall]], [[Pratunam Market]], [[CentralWorld]], and [[Big C]] Supercenter (Rajdamri Branch). In addition to its commercial role, Pratunam is also a key transportation hub. It is located near two other major intersections, [[Ratchaprasong]] and Pathum Wan, and serves as a stop on the [[Khlong Saen Saep boat service]] via Pratunam Pier.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sawasdeee.com/%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%B5/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%AA%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87-%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%94%E0%B8%B4%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%97%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%87/%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%99%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%AA%E0%B8%9A/142-150|work=SAWASDEE+E|language=thai|title=22 ท่าขึ้นเรือคลองแสนแสบ ท่าเรือประตูน้ำ ถนนราชดำริใกล้ซอยเพชรบุรี 30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/10-shopping-in-pratunam.htm|work=BANGKOK.COM|title=Top 10 Shopping in Pratunam}}</ref>
The Pratunam overpass, which was Bangkok's first overpass, is scheduled to be demolished in March 2026 to make way for the construction of [[Orange Line (Bangkok)|MRT Orange Line]]. It is expected to be rebuilt later the same year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tnnthailand.com/news/social/181082/|title=เตรียมรื้อสะพานข้ามแยก ประตูน้ำ-ราชเทวี สร้างรถไฟฟ้าสายสีส้ม|lang=thai|trans-title= Preparing to demolish Pratunam-Ratchathewi overpasses in order to build the MRT Orange Line|date=2024-11-19|accessdate=2024-11-12|work=[[TNN (Thailand)|TNN]]}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Bangkok/Pratunam Pratunam] from [[Wikivoyage]]
[[Category:Road junctions in Bangkok]] [[Category:Neighbourhoods of Bangkok]] [[Category:Ratchathewi district]] [[Category:Shopping districts and streets in Thailand]]