Thai Town, Los Angeles, California
Encyclopedia
Thai Town is a neighborhood of Los Angeles
centered along Hollywood Boulevard
between Normandie Avenue
and Western Avenue in East Hollywood.
The area contains many Thai restaurants, markets and shops, including import stores, silk
clothing stores and massage spas. There are also many Armenians
living in the area, which is accordingly also referred to as Little Armenia
. The boundaries between Thai Town and Little Armenia are ambiguous and fluid.
subway at the Hollywood/Western
station in addition to Metro Rapid
bus lines 757 & 780 and Metro Local
bus lines 180, 181, 206, 207, & 217.
. Roughly 80,000 of California's estimated 120,000 Thai Americans live in Los Angeles. It is also home to the world's first and only Thai Town. In 2002 there was an estimated 80,000 Thai immigrants living in Los Angeles. Thai Chinese are also included in the population. Because of this, Los Angeles is sometimes referred to as Thailand's 78th province. Like Los Angeles, Bangkok
(Thailand's capital) is known as "the City of Angels" (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok's official name, means "the City of Angels").
On the first Sunday in April, Thai Town celebrates Songkran, the Thai New Year, by closing off Hollywood Boulevard
within its boundaries, and setting up food stands and entertainment on the street along with a parade on Hollywood Boulevard from New Hampshire Avenue to Winona Boulevard.
.
In July 2008, Laura Bush
, the First Lady of the United States
, granted the neighborhood recognition as a "Preserve America
" community. This makes Thai Town eligible for $
250,000 in "Preserve America" grants and $250,000 in other private and public grants.
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
centered along Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
between Normandie Avenue
Normandie Avenue
Normandie Avenue is one of Los Angeles County's longest north-south streets. With a stretch of about 22.5 miles , it lies between Vermont Avenue and Western Avenue, starting off north of Franklin Avenue. At Wilshire Boulevard, the Metro Purple Line intersects at an underground subway station. ...
and Western Avenue in East Hollywood.
The area contains many Thai restaurants, markets and shops, including import stores, silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
clothing stores and massage spas. There are also many Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
living in the area, which is accordingly also referred to as Little Armenia
Little Armenia, Los Angeles, California
Little Armenia is a community that is part of the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. It falls within the area referred to as East Hollywood...
. The boundaries between Thai Town and Little Armenia are ambiguous and fluid.
Public transport
The area is served by the Metro Red LineLACMTA Red Line
The Red Line is a subway line running between Downtown Los Angeles via the districts of Hollywood and Mid-Wilshire to North Hollywood within Los Angeles where it connects with the Metroliner Orange line service for stations to the Warner Center in Woodland Hills.The red line, which is one of five...
subway at the Hollywood/Western
Hollywood/Western (LACMTA Station)
Hollywood/Western Station is a heavy-rail subway station in the Los Angeles County Metro Rail system. It is located at Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue in the Thai Town/Little Armenia neighborhood of East Hollywood in Los Angeles. This station is served by the Red Line. - External links :*...
station in addition to Metro Rapid
Metro Rapid
Metro Rapid is a bus rapid transit service in Los Angeles County, California that operates in mixed traffic environments and has fewer stops than the Metro Local service. The system is mainly operated by LACMTA. Two routes are operated by Santa Monica Transit and one by Culver City Transit...
bus lines 757 & 780 and Metro Local
Metro Local
Metro Local is a bus system in Los Angeles County operated by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority . This retronym designation was placed to differentiate it from the Metro Rapid service...
bus lines 180, 181, 206, 207, & 217.
Thai population
Los Angeles has the largest Thai population outside of ThailandThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Roughly 80,000 of California's estimated 120,000 Thai Americans live in Los Angeles. It is also home to the world's first and only Thai Town. In 2002 there was an estimated 80,000 Thai immigrants living in Los Angeles. Thai Chinese are also included in the population. Because of this, Los Angeles is sometimes referred to as Thailand's 78th province. Like Los Angeles, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
(Thailand's capital) is known as "the City of Angels" (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, Bangkok's official name, means "the City of Angels").
On the first Sunday in April, Thai Town celebrates Songkran, the Thai New Year, by closing off Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard
-Revitalization:In recent years successful efforts have been made at cleaning up Hollywood Blvd., as the street had gained a reputation for crime and seediness. Central to these efforts was the construction of the Hollywood and Highland shopping center and adjacent Kodak Theatre in 2001...
within its boundaries, and setting up food stands and entertainment on the street along with a parade on Hollywood Boulevard from New Hampshire Avenue to Winona Boulevard.
History
Thai Town began in the 1960s when many Thais went to Los Angeles to study (as a result of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965); many decided to stay and open businesses. A 1980s regional financial crisis led many Thais to come to Thai Town and find work. City Council designated the neighborhood on October 27, 1999; during that time it had many of the estimated 80,000 Thais in Southern CaliforniaSouthern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
.
In July 2008, Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
, the First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States
First Lady of the United States is the title of the hostess of the White House. Because this position is traditionally filled by the wife of the president of the United States, the title is most often applied to the wife of a sitting president. The current first lady is Michelle Obama.-Current:The...
, granted the neighborhood recognition as a "Preserve America
Preserve America
Preserve America is a United States government program, established under President George W. Bush, intended to encourage and support community efforts to preserve and enjoy the country's cultural and natural heritage....
" community. This makes Thai Town eligible for $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
250,000 in "Preserve America" grants and $250,000 in other private and public grants.