The country's former Customs House was once the gateway to Thailand, levying taxes on traders moving in and out of the kingdom. It was designed by an Italian architect and built in the 1890s; the front door opened onto its source of income (the river) and the grand facade was ceremoniously decorated in columns and transom windows.
Today, with its sagging shutters, peeling yellow paint and laundry flapping on the balconies, the crumbling yet hauntingly beautiful building serves as a residence for members of Bangkok's fire brigade, not to mention a popular destination for wedding shoots. And hard-core movie buffs with a keen eye will recognise the Old Customs House from its cameo appearance in Wong Kar Wai's film In the Mood for Love (2000).
