Orientation
Thung Khru is a district on the Thonburi (western) side of Bangkok, in the city's far south, with a postal code of 10140. It sits at a large bend of the Chao Phraya River and borders Rat Burana, Bang Khun Thian and Chom Thong within Bangkok, as well as Phra Pradaeng and Phra Samut Chedi in Samut Prakan province. It is divided into two sub-districts, Bang Mot and Thung Khru. The name means "the plain in the larger area" — "thung" being the Thai word for flat land — and the area was once known for a woven, coated utensil called a khru used for carrying water. The Bang Mot tangerine is grown locally.
Notable places in the district include King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT), Thonburirom Park, Tungkru Plaza Market, the Islamic College Thailand, the 72nd Anniversary Stadium (Bang Mod), Children's Discovery Museum Bangkok 2 and Naluang School. Buddhist temples here are modest, with Wat Thung Khru, Wat Phutthabucha and Wat Bang Mot the possible exceptions, but other religions are well represented — the Islamic College and local mosques such as Masjid Kholideen are part of the area's fabric.
How visitors get around
Thung Khru has no rail or metro station of its own. Getting around the district itself means buses, taxis and ride-hailing, with a fair amount of walking between stops and destinations. The rail network comes into play mainly as a connection point at the edges of the district and on the way into central Bangkok.
Rail, metro and tram
The metro relevant to this area is the MRT Blue Line. It does not reach Thung Khru, but it is useful for the first leg of a trip into the city: a common combined route runs from MRT Sam Yot to MRT Sam Yan on the Blue Line, then continues by bus from Chulalongkorn to Wat Son 1. The whole journey, including the transfer, takes roughly half an hour. The metro runs frequently — every few minutes on this stretch. The operator, Bangkok Metro, can be reached on +66 2716 4000 or at saraban@mrta.co.th, and information is available at bemplc.co.th. No tram service is described in the sources for this area.
Buses and other public transport
Buses are the main public transport serving Thung Khru, and several lines connect the district to other parts of Bangkok:
- Line 21 and its variants — 4-6 (21), 4-7E (21E) — link Wat Kusang with Maha Nak and Chulalongkorn University respectively. Line 21 also runs to Pahurat (India Emporium) and The Thai Red Cross Society, and there is an air-conditioned variant.
- Line 88 and 4-17 (88) connect KMUTT Bangkhunthian with BTS Krung Thon Buri; 88 Original runs from KMUTT Bangkhunthian to Lat Ya, and line 88 also serves Big C Pracha Uthit.
- T.36 runs between Wongwian Yai and Thung Kru.
- T.124 runs from Chulalongkorn University via Thungkru to Siam Niwet Village.
There is also a direct route between Sam Peng (สำเพ็ง) and Soi Pracha Uthit 49 (ซอยประชาอุทิศ 49), served by three operators: Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), the Department of Land Transport, and Thai Smile Bus. The BMTA service takes around three-quarters of an hour and runs daily; the Department of Land Transport version takes slightly longer and runs less often, while Thai Smile Bus takes a little over an hour and runs more frequently. EV buses are in use on this route. This is the lowest-cost option for reaching the district.
Useful nearby bus stops include Ratburana School (Muhammad Uthit), Islamwattayalai School and Baan Dome Kindergarten, each a short walk of under ten minutes from the area. Services start early — line 21 stops nearby from around 4:46 AM — and the last T.36 runs at about 11:08 PM. Fares are inexpensive; the direct bus is described as costing roughly £1.
Operator contacts: BMTA hotline 1348 and bmta.co.th; Department of Land Transport at dlt.go.th; Thai Smile Bus at thaismilegroup.com.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Taxis are quick and cheap for this area: a taxi from central Bangkok to Thung Khru takes about 15 minutes and costs roughly £3–5, and driving the same distance takes about the same time. Operators and apps listed include All Thai Taxi, GoodTaxiThai, Grab Taxi and Tom Taxi Services. For a visitor, ride-hailing apps are the simplest way to reach specific addresses in the district, since bus stops are spread out and landmarks like the university, the stadium and the market are not all on the same line.
Walkability
Walking is practical for short hops between nearby stops and destinations, but not as a way of covering the district as a whole: a walk from central Bangkok to Thung Khru is described as around ten miles and over three hours. Plan on combining walking with buses or taxis rather than relying on foot for longer trips.
Getting from the airport into the city
The practical pattern it does support is to reach central Bangkok first — by whatever airport transfer you arrange — and then continue south by MRT Blue Line plus bus, by the direct Sam Peng–Soi Pracha Uthit 49 bus, or by taxi or ride-hailing, which is the quickest and most direct option for the final leg.