SATHORN and Silom roads run parallel to each other but the two areas are like chalk and cheese.

The former is the city's business heart while Silom is infamous for its nightlife.

Office buildings line the main Sathorn Road but residential projects occupy the lanes. Sathorn offers larger land plots than Silom, where small shops, restaurants and pubs dominate.

Silom has all sides of the sex industry covered. It is Bangkok's prime gay area and also hosts the red-light Patpong district. It is no surprise that most Thais are not keen to live here.

Despite the differences, Silom and Sathorn have similarities. For instance, quite a few relatively new hotels such as The Metropolitan, Luxx and Triple Two Silom can be found in Silom.

Like much of Bangkok, these areas are a melting pot of new and old, quiet and chaos, hip and conventional.

Two new projects are poised to set fresh records in the area. The Sukhothai Residence will be launched later this year as Bangkok's first branded residence. It is expected to cost 40 to 50 per cent more than The Met, which has achieved prices of up to 150,000 baht (S$6,825) per sq m.

Banyan Tree Residences, which has an unusual 90-year lease, will offer a 6 per cent rental return for six years. It will be marketed around October.

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