ThailandBangkok was founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty. It is now the country's spiritual, cultural, diplomatic, commercial and educational hub. It covers an area of more than 1,500 square kilometers, and it is home to approximately ten million people or more than 10% of the country's population. Over the last few decades, Thailand's capital city, Bangkok, has changed into a modern, exciting and sophisticated city. It offers to visitors not only the cosmopolitan amenities they would expect from other big cities, but also a unique treasure trove of cultural attractions. Thailand, in the heart of Southeast Asia, was never colonised and thus kept its unique culture and heritage intact. Bangkok offers visitors the opportunity to experience fascinating glimpse of Thailand's gentle culture amidst the bustle of a great and dynamic metropolis.
This great city has had astounding success in combining the ancient and modern world. For tourists, Bangkok has a feast of attractions to offer. The city is dotted with 400 glittering Buddhist temples of great beauty and fascination, magnificent palaces, classical dance extravaganzas, numerous shopping centers and traditional ways of life, especially along the "Venice of the East" timeless canals and the Chao Phraya River of the "River of Kings" winding through the city. It is worth taking a trip along its waters before exploring further into different canals to take a glimpse of old Bangkok.
Maenam Chao Phraya
The Chao Phraya River is the most important waterway in Thailand. Boats of all sizes ply this river ranging from huge container ships that berth at Klong Toey Port to small dugouts. Its most recognized water transporters are the rice barges and the long-tail boats. Then there are cross river ferries and the river express boats serving as water-born buses bringing commuters to the city from as far up-river as Nonthaburi. A cruise on the Chao Phraya River gives you a new perspective on Bangkokas you pass by the imposing Prangs of Wat Arun, the majestic Grand Palace and the Temple of The Emerald Buddha.
You'll see a different side of commerce as huge lines of rice barges are towed by a small tugboat and other barges carrying cargo as diverse as sand and gravel, even soft drinks and beer. There are a number of ways you can experience life on the river. You can take a voyage on a luxuriously converted rice barge leaving from Bangkok on a leisurely journey all the way up to the ancient capital at Ayutthaya. There are also purpose-built luxury cruisers making the same trip. Or you can see the river life the same way the locals do by catching a river express boat. There are converted rice barges and Chinese junks that offer lunch and dinner cruises. The evening dinner cruise can be particularly romantic, sipping fine wine at a candle-lit table. For those who want a more budget-priced journey, there are small river boats that are available for hire by the hour.
Khao San Road
Where the worlds young travellers meet. Khao San Road is a favourite crossroads for the young travellers on a budget. It has evolved over the last two decades from just one small hostel providing low-budget accommodation become one of the worlds most well-known destinations. It has been featured in many movies and television documentaries. During the day, Khao San Road is the scene for back-packers looking for a cheap room while others are arranging transport to their next destination in Thailand or overseas. Some will be just chatting with friends over a cup of coffee or a bowl of noodles. At night, it turns into a lively thoroughfare lined with street stalls selling cheap clothes, handicrafts, souvenirs and thousands of other items. The lights are on at the many bars where the travellers tell tales of the days adventures and discoveries and the plans for tomorrow. Khao San Road is not just for foreign travellers, many young Thai people like to hang out there, including members of the TV and film production industries.
The location is very convenient for visiting the many tourist attractions on Rattanakosin Island. It is just a 10-minute walk to Sanam Luang and The Grand Palace. During April when Thais celebrate the Songkran Festival, Khao San Road becomes a fun-filled battleground as everyone, Thais and foreigners indulge in splashing each other with water.The area is also well-known for the wide variety of inexpensive food. This ranges from spicy Thai Tom Yum Gung soup to the ever-popular banana pancake.
Bang Lamphu
One of the oldest parts of town
Bang Lamphu district has become famous over recent years due to the emergence of Khao San Road as the popular destination for the worlds young budget travellers. The area has an interesting history as it is located in the Rattanakosin Island area. It gets its name from the lamphu trees that used to grow here. This tree has vertical roots and is a favourite gathering spot for fireflies. The canal that makes Bang Lamphu part of Rattanakosin Island was dug during the reign of King Rama I and has had many names including Klong Ong Ang because there used to be a community here making the big earthenware pots called ong. The first palace was built here by Princess Chakjesda, a relative of King Rama I. Although the palace has now gone, a small part of a wall remains on Phra Sumen Road, opposite the hexagonal-shaped Phra Sumen Fort. This fort is one of the original 13 constructed to defend Bangkok. Bang Lamphu has been the location of many of the major events in Thailand's recent history. The Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Klang Road has been the rallying point for many political movements. There is a house on Phra Arthit Road, where Pridi Banomyong lived when he established the Seri Thai organization to fight the Japanese occupation during World War II.
Today, Bang Lamphu is an interesting mix of buildings built over a century ago in the colonial style side by side with modern buildings and shop houses. It is well worth a visit to what is possibly Bangkok's first suburb.
Old Bangkok Walking Tour
Siam Soundtrek presently have Mp3 tracks available for 15 sites within Bangkok's historical Rattanakosin Island, including the Giant Swing, Wat Suthat, and the Brahmin Chapels. All these sites are found within walking distance from Khao San Road. Mp3 tours and maps can be downloaded for free at www.soundtrek.org, or Mp3 players can be rented at the Rim Khob Faa Bookstore next to the Democracy Monument on Ratchadamnoen Road.
Sanam Luang or Thung Phra Men
A vast open ground situated near the northern wall of the Grand Palace and the eastern wall of the former Viceroy Palace or Wang Na. At the time when Bangkok was first established, the ground was a rice field and was sometimes used as a location for a royal crematorium, Phra Men in Thai. The ground was, thus, otherwise called as Thung Phra Men which means the crematorium ground. In considering that the name was inauspicious, King Rama IV had the ground renamed as Thong Sanam Luang, or the Royal Ground, and the rice farming there cancelled. Later, King Rama V had the Wang Nas eastern wall demolished and the area of Sanam Luang enlarged to cover a total of 78 rai as it does nowadays. The place has been used as the crematorium ground for kings, members of the royal family and nobility, in addition, to being a royal sporting ground. The king also had 365 tamarind trees planted around it.
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