Bangkok, the capital of the Kingdom of Thailand, certainly is a cosmopolitan metropolis, with attractions to stimulate even the most jaded travellers.
It was created the Thai capital in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri Dynasty. Bangkok is a national treasure house and Thailand's spiritual, cultural, political, commercial, educational and diplomatic centre.
At present, the city has about 10 million inhabitants, half native Bangkokians, half 'immigrants' from the provinces, who migrate to Bangkok for economic reasons. The city does not really have one city centre.
The historicical centre is Rattanakosin Island with the Grand Palace, Wat Phrakaew, Wat Pho, the City Pillar shrine, and Sanam Luang. The business district centers around Silom Road. The area around Siam Square, Rajadamri intersection, can be called the Shopping Centre, while most tourists nowadays seem to find accommodations on Sukhumvit Road.
The city has prominent highrise buildings, both commercial and residential, while at the same time is spread out over a vast area (560 square km). So areas away from the main roads still have a lot of lowrise residential areas.
The name 'Bangkok' actually is foreign given, translates as 'Location of the Olive Plums', and refers to an old area of the city. Thai people do not use the name Bangkok altogether, but call it 'Krungthep (Mahanokorn)', which literally means 'City of Angels'. The full name of Krungthep is actually very long, but fortunately only the abbreviated version is in common use.
Bangkok certainly is the commercial and entertainment capital of the country, but here we will limit ourselves to its historical and cultural aspects. |
