Exploring Bangkok, City of Angels
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. It is one of the most exciting travel destinations in Asia, with a lot of tourist attractions located within and near to it. The city is rich in culture and history. Architecture-wise, Bangkok is an amalgam of the old and the new, with ramshackled structures next to gleaming skyscrapers and serene wats, as the Thai temples are called. There are numerous temples in the city, and to the untrained eyes, they all look more or less the same. In addition to the ubiquitous temples, Bangkok also has quite a number of mosques, churches and even Hindu temples. The most famous temples in Bangkok are the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, and the Temple of Dawn.
Wat Benchamabophit, the Marble Temple (27 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye
Visitors who love to shop will find Bangkok to be a true delight. Prices here is usually much lower than at other Asian capitals, though one of the highest within Thailand itself. For branded stuff, the place to go is Pathum Wan, in downtown Bangkok. This is where you can shop till you drop in the numerous air-conditioned malls such as Siam Paragon and Central World Plaza. For the more economical class type of shopping, nothing compares to Chatuchak Weekend Market, touted as the biggest open-air market in the world.
Originally Bangkok was developed on the western bank of the Chao Phraya River. The name Bangkok, which means "village of wild plums" refers to the area in Thonburi where the city was originally located. When King Rama I moved the capital across the river in 1782, to present-day Rattanakosin, the name "Bangkok" continued to be used by the foreign merchants, and became the official English name of the city. Among the Thais, however, it is known as Krung Thep. That's the abbreviated form of Krung Thep Mahanakhon, which itself is the short form of the official name of the city, Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Nopphosin Ratchathaniburirom Udomrathaniwetmahasa Amonphiman Awatansathit Sakkathatiya Witsanukamprasit. This massive mouthful, translated into English, goes something like this: City of Angels, Great City of the Immortals, Magnificent City of Nine Gems, Seat of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of the Gods Incarnate, Erected by Visvakarman at Indra's Behest. There.
Today Bangkok and its metropolitan area has a total population of 15 million people, making it far and ahead the biggest city in Thailand. The urban area of Bangkok has sprawled across both sides of the Chao Phraya. It is a haphazardly developed city that is notorious for its traffic congestion. The construction of several elevated expressways that make sweeping loops across the metropolis has done much to reduce the infamous crawls, though it is not entirely eliminated. Often, once you reach the exit ramps of the expressway, you come to a grinding halt.
In addition to the elevated expressways, Bangkok also has a network of mass transit trains. They include the elevated system, called the BTS Skytrain, and a subway system, called the Bangkok Metro. The Skytrain, in service since December 5, 1999, has 22 stations covering 23.5km, with plans for extensions on the map. The Metro, after several delays, was finally opened on April 13, 2004, with the Hua Lamphong - Bang Sue Route of 18 stations covering 20km. The two systems have interchanges at Silom/Saladaeng, Sukhumvit/Asok and Chatuchak/Mo Chit.
How to get to Bangkok
By Plane - Suvarnabhumi Airport
Suvarnabhumi Airport is the main gateway to Bangkok and Thailand. This ultra-modern airport is located 30 km to the east of the city centre.
From Suvarnabhumi Airport, you can take a metered taxi to Bangkok. The taxi stand is on the 1st floor. Join the queue and state your destination to the taxi desk. Your destination will be written on a two-part slip. Your taxi driver will take the smaller portion. You hold on to the larger portion as your receipt. Use if should there arise a need to complain. There is a 50-baht surcharge per taxi on top of the meter charge and toll. Expect to pay between 250-400 baht taxi fare and another 25 baht for toll. The journey should take around 4
5-60 minutes.
Avoid paying a flat rate for your taxi trip. You will usually pay more on a flat rate.
By Plane - Don Muang Airport
The old international airport at Don Muang is now used by two domestic Thai airlines, Nok Air and One-Two-GO serving domestic destinations. If you happen to arrive at Don Muang, you can take the taxi at the public taxi stand located at the sidewalk just outside the Arrivals area. Ignore all the taxi service booths located in the mainhall. Here, at the sidewalk, you find the taxi stand similar to the one at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
How to find accommodation: Bangkok Hotels
Here's a list of budget hotels with online booking facilities:
The reclining Buddha of Wat Po (28 October 2006)
© Timothy Tye
How to gett around in Bangkok
Taking the Skytrain
The Skytrain is the elevated light rail transit system. Fares range from 15 to 40 baht and have to be bought at the machines. If you are staying for a few days, you may buy the stored-value card (travel value from 100 baht, plus a 30 baht refundable deposit and another 30 baht non-refundable cost) or the tourist unlimited ride card (from 120 baht per day).
Presently the Skytrain comprises two lines, the green Sukhumvit Line, and the red Silom Line. They interchange at the station at Siam Square.
Taking the Metro
The Bangkok Metro is the subway that presently has only one route, the Blue Line, which runs from Hualamphong Railway Station to Bang Sue Station. It interchanges with the Skytrain at Silom/Sala Daeng, Sukhumvit/Asok and Chatuchak/Mo Chit. The fare starts from 15 baht. A round plastic token is used as the ticket.
Taking the Chao Phraya Express Boat
Board at piers and pay the ticket collector. The fare is 13 baht for the basic service, which stops at every pier. In addition, there is the "express boat" with yellow or orange flags. These only stop at selected piers, and should be avoided unless you know exactly where you are going.
Taking the Taxi
The taxi is a clean, comfortable way to get around Bangkok. But it isn't exactly the fastest, as you may get trapped in a jam. Nonetheless it does take you right to the doorstep of your destination. The flag-down fare is 35 baht. Most trips will cost you less than 100 baht. Be sure that the driver "remembers" to turn on the meter - it will show a digital 35 on the dashboard. Taxis in Bangkok are some of the most brightly painted vehicles anywhere.
Taking the Tuk Tuk
I personally do not recommend taking the tuk-tuk in Bangkok - though for smaller cities such as Chiang Mai, that would be the preferred option. The reason is that, it is too dusty to ride in a tuk tuk. Unlike the taxi, with broad windows, you don't get to see exactly where you are going, and on top of it all, it is not any cheaper than taking the taxi.
More photos of Bangkok
Temple dancers at Erawan Shrine (4 September 2006)
© Timothy Tye
Jim Thompson's House (24 December 2005)
© Timothy Tye
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Places of Interest in Bangkok
There is so much to see in Bangkok - and so little time - that I create this simple ranking system using ( * ) for sights of considerable significance and ( * * ) for sights of major significance. That way, you can quickly select the important sights if you are pressed for time.
- 200th Anniversary Clock Tower
- 200th Anniversary Drum Tower
- Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall
- Amulet Market
- Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall
- Assumption Cathedral
- Baiyoke Skytower
- Bamrung Muang Road
- Bangkok City Hall
- Central World Plaza
- Charoen Krung Road
- Chatuchak Market
- Chinatown Gate
- Chitrlada Palace
- Chulalongkorn University
- Democracy Monument
- Dusit Palace
- Dusit Park
- Dusit Zoo
- Dusit's Christian Churches
- Erawan Shrine
- Ganesha Shrine
- Gaysorn Plaza
- Giant Swing
- Golden Mount
- Golden Shrine Foundation
- Grand Palace
- Hualamphong Railway Station
- Jim Thompson House
- Khao San Road
- Khlong Lord
- Khlong Saen Saeb
- King Rama V Equestrian Statue
- King Vajiravudh Museum
- City Pillar Shrine (Lak Muang)
- Loha Prasat
- Lumpini Park
- Mae Toranee
- Maha Uma Devi Temple
- Mahakan Fort
- Mahatthai Uthit Bridge
- MBK Center
- Ministry of Defence Building
- Monk's Bowl Village (Ban Bat)
- Nakorn Kasem
- National Museum
- National Stadium
- Neilson-Hays Library
- Old Farang Quarter
- Oriental Hotel
- Pak Khlong Market
- Patpong
- Phahurat Market
- Phan Fa Lilat Bridge
- Phitsanulok Road
- Pratunam
- Princess Arun Wadi Residential Hall
- Princess Puang Soi Saang Residential Hall
- Ratchadamnoen Avenue
- Royal Bangkok Sports Club
- Royal Elephant National Museum
- Sanam Luang
- Siam Center
- Siam Discovery Center
- Siam Niramit
- Siam Paragon
- Siam Square
- Silom Road
- Snake Farm
- Suan Pakkad Palace
- Temple of the Emerald Buddha @ Wat Phra Kaeo
- Temple of the Reclining Buddha @ Wat Phra Chetuphon
- Thewet Flower Market
- Thian Fah Hospital
- Trimurti Shrine
- Wat Benchamabophit
- Wat Bowonniwet
- Wat Indrawihan
- Wat Mahaprutaram
- Wat Pathumkhongkha Ratchaworawiharn
- Wat Pathum Wanaram
- Wat Ratchanaddaram
- Wat Saket
- Wat Samphanthawongsaram Worawiharn
- Wat Suthat
- Wat Theptidaram
- Wat Traimit @ Temple of the Golden Buddha
Sights in Thonburi
- Church of Santa Cruz
- Museums at the Siriraj Hospital
- Royal Barge Museum
- Taksin Monument
- Temple of Dawn @ Wat Arun
- Wat Kalayanimit
- Wat Prayun
- Wat Rakhang
- Wat Suwannaram
Bangkok Localities & Neighbourhoods
The following are some of the neighbourhoods or localities in Bangkok. To be exact, Bangkok is administered as 50 districts. However, these do not accurately represent the functional division of the neighbourhoods. The following neighbourhoods, though not entirely districts in the administrative sense, are places within Bangkok.
- Asok
- Banglamphu
- Bangrak
- Chatuchak
- Chitlom
- Dusit
- Pathumwan
- Phetchaburi
- Phra Nakhon
- Rajprasong
- Rattanakosin
- Sathon
- Silom
- Sukhumvit
- Yaowarat (Chinatown)
Bangkok Transport Infrastructure
- Don Mueng Airport
- Suvarnabhumi Airport
Sights in the vicinity of Bangkok
- Ancient City
- Chatuchak Market
- Crocodile Farm
- Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
- Erawan Museum
- Nakhon Pathom
- Nonthaburi
- Prasart Museum
- Ratchaburi
- Rose Garden
- Siam Park
- Sukhumvit Road
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