|
HomeTopics...Asia VacationsBangkok
Bangkok: Capital City of ThailandBangkok, Thailand's capital and largest city, has been described as "one of the most confounding and challenging cities in the world," and with cause. Pollution, overcrowding, chronic housing shortages, traffic congestion, and the relentless jostle of Bangkok are all part of the challenge when vacationing in Bangkok.
But avoiding Bangkok is tantamount to missing out on the essence of your vacation to Southeast Asia. Granted, Bangkok has its downside, but the metropolis is also one of the most fascinating and rewarding destinations you could hope to encounter on your travels through Southeast Asia. Bangkok has a rich history and culture, with some of the most amazing historic buildings imaginable. The city is also the financial, industrial, economic, political and educational center of Thailand, as well as the country's main port. Like many capital cities around the world, Bangkok is a fascinating fusion of antiquity and modernity. The main difference to the casual observer is that Bangkok lacks order and that chaos appears to reign supreme over both the exotic and the commonplace.
Bangkok: Facts & FiguresThese are some of the basics you should know before you visit:
Bangkok: Background HistoryBangkok became the capital of Thailand in 1782 following the death of King Taksin of Thon Buri. Thong Duang (more commonly known as Rama I or King Buddha Yodfa) ascended the throne and became the founder of the Chakri Dynasty, which rules Thailand to this day.
In the same year Rama I moved the capital, for strategic reasons, from Thon Buri (formerly the capital of Siam) to Bangkok, on the opposite side of the River Chao Phraya. The King ordered the construction of the Grand Palace close to the river and a network of canals around the new capital, all designed to provide added protection from foreign invasion.
The Grand PalaceA visit to Bangkok's Grand Palace is a must for anyone vacationing in Bangkok. Today, the Grand Palace is no longer inhabited by royalty and is only used, on rare occasions, for ceremonial purposes and coronations. The current King, Rama IX, actually resides at the Chitralada Palace in the Dusit district of Bangkok. King Rama VIII, whose death in 1946 remains shrouded in mystery, was the last king to inhabit the Grand Palace.
Much of the interior of the Grand Palace is closed to the public. Visitors, however, are allowed access to certain sections of the Grand Palace such as the impressive European- style Reception Room. The grounds of the Grand Palace include the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo) and a shrine for Thai Buddhists that equates with Mecca or St. Peter's in Rome. Also check out the Grand Palace Museum, which contains scaled models of the Grand Palace, numerous Buddha images and a wealth of background information on the history of the Grand Palace.
Damnoen Sakuak: The Floating MarketFor pure spectacle and buzz, you can't beat the floating market of Damnoen Saduak. You've seen pictures of the floating market; you've heard tales about the notorious floating market. But nothing quite prepares you for your first visit to the world famous floating market of Damnoen Saduak. Surprisingly, Bangkok only acquired a floating market in 1967.
Damnoen Saduak takes its name from the canals dug during the reign of King Rama IV. Damnoen Saduak is located in the Province of Ratchaburi, approximately 68 miles (109 km) south of Bangkok. Today, the floating market of Damnoen Saduak is primarily a tourist attraction, with countless vendors and purchasers bartering precariously from their narrow rowing boats. Nowadays, however, it is not unusual to see marketers using motorboats, which clearly give them an edge over the competition! Food, fruit, vegetables and miscellaneous household items make up the bulk of the goods on sale in the floating market. Such is the popularity of the original floating market, attracting tourists from all over the world, that it has spawned in its wake a number of floating market "look-alikes" in and around Bangkok. If you want to visit the original floating market during your vacation to Bangkok, you're strongly advised to use a reputable tour company, or you could be suitably conned! |
|
