Bangkok

Lying in the Chao Phraya River delta in the central plains of Thailand, Bangkok is the capital and the most populated city of the country. It has the population of 9 million and become of the biggest cities in the world. Referring to Bangkok, people consider it as the city of angles, immortals, nine gems, royal palaces, seat of the king, gods, etc. It is also the centre of Thailand's spirit, culture, politics, commerce, education and diplomacy. The city covers an area of 1,568.737 square kilometers and consists of 50 districts.

Bangkok’s area dates back from the 15th century as it was a village lying on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River during Ayutthaya’s monarch. In 1782, after the lost of king Ayutthaya in the battle with the Burmese invaders, it was turned into the capital of Siam by the first monarch of the nowadays Chakri dynasty, King Rama I. Since then, Bangkok has become a national treasure and many functions.

Bangkok is among Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities and has become an attractive destination of the world travelers. Tourists coming here are impressed not only by its high-rise buildings, traffic jam, intense heat and bustle nightlife, but also by the innumerable interesting attractions and visual delights including majestic temples and palaces, museums, authentic canals, vibrant nightlife and busy markets, which boost Bangkok become one of the world’s top tourist destination and premier sites in Thailand. The multi-faceted sights and city life of Bangkok attract a lot of tourists. Royal palaces, temples and museums are the major cultural and historical attractions. Some popular ones are Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Arun, Wat Pho temples; the Giant and Erawan Shrine which are rooted from Hinduism in Thai culture; Vimanmek Mansion in Dusit Palace with largest teak building, Jim Thompson House with example of traditional Thai architecture. The Bangkok National Museum as well as the Royal Barge National Museum is major ones with the collections of artifacts and beautiful buildings of colorful architectural design.

Shopping centers and department stores are also popular to tourists. People can go shopping in the sprawling Chatuchak weekend Market, Bangkok's China Town, Bang Lamphu and Taling Chan Floating Market for souvenirs with a lot of shops and stalls selling various items and products, ranging from clothes, shoes, handbags, cosmetics, to fresh fruit, vegetables, pets, handicrafts and domestic utensils, etc. Besides, tourists can come to visit Jim Thompson’s Thai House and Narayanaphand handicraft center to see the remarkable Thai-style house and collection of artifacts as blue-white China ware, benjarong, Cambodian stone figures as well as Thai silk, wood carving, bronze objects, ceramics, etc.

In addition, Bangkok is a famous entertainment area with a lot of zoos and parks as Dusit Zoo, Siam Water Park, Safari World, Lumphini Park, etc, with numerous kinds of animals as kangaroos, Siamese crocodiles, Sumatran rhinoceros, gaurs, etc and man-made sea with whirlpools, artificial, waterfalls, mountains, etc. Tourists coming here can also watch animals’ performances like birds, dolphins, monkeys and seals. That’s really interesting!