Bangkok Thailand Travel Information Guide and Hotels

Bangkok Thailand

Bangkok offers visitors the opportunity to experience fascinating glimpses of Thailand’s gentle culture amidst the bustle of a great and dynamic metropolis.

Bangkok 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 kilometres, 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 glimpses 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 centres and traditional ways of life, especially along the “Venice of the East” timeless canals and the Chao Phraya River or 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.

Buildings of Cultural Interest Bangkok takes great pride in its large number of fascinating temples around the capital. The major ones can be found in the Rattanakosin area on the western side of the city.

The Rattanakosin area is called an island but has been incorporated into the city. A trip there will allow visitors to see many attractions within a short distance of one another.

Muai Thai, With feet, arms, fists and knees used in the fights, the unique martial art of “Muai Thai” has caught on in many countries. Boxers undergoing long periods of specialised training are immensely fit and strong although slight in build. It comes as no surprise when much larger men without the specialised training, feeling that they can easily win, find themselves on their backs in a few seconds when up against these steely-muscled fighters. Read More...

At night, when most of the city’s attractions are closed and visitors feel like the day has not yet been completed, feel free to spend the night time in various exquisite pubs, clubs, karaoke, and bars in Bangkok. Here are some selections for your choice of interest. There, let the vibes go into your veins and lose yourself in the music. Read More...

Smart people arrive in Bangkok with empty suitcases and go back with full ones. The reason is that Bangkok is one of the world’s best shopping centres. It has many advantages: quality, cheap prices, skilled artisans and friendly good-natured bargaining. Favourite purchases include Thai silks and cottons, modern and traditional jewellery featuring precious gemstones such as sapphires, rubies, emeralds and diamonds, semi-precious stones silverware, pewterware, ceramics, specially-fired celadon, woodcarved paintings, custom-tailored clothing and hundreds of other special buys. Read More...

Trains
The main station is Hua Lamphong. This beautiful 100-yearold building is designed in the shape of an arc. The Italian architect who designed the station was also responsible for the marble Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall. For information, please contact the Travel Service Unit, State Railways of Thailand. Tel. 0 2220 4334, 1690
Website: www.railway.co.th

Buses
Plentiful and cheap are the regular non-air buses. Air-conditioned buses and microbuses are only a fraction more expensive. A bus route map is available at most hotels, bookshops and the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s office on New Phetchaburi Road.

Subway
Opened in 2004, the city’s new subway system (MRTA) connects many of the top tourist attractions with accommodation areas, markets, and the business district. The trains run from 6 a.m. to midnight, daily.

BTS Skytrain
Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) provides safe, cheap and rapid rides to popular areas of Bangkok. The service is excellent and the stations and trains are immaculately clean. There are two lines, intersecting at Siam Square. It is the best way to avoid traffic and pollution.

Taxis
Hotel taxis have set rates. Street taxis known as “Taxi Meters” charge a minimum of 35 baht for the first 2 kilometres and 5 baht for every following kilometre. Tel. 1661, 1681

River Taxis
Even more unusual, though equally convenient, river taxis ply the Chao Phraya River. While some are just cross river ferries, others serve many piers on both banks and cover a route that goes up as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.

Tuk-Tuk
These 3-wheelers are popular for short journeys. Fares must be bargained in advance. They are not much cheaper than taxis and perhaps the odd mode of transportation is the attraction.

Motorcycle Taxis
Bangkok is such a busy city with many traffic jams that everyone wants to get to their destination on time and as fast as they could which is why motorcycle taxis are so popular. The fare depends on the distance but is about the same as a taxi.

Besides nationally celebrated events on public holidays, including Buddhist holy days, Bangkok hosts a number of important annual events.

Golf is a great attraction here, and readers will find Samut Prakan courses elsewhere in this book.

The Royal Naval Museum
Opposite the Naval Academy, 10 km. from Bang Na intersection on Sukhumvit Road, the museum, open daily between 9.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m., displays models of the Royal Barge procession, as well as equipment and utensils used on warships. Website: www.navy.mi.th/navalmuseum

The Ancient City
Opposite the City Hall, this remarkable white pagoda, commonly called “Phra Chedi Klang Nam” as its original location was on an island near the river mouth, attracts visitors who enjoy the pagoda’s annual celebration, usually lasting nine days in October.

Essentially an open-air museum, this very large complex, located at Km. 33 on Sukhumvit Highway and open daily from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. with a reasonable admission fee, contains almost-real-scale replicas of religious complexes, monuments and buildings found throughout Thailand.
Tel. 0 2226 1936, 0 2224 1057, 0 2323 9253
Website: www.ancientcity.com

Phra Chunlachomklao Fortress
Called for short “Pom Phra Chun”, this old fortress, located 7 km. south of Phra Samut Chedi on Suksawat Road, is open to the public daily and displays an old warship named “Ruea Luang Mae Klong”, as well as several old cannons and pairs of binoculars.

Bueng Tako
Also known as Club Tako, this is a place for people who love water sports such as water-skiing and windsurfing from 12.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. on weekdays and 10:00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. at weekends. Tel. 0 2316 7809-10.

Bang Pu Seaside
About 10 km. from the town on Sukhumvit Road, a pier stretches out over a tidal muddy beach and affords a long walkway for those visitors who enjoy a pleasant seaside atmosphere every evening in the cool season, watching marine bird life and dining at a seafood restaurant nearby.

Thailand Destination Guide

		:: North
		Mae Hong Son Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Phayao Lampang Lamphun Phrae Nan Tak Sukhothai Uttaradit Phitsanulok Kamphaeng Phet Phichit Phetchabun Uthai Thani Nakhon Sawan

		:: North East
		Loei Chaiyaphum Nong Bua Lamphu Khon Kaen Udon Thani Nong Khai Sakon Nakhon Nakhon Phanom Kalasin Mukdahan Nakhonratchasima (Khorat) Maha Sarakham Roi Et Yasothon Amnart Charoen Buriram Surin Si Sa Ket Ubon Ratchathani

		:: East
		Chon Buri (Pattaya) Rayong Chanthaburi Trat

		:: Central
		Chainat Kanchanaburi Suphan Buri Sing Buri Ang Thong Lop Buri Saraburi Ayutthaya Ratchaburi Nakhon Pathom Nonthaburi Pathum Thani Bangkok Samut Songkhram Samut Sakhon Samut Prakan Nakhon Nayok Chachoengsao Prachin Buri Sa Kaeo Phetchaburi (Hua Hin - Cha-Am) Prachuapkhirikhan

		:: South
		Chumphon Ranong Surat Thani (Samui) Phang-Nga Krabi Phuket Nakhon Si Thammarat Trang Phatthalung Satun Songkhla Pattani Yala Narathiwat