Bangkok

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Bangkok Travel Guide

Travel Author

Stig Albeck

City Map

City Introduction

Bangkok is one of Asia’s major metropolises, and here’s everything to expect from a real big city. This includes loads of shopping, a tasty cuisine, great entertainment as well as numerous sights, museums, monuments and much more. You will enjoy everything in the city streets and on the river Chao Phraya.

Bangkok’s grand temples and palaces are the most famous sights, with the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun at the forefront. These are must sees on a tour through Bangkok’s neighborhoods, and they are unforgettable with its unique embellishments, fantastic colors, Buddhas and everything else at each of the places.

Enjoy the tasteful Thai cuisine, which offers everything from rounded flavors to something so strong that Westerners get both tears in their eyes and sweat on their foreheads, worth trying it out. Seafood is a good choice, just as the fruits from the fertile and tropical thai countryside.

The surrounding area of ​​Bangkok also offers a wide variety of opportunities. Many people go to the picturesque historic capital of Ayutthaya or sail to the Bang Pa In summer palace, but there is also much else to see around the capital of Thailand, like the beaches along the Bay of Bangkok.

Top Attractions

Grand Palace, Bangkok

Temple of the Emerald Buddha
Wat Phra Kaew
วัดพระแก้ว

The Wat Phra Kaew temple complex is home to Thailand’s famous Emerald Buddha. The complex was built by King Rama I, who in 1782 had succeeded King Taksin on the Thai throne. Rama I moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok, where he established his palace and associated temple between the two existing temples, Wat Pho and Wat Mahathat. Chinese people previously lived here, who on that occasion were moved to the current Chinatown district in Bangkok.

The facility was completed in 1784-1785, and today Wat Phra Kaew stands side by side with the Grand Palace as two fantastic sights with a common entrance. It may be appropriate to first visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and then the Great Palace, which for many years was the residence of the kings.

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is the temple area that, together with the Grand Palace, forms historic Bangkok, which was founded with these very buildings. The temple area’s largest and central building houses the Emerald Buddha, and around it there are many other buildings worth seeing and an elegant and unforgettable decoration.

Completed in 1784, the temple was built to house the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s largest shrine. In 1778, King Rama I, as King Taksin’s army commander, had conquered the city of Vientiane and from there brought the Buddha to Bangkok.

The Emerald Buddha is believed to be from 14th-century Thailand, but traditions also point to India as the place of origin. The known history of the figure starts in Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand, where it was in 1434. There was plaster around it, and after a lightning strike in the Buddha’s temple, monks found out that under the plaster there was a 66 centimeter tall Buddha in green jade. On the figure’s way to Bangkok, it then went to Lampang, Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang, before arriving in Vientiane in 1551.

Tradition has it that the Emerald Buddha was prepared by Nagasena with the help of, among others, the god Vishnu in what is now Patna in India in the century BC. Nagasena is considered in Mahayana Buddhism as one of 18 original followers of the Buddha. After 300 years, the figure came to Sri Lanka, and in 457 the Burmese king Anuruth asked for help in the form of the Buddha to promote Buddhism in Burma. The figure was sent by ship, and on the way back a storm hit, which took the ship and the Buddha to Cambodia, where the figure was brought to Angkor. Here the Thais conquered it in 1432.

The Emerald Buddha is said to bring safety and prosperity to the place where it is located, and has thus become the national shrine of Thailand with a very special role as a symbol of the country. It is celebrated at several events. At the start of each of the three Thai seasons (summer, rain and winter), the king changes the clothes of the Buddha in a grand ceremony.

When you enter the temple area, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is the main building in the area. It was architecturally constructed in a so-called old Bangkok style, reminiscent of the style of Ayutthaya. It is relatively original, but later kings have remodeled individual parts, decorated the temple further and expanded it. In the temple building itself, you can see the Emerald Buddha on an 11 meter high podium, and it is flanked by two Buddhas representing King Rama I and King Rama II.

Immediately north of the bot, which is the Buddha’s temple, there is a plateau with several structures worth seeing. To the west stands the great golden chedi Phra Si Rattana, which houses a piece of the Buddha’s bones. Phra Si Rattana was built in the 19th century in Sri Lankan style.

The particularly beautifully ornamented and pillared building next to it is Phra Mondhop, which was built in Thai style by King Rama I in the 18th century. Phra Mondhop is a scriptural library where Buddhist holy scriptures called Tripitaka are kept. At Phra Mondhop you can see some fine doors that are decorated with mother of pearl. Surrounding Phra Mondhop are four monuments; these are monuments to all the kings of the present Chakri dynasty.

Next to Phra Mondhop and furthest east on the plateau is the royal pantheon, Prasat Phra Thep Bidon, which was built in Khmer style in the 19th century. The building was erected as a monument to the Chakri dynasty and is only open once a year when the establishment of the dynasty is celebrated.

To the north of the plateau, you can also see a model of the impressive Khmer temple city of Angkor Wat, which was temporarily part of the Thai kingdom. The model was built as a monument to the conquest of Angkor Wat; even if the supremacy only lasted for a short period.

It was King Mongkut who had the model built; initially in 1860 he had sent soldiers on an unsuccessful mission to Cambodia to bring Angkor Wat itself to Bangkok. Surrounding the model are a number of elephant figures, each symbolizing an elephant that has helped various of the country’s kings.

At the eastern edge of the Wat Phra Kaew complex are eight prangs in a row of colorful Chinese porcelain decoration. They originate from the time of Rama I and represent the eight elements of Buddhism. Surrounding the entire temple area is a gallery in which the national hero epic Ramakian is reproduced in distinguished 18th-century wall paintings. The Ramakian legend, known in India as the Ramayana, is about the victory of good over evil in the form of Prince Rama’s victory over the demon Ravana.

Various mythological figures can be seen around the temple grounds. Here is among a kinnara, which in Thailand is a figure that is half human and half bird, which enables it to fly between the human world and the mythical world. A kinnara represents love.

The demonic-looking temple guardians are yakshas who have stood as protectors at temple entrances since 14th century Thailand. According to mythology, the yakshas were overcome by good, and in their remorse, they would look after the temples instead.

The human birds, called garudas, are also part of the temple’s decorations. They are divine giant birds on which the god Vishnu rode. The Garudas have the body of a human and the head, beak and wings of an eagle.

The Nagas are a snake people who live underground in the snake city of Boghavati, but are mostly in the water. They arose in connection with the creation of the Earth, when they first held the mountains during creation, and then disappeared into the seas. According to mythology, the main enemy of the Nagas are the Garudas, who eat Nagas.

 

Grand Palace
Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang
พระบรมมหาราชวัง

The Grand Palace in Bangkok, which for many years was the residence of the Thai kings, is located next to the temple complex Wat Phra Kaew, where the famous Emerald Buddha is found. With that location, many therefore choose to see the two fine sights on the same visit.

The Great Palace’s original residence palace was built as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha from 1782, and it was the permanent residence of the kings of Siam until 1925. Today, the beautiful buildings are mainly used for various ceremonies.

For a large part, the building blocks for the original parts came from Ayutthaya, which was destroyed in 1767. King Rama I sent soldiers up the river with orders to bring all the bricks except those from temples to Bangkok. Thus the remains of the palace and the walls surrounding Ayutthaya were moved to the new capital.

From the exit of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, you come from the east along the buildings of the Great Palace. To the east and not among the large and well-known buildings stands a building where a significant event in Thailand’s history took place in 1946, which was in the Barom Phiman mansion. Here, King Ananda (Rama VIII) was murdered under mysterious circumstances, and after that incident, Bhumibol (Rama IX) chose to move permanently to the Chitralada Palace to the northeast of Bangkok as the new king.

The first of the three large buildings that line the main path from the east is the Phra Maha Montien, which stands as a group of Thai-style buildings that served as a residence and audience hall for the king. This is where the Thai kings are crowned, and all coronations since Rama II have taken place here. Outside the building is a pavilion where the king could ride an elephant. In the building he changed and was able to walk the few meters to the audience hall itself.

The next large building on the right is the Phra Thinang Chakri complex, built by King Rama V in the years 1876-1882 in a European style with a Thai roof. The architect was the Englishman John Clunich, and the choice of style is due to the king’s time studying in Europe, where he was overwhelmed not least by London’s buildings and progress. The inspiration came from Buckingham Palace, and outside you can see some contemporary street lamps from London. The building is furnished with a sumptuous throne room and a number of rooms and halls where various state ceremonies such as official visits are held.

The last group of buildings, located furthest to the west, are the so-called Phra Maha Prasat. These buildings are among the oldest in the area, and they were built in their first and now defunct version in 1782-1784 by King Rama I. The king built a copy of the throne room in Ayutthaya, and in this he had himself crowned in a grand ceremony in 1784. Just five years later, lightning struck and the wooden buildings burned to the ground. Rama I had them re-erected in a new design, but also predicted that it was a sign that the Chakri dynasty would succumb after 150 years; in 1932 the dynasty’s autocracy ended and was replaced by a constitutional monarchy.

Built with King Rama I’s teak and mother-of-pearl throne, the Dusit Throne Hall, Phra Thinang Dusit, stands beautifully as the archetype of Thai architecture. Instead of acting as a coronation and throne room, it has come to be where the Thai monarchs lie after their death during the country’s mourning period. Behind the throne room itself is the Phra Thinang Phiman Rattaya building, which was built as Rama I’s residence.

In addition to the buildings mentioned, there are fine gardens, a number of administration buildings and several museums within the walls of the complex that makes up the Great Palace.

 

Royal Barges Museum
Phiphiṭhp̣hạṇṯhs̄t̄hān h̄aeng chāti reụ̄x rāch phiṭhī
พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ เรือราชพิธี

Already in the Sukothai kingdom in the 13th century, the Thai kings sailed in processions on the water on special occasions. The tradition continued in Ayutthaya and later in Bangkok, where, among other things, the last absolute king sailed in the beautiful royal boats in 1932.

When Ayutthaya was destroyed in 1767, the royal boats were also destroyed, and a new fleet had to be built. After many years of use, the boats were damaged during World War II bombings. Immediately after the end of the war, King Bhumibol (Rama IX) initiated a restoration of the boats. In 1972, the Royal Boat Museum opened, and some of the 51 royal boats are exhibited here.

The museum is located in a large boathouse at Klong Bangkok Noi. The boats on display represent the very best in Thai boat building and are lavishly decorated. Four of the boats are still used by the Thai king on ceremonial occasions.

 

Wat Pho, Bangkok

Pho Temple
Wat Pho
วัดโพธิ์

Wat Pho is a very large temple complex in central Bangkok. It was built under King Petraja of Ayutthaya in the period 1688-1703, making it the oldest temple in Bangkok. The facility underwent a major renovation under King Rama I, and it has since been extended by several kings.

This is where Bangkok’s huge reclining Buddha is found. With its 46 meters in length and 15 meters in height, the Buddha is the largest of its kind in the world. In addition to its size, the Buddha impresses with the fine mother-of-pearl work on the large soles. The reclining Buddha dates from 1832 and was built to draw people’s attention to Buddha’s Nirvana, which can be seen in the Viharn Phranon building to the northwest of the complex.

Close to the viharna with the reclining Buddha is an enclosure where the four largest of the temple’s 95 chedis stand. The middle chedi was built by King Rama I to house the Phra Si Sanphet Buddha brought here from Ayutthaya. In the two chedis north and south of this, the ashes of King Rama II and King Rama III are stored respectively. The fourth chedi was built by King Rama IV for an unknown purpose. Many of the temple’s other chedis contain ashes from other royal family members over time.

The most important religious building is Phra Ubosot, also centrally located in Wat Pho. It was built by King Rama I in Ayutthata style and changed to Bangkok style under Rama III. The pen was consecrated in 1791 and houses the Buddha Phra Buddha Theva Patimakorn, believed to be from the Ayutthaya period. It was moved here from Thonburi and placed on a pedestal and under a nine-tiered umbrella, which represents royalty and thus the nation of Thailand. Rama IV placed the ashes of Rama I in the pedestal so that one can pray to both the Buddha and the first king of the dynasty at the same time.

In the grounds of Wat Pho, you can also see statues of people with hats, symbolizing Westerners, as well as a Chinese philosopher, who is made so that he is in a good mood. The other works together form an immeasurably beautiful facility with many details of classic Thai architecture and temple art.

In addition to its many beautiful temple buildings and small gardens, Wat Pho is known for its massage school, which annually trains many in the performance of traditional Thai massage. Finally, you can see a long line of Buddhas in the temple’s gallery. There are several hundred, and these are some of the approximately 1,200 figures that Rama I brought here from northern Thailand.

 

Golden Mount
Phu Khao Thong
ภูเขาทอง

The Golden Mountain is a hill that was built on the temple grounds of Wat Saket (วัดสระเกศราชวรมหาวิหาร). The mountain is Bangkok’s highest, and on top is a building with a large, gilded chedi, in which King Rama V installed a Buddha relic in 1877.

The relic is believed to be from the Sakya clan who received it after the cremation of the Buddha’s mortal remains. The other temple buildings are very interesting and have been significant in Thailand’s history since the first king of the Chakri dynasty.

 

Wat Arun, Bangkok

Temple of Dawn
Wat Arun
วัดอรุณ

Wat Arun is one of Bangkok’s most famous temples. Its name means Temple of the Dawn, and the name is due to the beautiful reflections of the sun’s rays in the porcelain tiles of the temple in the morning, when the place is said to be most beautiful. However, it is also an unforgettable experience to see the sun set behind the temple’s splendor.

However, the name is also believed to derive from King Taksin, who swore during a dawn walk that he would restore the already founded temple on the site. It is not known when the temple was established, but it has been here since at least the middle of the 17th century.

Wat Arun is located down the Chao Phraya River immediately opposite the Grand Palace. The temple, with its 79 meter high central pagoda called Phra Prang, is one of Bangkok’s most iconic monuments. The building style was inspired by Khmer architecture, not least known from Angkor Wat.

Under King Taksin, the temple was located on the royal palace grounds, and it was here that Thailand’s Emerald Buddha was kept during the time when Thonburi was the capital.

Under King Rama I, the temple simply fell into disrepair, while a major expansion was started under King Rama II. He made the temple bigger and, among other things, raised the central plinth, which is a symbol of the mythological mountain Meru. According to Hinduism, Meru is the abode of the gods.

At the top of the display you can see the trident of the god Shiva, and around it there are a number of animals and mythological figures such as demons holding it up. You can also see several rows of Chinese soldiers. The coating is shells and porcelain, not least of which came here as ballast in ships from China.

In the temple there is a temple building with a Buddha, which is said to have been prepared by King Rama II, and in the figure’s foundation there is some of the ashes from King Rama II.

 

Ananta Samakom Throne Hall
Phrathī̀nạ̀ng xnạnt s̄mākhm
พระที่นั่งอนันตสมาคม

Ananta Samakom Throne Hall is a beautiful building that was constructed in the styles of Italian Renaissance and Neoclassicism using Carrara marble. The height of the central dome is 49.5 meters high and the building is 112.5 meters long. It is Bangkok’s most impressive European-inspired building.

The throne hall was completed as the king’s throne hall after eight years of construction in 1915. It was to replace the earlier one that King Mongkut had had built in the 19th century.

In the so-called June Revolution in 1932, the popular uprising used the building as a base over four days, and the first new National Assembly met here on 28 June of the same year. King Rama VII then let the building house Thailand’s National Assembly, which it did until 1972, when a new building was put into use.

Italian artists have decorated the throne room with frescoes and they show the history of the Chakri dynasty and some of the things the kings have done in society.

Other Attractions

Giant Swing, Bangkok

Giant Swing
Sao Ching Cha
เสาชิงช้า

The Giant Swing is literally a large swing that was erected in 1784 by Rama I to perform a ceremony for the god Shiva who was swinging in the sky. At the ceremonies, four people swung up to 25 meters high.

During the reign of King Rama I, the swing was used, but a lightning strike caused this custom to be stopped from the time of King Rama II. In 1920, the swing was restored, and for the following 15 years swings were again made here. It was again stopped due to several fatal accidents. In 2005-2006, the swing was rebuilt from new teak wood, and the original swing is today preserved at the National Museum in Bangkok.

The swing ceremony itself comes from Hindu mythology, where Brahma created the Earth and put the god Shiva to look after it. Shiva placed great serpents, nagas, to hold the mountains so that the Earth became stable, and after that happened, the nagas went to the sea in celebration of the event. This is what the swing reproduces during the performance of the ceremony, where priests swung with the aim of being able to take a bag of coins that was on the stand. The swing itself represents the mountains, while the swing’s foundation represents the Earth and the seas.

 

Bangkok National Museum
Phiphitthaphanthasathan Haeng Chat Phra Nakhon
พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ พระนคร

The National Museum of Thailand is one of Southeast Asia’s most comprehensive museums in terms of collection size and breadth. The countless objects in the exhibitions have, among other things, been found during excavations throughout Thailand, and they represent different eras in the country’s history – from Neolithic times through Sukothai and Ayutthaya to the current Bangkok period.

The National Museum is housed in the former residence palace of the Thai heir to the throne, which historically had the title of “front palace”. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Siam, the title was changed to Crown Prince.

 

Chinatown, Bangkok

Chinatown
T̄h.Yeāwrāch
ถ.เยาวราช

Bangkok’s Chinatown was founded in 1782, when Bangkok became the capital. The king built the Grand Palace, where there were Chinese residences, and they were moved to the current Chinatown. On and around Yaowarat Street you get the feeling of being in China. Here are Chinese street signs, shops and restaurants.

 

Traimit Temple
Wat Traimit
วัดไตรมิตร

The Wat Traimit temple is known for its golden Buddha, which was produced over 700 years ago in the typical style of Thailand’s Sukothai period. The Buddha was made of solid gold, it is 3 meters high and weighs a whopping 5.5 tons. The origin of the figure is unknown, but it is believed to have had a central place in Sukothai before being transported to the new capital Ayutthaya in the early 15th century. Possibly it was produced in whole or in part in present-day India, as many cast Buddhas came from there in the present day.

With the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, the Buddha’s temple was also destroyed. However, the figure itself was left in the ruins, which was due to the fact that at this time it had been covered with plaster, which made it unattractive as prey for enemies.

After Ayutthaya, the figure came to Bangkok, and after being a central Buddha statue in one of Bangkok’s temples, a new viharn had to be built to house the figure. It was in 1954, when the golden Buddha was still covered with a layer of plaster, and the real golden content had been forgotten.

It was not until 1955 that it was discovered that the figure consisted of the purest gold. It happened during a move of the figure, where it was lost. A piece of the plaster came off and the gold was revealed. The rest of the plaster was carefully removed, and in addition to the Buddha itself, there was also an assembly key with which the figure’s nine parts could be taken apart and put together. In its time, the parts were produced into a complete assembly, which makes it stand as a solid piece of gold.

Until 2010, the golden Buddha sat in a very small temple room, while since then it has been given a magnificent setting with a beautiful newly built temple, where you can also see more about the figure’s history.

 

Vimanmek Palace, Bangkok

Vimanmek Palace
Wimān meḳh
วิมานเมฆ

Vimanmek Palace was built in the Dusit Palace complex in the year 1900 under King Rama V. It was a royal palace until 1906, when the king’s new construction was completed in the form of Villa Amphorn Satharn.

The palace was built in teak, making it a special building due to its size. In 1982, it was opened to visitors when Queen Sirikit commissioned a museum for King Rama V to be set up here. Among the objects on display are some that King Rama V brought home from Europe.

The palace originally stood in the city of Chon Buri, and it formed the first residence in the new palace area established by Chulalongkorn. On that occasion, it was extended and remodeled, and the interior still stands as a mixture of European style and Thai decor at the same time.

In the area south of Vimanmek Palace, there is another palace in a style reminiscent of the one from Vimanmek. It is Ampornsathan/ประเทียยัมพรับบาย, which stands beautifully in the western part of Chulalongkorn’s palace grounds. This part is not accessible.

 

Patpong
พัฒน์พงษ์

Patpong is Bangkok’s famous and notorious shopping and entertainment district for mostly foreign tourists. The neighborhood consists of the main street Patpong 1, the parallel street Patpong 2 and a section of the streets Silom and Surawong. A large night market and bars are some of what you can find in the streets.

Patpong’s recent history started in 1946, when a Chinese family bought the land, which they built on and subsequently rented out. They filled up the canal through the area, and in the late 1960s the first nightclubs opened. The place was, among other things, recreation for soldiers on leave.

 

Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

Oriental Hotel
Rongraem xo reīyn tĕl
โรงแรมโอเรียนเต็ล

Oriental Hotel is Thailand’s oldest luxury hotel. It officially opened in 1876 and today the hotel is mainly housed in modern buildings, but the original wing from the opening has been preserved.

Dane H. N. Andersen bought the hotel in 1881, and he believed there was a need for a luxury hotel in Siam. In 1887 he opened the doors to 40 rooms in a category that had not been seen before in the country. Since then, countless royals and celebrities have stayed at the hotel. The first royal was Russia’s later Tsar Nicholas.

 

Chao Phraya
แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา

Chao Phraya is the great river that meanders through Bangkok. And a good way to start forming an impression of the city is a boat trip on the river, whose name means river of the kings. Several of Bangkok’s biggest sights are located along the Chao Phraya, and there are good and easy opportunities to go sailing.

Regular river buses depart in the north and south direction from all the stops on both sides of the river. You can always hop on and sail cheaply to the next place. If you don’t live by the river, you can, for example, take the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin station, which is close to a large stop by the river. Saphan Taksin is also close to River City, from where many tour boats depart.

 

Siam Square, Bangkok

Siam Square
สยามสแควร์

Siam Square is one of Bangkok’s shopping areas. Siam Square itself is an atmospheric throng of small and large streets with shops, restaurants and more. There are a number of large shopping centers all around. Siam Square emerged from 1970 when Chulalongkorn University, which owned the area, erected buildings that could provide rental income to the institution.

Day Trips

Bang Pa In, Thailand

Bang Pa In
บางปะอิน

The cozy Bang Pa In along the Chao Phraya River between Bangkok and Ayutthaya is the former summer palace of the Thai royal families. Kings Rama IV, Rama V and Rama VI were the most diligent residents, while the later kings have not lived here due to its lack of Thai character. However, it is still used, most frequently by the Thai government for various representative purposes, and the royal couple have been here for special ceremonies.

Bang Pa In is excellently reached by car or bus, but the most recommendable way to get here is from the lake side, as the kings traditionally did. You can sail here from both Bangkok and Ayutthaya.

Bang Pa In was originally laid out in the 17th century as the King’s Garden and thus earlier than the downfall of Ayutthaya and Bangkok’s status as capital, but after the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese it lay unused for a long period. In the latter half of the 19th century, King Rama IV (Mongkut) rediscovered Bang Pa In, and the buildings seen today are from the time of Mongkut and his successor King Rama V (Chulalongkorn).

The architectural style is mainly European, which is due to the king’s time studying in Europe. He wanted to acknowledge the progress made in Europe as well as build in the Western style to stay on good terms with the colonial powers so that the country could maintain its independence as the only one in the region. The centerpiece of the facility is a series of artificial pools and canals around which the buildings were constructed.

A short distance from the southern main entrance to the facility, one first encounters a Khmer-style stone building, erected in 1880 in memory of King Prasat Thong, who founded the site and during whose reign a Khmer gold find was made. To the west, on the opposite side of the basin, is Saphakhan Ratchaprayun, an 1879 colonial-style building built to house royal relatives.

Shortly afterwards you come to the so-called Doll Bridge, from which the best-known view of Bang Pa In can be found. The bridge itself is adorned with a series of European-style statues, and to the north is the Phra Thinang Aisawan Thiphya-Art pavilion on a small island in the basin, and behind it you can see the Italian-inspired Tevarai-Kanlai palace building. The pavilion, whose name means the Divine Seat of Freedom, was built in 1876 and is the only Thai-style building on the site.

Towards and along the Chao Phraya, one comes from the Bridge of Dolls to the neoclassical residence and throne room, Phra Thinang Varophat Phiman, meaning Royal, Wonderful, Shining Abode. In the audience hall there are fine oil paintings that were painted by Thai artists in competitions where the royal couple bought the winning pictures. The throne is Rama V’s, and opposite it stand two modern thrones, which are used by the royal couple when special guests come here. The interior of the throne room and surrounding rooms is French and English, while the carpet is from Thailand. In the interior of the building are the royal apartments, which are still used occasionally. Behind the residence building is the curious royal floating residence in the Chao Phraya River.

If you go from the Doll Bridge to the right of the pavilion, you cross two bridges before reaching the complex’s largest island, where the two-story building Phra Thinang Uthayan Phumisathian dominates. It was first built in wood in 1877, but it burned down in 1938. The current building was built at the initiative of Queen Sirikit in the Swiss style.

On the next island to the north is the distinctive lighthouse-like observatory and watchtower, Ho Withun Thasana, with its white stripes and terracotta, built in 1881.

Over one more bridge from the watchtower is the 1889 Chinese-style Phra Thinang Vehat Chamrun mansion. The name of the mansion means Royal residence, divine light, and it was a gift from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of the time. On the ground floor, there is a throne in traditional Chinese design in the large audience hall and a bedroom. The colors are red and golden, which in Chinese buildings symbolize respectively joy and prosperity.

 

Ayutthaya, Thailand

Ayutthaya
อยุธยา

The city of Ayutthaya was Thailand’s second capital for the kingdom with the same name as the city, which was founded by King Ramathibodi I in the year 1350. Ayutthaya’s location 80 km up the Chao Phraya River from Bangkok meant that it was partly quite central in the kingdom and partly had access to the sea. Strategically, the city was well surrounded by rice fields, which contributed significantly to the city’s good economy, and at the confluence of three rivers, which made sailing from the capital to Ayutthaya’s provinces easy and fast.

Ayutthaya flourished, and among other things, the architecture developed into what we know today best of the typical Thai style. Trade and the economy were booming, and only interrupted by a period in the 16th century under Burmese control, Thailand was ruled from Ayutthaya, which was one of Southeast Asia’s leading and richest cities, with more than a million inhabitants at its peak.

The 33 kings who ruled from Ayutthaya continued the Khmer tradition of divine kingship, building magnificent palaces and spectacular religious structures. The city and kingdom reached its peak under King Narai, who was king from 1657-1688. After his death, a decline began and relations with neighboring Burma deteriorated greatly.

After several wars, Ayutthaya fell to the Burmese after a 15-month siege in 1767. The city was only in Burmese hands for a short time, but they had burned almost every building beyond recognition, and thus the Ayutthaya era was over. The ruins that characterize the city today were thus created by the Burmese conquest and subsequent destruction.

Ayutthaya is one of the sights in Thailand that is included in UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage, and here is, among other things, a large number of unforgettable temples such as Wat Phra Si Sanphet and Wat Chai Wattanaram.

 

Nakhon Pathom
นครปฐม

Nakhon Pathom is considered to be Thailand’s oldest city, and its name also means the first city. According to tradition, in the 200s BC sent missionaries from India to Nakhon Pathom’s King Ashoka to spread Buddhism. At the time, Nakhon Pathom was the capital of Suvarnabhumi, whose name means the land of gold.

Today, Nakhon Pathom is an important city for the Thais, and it is dominated by the world’s tallest Buddhist structure, the Phra Pathom chedi, which measures 127 meters. The chedi was built over several stages – in the 9th century the Mon people built the first smaller chedi, which was expanded to 40 meters by the Khmer in the 11th century – as a Cambodian pride. The prang was already destroyed in 1057, when King Anaweatha of Pagan expelled the Khmers, and after the battles the prang stood as a ruin.

In the 19th century, King Mongkut recognized the importance of the site as the oldest Buddhist work in the country, and he started the construction of the present grand chedi, which was completed under the successor King Chulalongkorn.

At the chedi, in the viharn of the temple complex, you can see a standing Buddha, assembled from old finds and new parts. It happened at the initiative of King Vajiravudh, and his ashes are buried next to the statue, which was consecrated in 1915.

 

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Thailand

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
ดำเนินสะดวก

Part of Thai local trade traditionally took place in floating markets. It could be done with all the dug canals, which were usually the easiest and most direct route to, among other things, the marketplace.

Today, only Damnoen Saduak remains of Thailand’s floating markets, and it is a great experience with a multitude of small boats selling, among other things, fruit and vegetables from the surrounding countryside. Some boats sell tourist goods, others cooking as a kind of floating sausage carts. The atmosphere is very lively and a trip on the canals in the area, called the Venice of Thailand, is also interesting.

 

Petchaburi
เพชรบุรี

Petchaburi is a Thai city that is the local capital of a province of the same name. Its name means the city of diamonds, and there are also some beautiful things to see here. There are just over 25,000 inhabitants in the city, which is not least known for its royal palace.

Phra Nakhon Khiri is also known as Khao Wang and is a park area around Petchaburi’s royal palace buildings. The palace was built by King Mongkut in the 1850s as a summer palace for the Thai monarchs. It was completed in 1860 with three groups of buildings worth seeing.

To the west of the area is the actual residence palace, which is also the complex’s largest building. To the east and on the next hilltop is the chedi Phra That Chom Phet, and to the east is the royal temple Wat Phra Kaeo.

There is also an observatory connected to the complex, and it also originates from King Mongkut, who was interested in astronomy. The site for this was well chosen, as the entire palace complex rises above Petchaburi and the flat countryside surrounding the town.

 

Khao Luang Cave Temple, Thailand

Khao Luang Cave Temple
Tham Khao Luang
โรงแรมใกล้ วัดถ้ำเขาหลวง

There are several temples in caves around Thailand, and that Khao Luang, a few kilometers north of Petchaburi, is among the most impressive. Underground you come to a beautiful grotto, where stalactites hang down in the large stalactite cave and, together with natural light, form an elegant setting for various Buddhas. There is a larger Buddha and a number of smaller ones, and together with the cave itself and the light, they provide an unforgettable atmosphere in the cave temple.

 

Hua Hin
หัวหิน

Hua Hin is a fashionable and popular seaside resort, which is well visited internationally and by Thais not least from Bangkok. Hua Hin was until the beginning of the 20th century a quiet town by the water, and it was King Prajadhipok who made the place popular when he built a royal residence here in the 1920s. It happened with the construction of the Klai Kangwon Palace, which is still used by the royal family.

Hua Hins is located on the Gulf of Thailand with a five kilometer long sandy beach which is the center of the city’s attractiveness and activities. A trip here is of course a must during a visit, but there are also other sights.

If you come to Hua Hin by train, you can already look forward to the beautiful station building, Hua Hin Station/电影旅行 hua hình. and the pavilion next to it on the platform The building was moved here in 1968 and was formerly a royal pavilion in Nakhon Pathom’s Sanamchan Palace.

Klai Kangwon Palace is the royal residence in Hua Hin. The palace was completed in 1929 and is a building of Spanish architectural inspiration. The palace lies beautifully down to the water and with an elegant garden around it.

 

River Kwai Bridge, Thailand

Kanchanaburi
กาญจนบุรี

Kanchanaburi is a city that was founded in the 19th century and is thus not known as one of Thailand’s old cities, but rather for being the home of actions during World War II. The city is located on the River Kwai, which was immortalized through Pierre Boulle’s novel about a drama that unfolded with the blowing up of the bridge over the River Kwai. The book has been made into a film, and the tune River Kwai March is also world famous. Today you can see the new bridge, which was built after the Second World War. It is celebrated as the historical one, but despite the difference, it is an interesting experience.

Kanchanaburi is also connected to the Death Railway. During World War II, the Japanese wanted to avoid the sea route to reach British India. The strength of the English fleet was terrifying, and at the same time it was a long way from Japan south of Singapore to India. Instead, the troops had to be transported overland through the mountainous and impassable areas in the border area between Burma and Thailand.

415 kilometers of railway were built 1942-1944. The terrain was rough in many places, but the track was completed and connected the existing tracks in Thailand and Burma. The railway is called the Death Railway, and the history of the railway is depicted at the JEATH museum, and in Kanchanaburi you can see thousands of graves for the Allied prisoners of war who succumbed to its construction.

Shopping

Central City

Thanon Bang Na Trat, On Nut
central.co.th

 

Central Plaza

From station Mo Chit, Phanon Yothon
central.co.th

 

Central World Plaza

Skybridge from station Chit Lom
central.co.th

 

Gaysorn Plaza

Skybridge from station Chit Lom
gaysorn.com

 

MBK Mah Boon Krong

Thanon Phayathai, National Stadium
mbk-center.com

 

The Mall Department Store

1909 Ramkamhaeng
themalldepartmentstore.com

 

Shopping streets

Khaosan Road, Ploenchit Road, Rajdamiri Road, Siam Square, Silom Road

With Kids

Butterflies and Insects

Butterfly Garden & Insectarium
Rotfai Gardens

 

Discoveries

Children’s Discovery Museum
Chatuchak Park
bkkchildrenmuseum.com

 

Zoological garden

Dusit Zoo
Rama IV Road
zoothailand.org

 

Theme Park

Fantasia Lagoon
The Mall Department Store
themalldepartmentstore.com

 

Science and Planetarium

Museum of Science & Planetarium
Sukhumvit Road
nsm.or.th

 

Zoological garden

Safari World
Ram Indra Road
safariworld.com

 

Theme Park

Siam Park
101 Sukhapibarn Road
siamparkcity.com

 

Aquarium

Siam Ocean World
Siam Paragon
siamparagon.co.th

City History

The roots of the Thais

The settlement of present-day Thailand began in recent times by migration from China about 2,000 years ago. For many centuries, the area was characterized by smaller states and scattered governance.

However, during the period there were also major state formation; not least the Khmer Empire, founded in the 8th century, which covered most of present-day Cambodia and Thailand. The Khmer people, by the way, called the Thai people Siamese, which became the area’s name until the 20th century.

 

Ayutthaya and the former settlement

In the 13th century, Thai people were ruled from the first kingdom of the Thais, Sukothai, who, after a brief boom, was already a regional kingdom in the 1300s. Its power was increasingly transferred to the kingdom of Ayutthaya, founded in 1350 and ruled from the city of the same name north of Bangkok, founded as the settlement Thonburi in the same century.

Situated close to the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok was strategically important for the trade routes and the Ayutthaya era was a period of growth for the country and for Bangkok. It was during this time that trade relations with Europe were established.

Bangkok became an important city already in the kingdom of Ayutthaya. It was located on the periphery and as an entrance gate, which made it suitable as a customs office.

In the 16th century, part of the Chao Phrayas race was straightened through the now central Bangkok, making the waterway to Ayutthaya easier. Foreign boats from Europe, for example, declared goods and passengers at the passage through Bangkok, where they also had to deposit guns before being allowed to sail on to the capital.

Western relations were created and strengthened during this time. The first visitors were the Portuguese who conquered Malacca in 1511. Immediately after their arrival and settlement of Malacca, they sent a delegation to the Thai king Ramathibodi II. Portugal gained trade rights after five years, and later in the century, the Netherlands followed as the second European nation to trade with the kingdom of Ayutthaya.

 

The fall of Ayutthaya

The heyday of the maritime trade in the time of Ayutthaya was during the latter half of the 17th century under King Narai. It lucrated Bangkok as outpost of the residence and government city up the river.

In 1664, the Netherlands had enforced an agreement on not least free trade, which caused Ayutthaya to turn to France for assistance in 1664. The French came to influence King Narai’s reign, which lasted until 1688.

In 1685-1687, Bangkok’s fortifications were substantially expanded with a new fort according to European model. Unlike the city itself, the fort was built on the eastern bank of Chao Phraya.

The fort was built with the guidance of the French engineer De la Mare, who was one of many Frenchmen in the city at the time. The French influence was great, and Alexandre, Chevalier de Chaumont, had been appointed King Louis XIV’s first ambassador to Siam.

French culture, medicine, religion and education characterized the community, but it came to an abrupt end with King Phetracha, who proclaimed himself king in 1688, sent the French out of the kingdom and soon closed Ayutthaya’s contact with the West. In that context, Bangkok’s fort was under a four-month siege, which was concluded with an agreement that allowed the French withdrawal. The fort was then demolished at the decision of the new king.

The following century, Ayutthaya was continually weakened, and in the year 1767 Burmese invaded the capital. They conquered and burned the city almost to unfamiliarity. Despite the fact that the Burmese were soon expelled from Ayutthaya, the capital was a ruin that was abandoned to rebuild.

 

The New Capital

After the devastation of Ayutthaya, the Thai military with General Taksin in the lead capital moved to Thonburi on the western side of the Chao Phraya River at present-day Bangkok.

To that end, Taksin became the new king of the country; a status he had until 1782, where he was deposed and replaced by Rama I, who moved his court and administration to Bangkok on the other side of Chao Phraya. The official founding of the new Bangkok was on April 21, 1782.

Bangkok was thus the country’s new capital. Rama I, who founded the ever-ruling Chakri Dynasty, considered Bangkok an easier place to defend against future enemies than both Ayutthaya and Thonburi, as the Burmese would have to cross the relatively wide Chao Phraya to reach the city.

A number of canals were excavated and subsequently used as transport routes in the new city; these are the so-called clones, of which there are still a few. You could thus sail around most of the urban area on the eastern side of Chao Phraya, and clones were also dug in Thonburi, so that the cities grew together.

 

Construction

As part of the development of the capital, Rama commissioned the large building at the Grand Palace and the Wat Phra Kaew Temple. The buildings were heavily inspired by Ayutthaya’s architecture and facilities, and the site became the kingdom’s new and impressive center of power.

In addition to these facilities as well as administration buildings for the state administration, the period up to the mid-1800s was marked by a tranquil development where the city did not seriously take steps to be the absolute center of the country that Bangkok is today; among other things, Northern Thailand was still ruled from Chiang Mai.

Throughout the 19th century, Bangkok and its population were repeatedly hit by cholera epidemics. In 1820, about 20,000 died of the disease, which again struck the city in 1849.

In the latter half of the 19th century, the construction of Bangkok was accelerated and the population increased. King Rama IV commissioned major civil works.

With the successor of the throne, King Rama V, further modernization and development of the city came, investing heavily in the judiciary and health services, among others, and a number of educational institutions were established.

During this time, a large part of the area’s agricultural land was converted to residential areas, and to cope with the subsequent pressure on the city’s infrastructure, many new roads were built, including on some of the canals that were filled up to the apartment. Bangkok’s first paved road, Charoen Krung Road, was opened in 1864, in 1893 the railroad from the city opened, and the following year the first electric trams ran.

 

1900s to the present

In 1932, Thailand’s current constitutional monarchy was established, and a number of new buildings of public institutions were founded. Chiang Mai also now became an official part of Siam, which remains the name of Thailand.

1932 was also the year in which Memorial Bridge was opened as a link between Bangkok on the eastern bank of Chao Phraya and Thonburi on the western side. The bridge marked a new development with a clear improvement of the city’s infrastructure.

During World War II, Bangkok was occupied by Japan, and the city was exposed to allied bombings carried out with B-29 bombers. The targets were not least the Thai capital’s railways and port facilities. On June 5, 1944, a Japanese military hospital and police headquarters were hit by bombs on a mission whose objective was the 1932 Memorial Bridge opened.

After the end of the war, the ruined buildings were quickly rebuilt, and the decades after World War II became a time of rapid development in the Thai capital.

On May 5, 1950, Bhumibol was crowned Thailand’s new king, Rama IX, and his reign is the longest among the Thai kings.

In the 1960s, Bangkok, like many other places in Thailand, was a refuge for primarily American soldiers during the Vietnam War, thereby emphasizing the city’s status as the region’s entertainment center.

The population has since exploded, and many high-rise buildings with housing and offices have been erected. The rapidly increasing population has led to strong growth in traffic, which for some years has been one of the major challenges of the metropolis. Some S-train lines and a metro have been built through the center, and this transport network is constantly being expanded.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Thailand with Bangkok as a locomotive experienced an economic boom period that became the foundation of modern Bangkok one encounters today. A host of newbuildings shot up; among others, some of the luxury hotels that tourists appreciate. The major Asian Games sports event was held in Bangkok in 1998 as one of the major events of the year.

After a downturn in connection with the economic downturn in the region in the late 1990s, development has now started again for the benefit of both locals and visitors. The population of the city of about 14 million throughout metropolitan areas testifies to the development since primarily the 19th century industrialization and the start of population growth.

Geolocation

In short

Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand

Overview of Bangkok

Bangkok is one of Asia’s major metropolises, and here’s everything to expect from a real big city. This includes loads of shopping, a tasty cuisine, great entertainment as well as numerous sights, museums, monuments and much more. You will enjoy everything in the city streets and on the river Chao Phraya.

Bangkok’s grand temples and palaces are the most famous sights, with the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Arun at the forefront. These are must sees on a tour through Bangkok’s neighborhoods, and they are unforgettable with its unique embellishments, fantastic colors, Buddhas and everything else at each of the places.

About the Whitehorse travel guide

Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
Published: Released soon
Author: Stig Albeck
Publisher: Vamados.com
Language: English

About the travel guide

The Whitehorse travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the Canadian city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

Whitehorse is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

Read more about Whitehorse and Canada

Canada Travel Guide: https://vamados.com/canada
City tourism: https://visitwhite-horse.ca
Main Page: https://www.vamados.com/

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Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Whitehorse you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Travel Expert

Stig Albeck

Gallery

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Other Attractions

Giant Swing, Bangkok

Giant Swing
Sao Ching Cha
เสาชิงช้า

The Giant Swing is literally a large swing that was erected in 1784 by Rama I to perform a ceremony for the god Shiva who was swinging in the sky. At the ceremonies, four people swung up to 25 meters high.

During the reign of King Rama I, the swing was used, but a lightning strike caused this custom to be stopped from the time of King Rama II. In 1920, the swing was restored, and for the following 15 years swings were again made here. It was again stopped due to several fatal accidents. In 2005-2006, the swing was rebuilt from new teak wood, and the original swing is today preserved at the National Museum in Bangkok.

The swing ceremony itself comes from Hindu mythology, where Brahma created the Earth and put the god Shiva to look after it. Shiva placed great serpents, nagas, to hold the mountains so that the Earth became stable, and after that happened, the nagas went to the sea in celebration of the event. This is what the swing reproduces during the performance of the ceremony, where priests swung with the aim of being able to take a bag of coins that was on the stand. The swing itself represents the mountains, while the swing’s foundation represents the Earth and the seas.

 

Bangkok National Museum
Phiphitthaphanthasathan Haeng Chat Phra Nakhon
พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ พระนคร

The National Museum of Thailand is one of Southeast Asia’s most comprehensive museums in terms of collection size and breadth. The countless objects in the exhibitions have, among other things, been found during excavations throughout Thailand, and they represent different eras in the country’s history – from Neolithic times through Sukothai and Ayutthaya to the current Bangkok period.

The National Museum is housed in the former residence palace of the Thai heir to the throne, which historically had the title of “front palace”. After the establishment of the Kingdom of Siam, the title was changed to Crown Prince.

 

Chinatown, Bangkok

Chinatown
T̄h.Yeāwrāch
ถ.เยาวราช

Bangkok’s Chinatown was founded in 1782, when Bangkok became the capital. The king built the Grand Palace, where there were Chinese residences, and they were moved to the current Chinatown. On and around Yaowarat Street you get the feeling of being in China. Here are Chinese street signs, shops and restaurants.

 

Traimit Temple
Wat Traimit
วัดไตรมิตร

The Wat Traimit temple is known for its golden Buddha, which was produced over 700 years ago in the typical style of Thailand’s Sukothai period. The Buddha was made of solid gold, it is 3 meters high and weighs a whopping 5.5 tons. The origin of the figure is unknown, but it is believed to have had a central place in Sukothai before being transported to the new capital Ayutthaya in the early 15th century. Possibly it was produced in whole or in part in present-day India, as many cast Buddhas came from there in the present day.

With the destruction of Ayutthaya by the Burmese in 1767, the Buddha’s temple was also destroyed. However, the figure itself was left in the ruins, which was due to the fact that at this time it had been covered with plaster, which made it unattractive as prey for enemies.

After Ayutthaya, the figure came to Bangkok, and after being a central Buddha statue in one of Bangkok’s temples, a new viharn had to be built to house the figure. It was in 1954, when the golden Buddha was still covered with a layer of plaster, and the real golden content had been forgotten.

It was not until 1955 that it was discovered that the figure consisted of the purest gold. It happened during a move of the figure, where it was lost. A piece of the plaster came off and the gold was revealed. The rest of the plaster was carefully removed, and in addition to the Buddha itself, there was also an assembly key with which the figure’s nine parts could be taken apart and put together. In its time, the parts were produced into a complete assembly, which makes it stand as a solid piece of gold.

Until 2010, the golden Buddha sat in a very small temple room, while since then it has been given a magnificent setting with a beautiful newly built temple, where you can also see more about the figure’s history.

 

Vimanmek Palace, Bangkok

Vimanmek Palace
Wimān meḳh
วิมานเมฆ

Vimanmek Palace was built in the Dusit Palace complex in the year 1900 under King Rama V. It was a royal palace until 1906, when the king’s new construction was completed in the form of Villa Amphorn Satharn.

The palace was built in teak, making it a special building due to its size. In 1982, it was opened to visitors when Queen Sirikit commissioned a museum for King Rama V to be set up here. Among the objects on display are some that King Rama V brought home from Europe.

The palace originally stood in the city of Chon Buri, and it formed the first residence in the new palace area established by Chulalongkorn. On that occasion, it was extended and remodeled, and the interior still stands as a mixture of European style and Thai decor at the same time.

In the area south of Vimanmek Palace, there is another palace in a style reminiscent of the one from Vimanmek. It is Ampornsathan/ประเทียยัมพรับบาย, which stands beautifully in the western part of Chulalongkorn’s palace grounds. This part is not accessible.

 

Patpong
พัฒน์พงษ์

Patpong is Bangkok’s famous and notorious shopping and entertainment district for mostly foreign tourists. The neighborhood consists of the main street Patpong 1, the parallel street Patpong 2 and a section of the streets Silom and Surawong. A large night market and bars are some of what you can find in the streets.

Patpong’s recent history started in 1946, when a Chinese family bought the land, which they built on and subsequently rented out. They filled up the canal through the area, and in the late 1960s the first nightclubs opened. The place was, among other things, recreation for soldiers on leave.

 

Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

Oriental Hotel
Rongraem xo reīyn tĕl
โรงแรมโอเรียนเต็ล

Oriental Hotel is Thailand’s oldest luxury hotel. It officially opened in 1876 and today the hotel is mainly housed in modern buildings, but the original wing from the opening has been preserved.

Dane H. N. Andersen bought the hotel in 1881, and he believed there was a need for a luxury hotel in Siam. In 1887 he opened the doors to 40 rooms in a category that had not been seen before in the country. Since then, countless royals and celebrities have stayed at the hotel. The first royal was Russia’s later Tsar Nicholas.

 

Chao Phraya
แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา

Chao Phraya is the great river that meanders through Bangkok. And a good way to start forming an impression of the city is a boat trip on the river, whose name means river of the kings. Several of Bangkok’s biggest sights are located along the Chao Phraya, and there are good and easy opportunities to go sailing.

Regular river buses depart in the north and south direction from all the stops on both sides of the river. You can always hop on and sail cheaply to the next place. If you don’t live by the river, you can, for example, take the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin station, which is close to a large stop by the river. Saphan Taksin is also close to River City, from where many tour boats depart.

 

Siam Square, Bangkok

Siam Square
สยามสแควร์

Siam Square is one of Bangkok’s shopping areas. Siam Square itself is an atmospheric throng of small and large streets with shops, restaurants and more. There are a number of large shopping centers all around. Siam Square emerged from 1970 when Chulalongkorn University, which owned the area, erected buildings that could provide rental income to the institution.

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