Introduction to Bangkok

Welcome all!

Today I will talk a bit about the capital of Thailand: Bangkok
I will just mention some important points... :)

About:

Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand, it is also known in Thai as Krung Thep meaning "city of angels".
Bangkok was a small trading post near the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdomand since then it always been one of the biggest city in the area.

Bangkok has 50 districts and is the economic center of Thailand. It houses 8 million people

The city of angels borders five other provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom; all five provinces are joined in the conurbation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.

Airport:

In Bangkok you find two international airports: Suvarnabhumi Airport and domestic Don Mueang International Airport.

Suvarnabhumi is used for international flights and mostly for tourists going in and out of Thailand. The main airline of Suvarnabhumi is Thai Airways International.

Don Mueang International Airport is now used for domestic flight. It was closed as an international airport in 2006 but re-opened in 2007 after renovation.

Transport (ground/water):

The most famous way to transport you around Thailand is the Taxi.
Bangkok has many taxis. Many roam the streets looking for customers, but there are also a number of taxi companies whose vehicles can be booked by telephone/internet. Taxis are metered, with a fixed starting fare, and charge by distance and waiting time.

There are also three-wheeled open-air motorized taxis called tuk-tuks.
They are really fun and make a lot of noise but they are more expensive than other ways of transport like motorcycle taxis.

Virtually all cities and provinces are easily reached by bus from Bangkok. For destinations in the southwest and the west, buses leave from the Southern Bus Terminal, west of the city in the Thonburi area. For destinations in the southeast (most popular, such as Pattaya, Ko Samet and Ko Chang, buses leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai. ( BTS stop)

BTS is the official name of the two-line Skytrain metro system. This is for myself the best transport there is in Bangkok. It's cheap, fast and you can go anywhere! For an overview of stations: BTS MAP


The MRT subway system opened for use in July 2004. The MRT connects the northern train station of Bang Sue to the central railway station near the city centre, while also going through the eastern part of Bangkok. It connects to the BTS system at BTS stations Mo Chit, Asok, and Sala Daeng.

From these train stations you can go everywhere in Thailand, but be prepared: this isn't a luxury train!

There are plans to add additional lines for all of these 'rail' services

The wide river Chao Phraya, flowing through the city, has several cross-river ferries and the Chao Phraya Express Boat with as many as thirty stops along the both banks extending as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.

Tourism:

Bangkok is considered to be one of the world's tourist hotspots. Bangkok is Thailand's major tourist gateway, which means that the majority of foreign tourists arrive in Bangkok. The city boasts some of the country's most visited historical venues such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. There are numerous projects to maintain Bangkok's historic sites in the Rattanakosin area and river districts.
You will need weeks to checkout all the sites!

Shopping:

Shopping in Bangkok is an experience!
The market of all markets, Chatuchak Weekend Market is an absolute must to go to!
You can't go to Thailand without going to one of the many shopping malls. MBK Centre, Siam Paragon, CentralWorld are all in the Siam area (BTS stop SIAM)
But for me i like Pratunam the most, I like going to Platinum and get some cheap clothes and some easy food at the food market. It's up to you, you have so many shopping malls to chose from so enjoy!


Areas of Intrest:
Except for the cultural area's there are many area's to have fun in. Around Sukhumvit you have Nana Plaza and many really great clubs to hang out. I have to mention Soi cowboy here too... for an obvious reason.You will get reviews at this blog about some!

Water/flooding:

An elaborate network of canals known as khlongs gave Bangkok the nickname "Venice of the East" at a time when most transportation was by boat. Today, nearly all of the canals have been filled in and converted into streets. While many khlongs still exist with people living along them and markets often being operated along the banks, most are severely polluted.

Bangkok is still an island and this island is going under a little bit every year and with the climate change there will be more floodings if they don't find a way to prevent it. 'Impossible to protect'



Overall city score: 100/100