The city of Bangkok is the capital, largest urban area and primary city of Thailand. Known in Thai as Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Thai: กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced [krūŋtʰêːp máhǎːnákʰɔːn] ( listen)), or กรุงเทพฯ Krung Thep ( (listen) (help·info)) for short, it was a small trading post at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya Kingdom. It came to the forefront of Siam when it was given the status as the capital city in 1768 after the burning of Ayutthaya. However, the current Rattanakosin Kingdom did not begin until 1782 when the capital was moved across the river by Rama I after the death of King Taksin. The Rattanakosin capital is now more formally called "Phra Nakhon" (Thai: พระนคร), pertaining to the ancient boundaries in the metropolis' core and the name Bangkok now incorporates the urban build-up since the 18th century which has its own public administration and governor.
In the span of over two hundred years, Bangkok has grown to become the political, social and economic center of not only Thailand but for Indochina and South East Asia. Its influence in the arts, politics, fashion, education and entertainment as well as being a business, financial and cultural center of Asia has given Bangkok the status of a global city.
Bangkok is the world's 22nd largest city by population with approximately 8,160,522 registered residents (July 2007). However, similar to most regional centers, due to large unregistered permanent migrants from the North East of Thailand and other Asian nations in combination with those who commute to Bangkok during the day for work, the population of greater Bangkok is estimated to be closer to 15 million people.
This has in turn shifted the country from being a rather homogeneous Thai population to an increasingly vibrant mix of Western, Indian and Chinese people, in doing so, giving the city a cosmopolitan status. The capital is part of the heavily urbanized triangle of central and eastern Thailand which stretches from Nakhon Ratchasima along Bangkok to the industrialized eastern seaboard—it is the most built-up area mainland-South East Asia.
The Bangkok Province borders six other provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom, and all five provinces are joined in the conurbation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.
History
Main article: History of Bangkok
The town of Bang Kok (Thai: บางกอก (listen) (help·info)) began as a small trading center and port community[citation needed] on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River before the establishment of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, the precursor of modern Thailand which existed from 1350 to 1767. The etymology of the town's name is unclear. Bang is the Central Thai name for a town situated on the bank of a river. It is believed that "Bangkok" derived from either Bang Kok, kok (กอก) being the Thai name for the Java plum (makok, มะกอก), one of several trees bearing olive-like fruits); or Bang Koh, koh meaning "island," a reference to the area's landscape which was carved by rivers and canals.
After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese Kingdom in 1767, the newly declared King Taksin established a new capital in the area of then-Bangkok, which became known as Thonburi. When Taksin's reign ended in 1782, King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke reconstructed the capital on the east bank of the river and gave the city a ceremonial name (see below) which became shortened to its current official name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. The new city, however, also inherited the name Bangkok, which continued to be used by foreigners to refer to the entire city and became its official English name, while in Thai the name still refers only to the old district on the west bank of the river. The city has since vastly modernized and undergone numerous changes, including the introduction of transportation and utility infrastructure in the reigns of King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn, and quickly developed into the economic center of Thailand.
Full name
The full ceremonial name of the city given by King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, and later edited by King Mongkut, is:
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit (Thai: กรุงเทพ มหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยา มหาดิลกภพ นพรัตน์ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์ (listen) (help·info)).
This ceremonial name is composed in combination of two ancient Indian languages, Pāli and Sanskrit. According to the romanisation of these languages, it can actually be written as Krung-dēvamahānagara amararatanakosindra mahindrayudhyā mahātilakabhava navaratanarājadhānī purīramya utamarājanivēsana mahāsthāna amaravimāna avatārasthitya shakrasdattiya vishnukarmaprasiddhi. It translates to "The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarm".
Local school children are taught the full name, although few can explain its meaning because many of the words are archaic, and unknown to all but a few. Most Thais who do recall the full name do so as a result of its use in a popular song, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (1989) by Asanee-Wasan Chotikul and will often recount it by recalling the song at the same time, much in the same way that English speakers might sing the alphabet song while reciting the English alphabet.
The full name of the city is listed by Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest place name.
Geography
Topography and climate
source =Weatherbase [3] accessdate=2008-01-06 float=right }} The Bangkok special administrative area covers 1,568.7 km2 (606 sq mi), making it the 68th largest province in Thailand. Much of the area is considered the city of Bangkok, therefore making it one of the largest cities in the world.[4] The Chao Phraya River, which stretches 372 km (231 mi), is Bangkok's main geographical feature. The Chao Phraya River basin, the area surrounding Bangkok, and the nearby provinces comprise a series of plains and river deltas that lead into the Bay of Bangkok about 30 km (19 mi) south of the city center. This gave rise to Bangkok's appellation as the "Venice of the East" due to the number of canals and passages that divide the area into separate patches of land. The city once used these canals, which were plentiful within Bangkok itself, as divisions for city districts. However, as the city grew in the second half of the 20th century, the plan was abandoned and a different system of division was adopted.
Bangkok lies about two meters (6.5 ft) above sea level, which causes problems for the protection of the city against floods during the monsoon season. Often after a downpour, water in canals and the river overflows the banks, resulting in massive floods. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has recently installed higher banks alongside some canals to keep water levels from reaching street level. There are however some downsides for Bangkok's extensive canal routes, as the city is rumored to be sinking an average of two inches a year as it lies entirely on a swamp.[5]
Bangkok has a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification system. Average temperatures in the city are about 2 °C (3.6 °F) higher than the ones shown for the Don Mueang Airport during the 1960-1990 period. The highest recorded maximum temperature is 40.8 °C (105.4 °F) and the lowest recorded minimum temperature is 9.9 °C (49.8 °F). The coldest temperatures were recorded in January 1924, January 1955, January 1974 and December 1999. The coldest daytime maximum temperature was 22.3 °C (72 °F), recorded in December 1999. Hailstorms are virtually unheard of in the city, with only one having been recorded in the past fifty years[6]
Districts
Bangkok night time
Chinatown (Yaowarat)
The Baiyoke Tower II, the tallest building in Bangkok and Thailand
See also: List of districts in Bangkok and List of tallest buildings in Thailand
Bangkok has 50 districts or khet, which mark the administrative subdivisions under the authority of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. These are further subdivided into 154 khwaeng (แขวง), roughly equivalent to sub-districts tambon in the other provinces.
1.Phra Nakhon 26. Din Daeng
2.Dusit 27. Bueng Kum
3.Nong Chok 28. Sathon
4.Bang Rak 29. Bang Sue
5.Bang Khen 30. Chatuchak
6.Bang Kapi 31. Bang Kho Laem
7.Pathum Wan 32. Prawet
8.Pom Prap Sattru Phai 33. Khlong Toei
9.Phra Khanong 34. Suan Luang
10.Min Buri 35. Chom Thom
11.Lat Krabang 36. Don Mueang
12.Yan Nawa 37. Ratchathewi
13.Samphanthawong 38. Lat Phrao
14.Phaya Thai 39. Watthana
15.Thon Buri 40. Bang Khae
16.Bangkok Yai 41. Lak Si
17.Huai Khwang 42. Sai Mai
18.Khlong San 43. Khan Na Yao
19.Taling Chan 44. Saphan Sung
20.Bangkok Noi 45. Wang Thonglang
21.Bang Khun Thian 46. Khlong Sam Wa
22.Phasi Charoen 47. Bang Na 23.Nong Khaem 48. ThawiWatthana 24.Rat Burana 49. Thung Khru
25.Bang Phlat 50. Bang Bon
However, these district areas might not accurately represent functional divisions of Bangkok's neighborhoods. Throughout the years, Bangkok has grown from a city scattered along the river to a metro area that spans as many as six provinces. The city's main business districts and residential areas are continuously expanding. The influx of foreigners from Western countries as well as immigrants from neighboring Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and many other Asian countries along with the growth of the Thai population has stemmed hundreds of housing projects around the metro area, developing communities along the outskirts. Within years, these communities are engulfed by the greater Bangkok and become another part of this urban jungle.
The most important business districts of Bangkok include Silom, Bangrak, Pinklao, Sathon, Phra Ram 2, Phetchaburi, Phra Nakhon, Pathumwan, Chatuchak (new central business district), and Phra Ram 3 (new financial center).
As the city expanded on the outskirts, the inner city has nowhere to grow but up. The city has a registered 1,000 skyscrapers and ranks 17th as the world's tallest city.[7] This does not include hundreds of new buildings predicted as part of the construction boom in 2007 and the coming years. Areas such as Silom-Sathon and Asok have for decades been Thailand's business center. From 1985 to 1996, Thailand experienced the world's highest growth rates and underwent an economic transformation, Bangkok went through dramatic changes.[citation needed] The Ratchadaphisek area was turned into a business district which continued through the Asok area up north for five kilometers (3 mi). The Sukhumvit area, stretching 15–20 km (9–12 mi), gradually turned into a mixed commercial and residential area. Wireless Road and Chitlom are where some of Bangkok's most expensive land plots exist. Part of the British Embassy on the corner of Wireless and Rama I Roads, nine rai or approximately 14,400 m2 (155,000 sq ft) in area, was sold for USD 92 million or THB 3.24 billion.
Bangkok's Phra Nakhon district alongside Dusit is where most governmental agencies and ministries have their offices. Most of the well-known tourist attractions are also in this particular area due its cultural & historical heritage. This part of Bangkok is perhaps the most popular for tourists as most notable attractions such as the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, the Democracy Monument, the Giant Swing, Sanam Luang and other venues are located here. Thon Buri also has its fair share of historic monuments mainly located near the river, such as Wat Arun. The Victory Monument in Bangkok is one of the city's biggest bus destinations. Although not officially a bus depot, its location in the center of city transits as many as 20 bus lines as well as a BTS Skytrain station. Starting from Victory Monument, Phahonyothin road early sois are occupied by ministries, government agencies, commercial buildings as well as upper-middle class residential areas. Further to the north, after the Lat Phrao/Phahonyothin intersection, the Northern Corridor is an expanding business district, where the famous Elephant Building can be found.
Bangkok's north and eastern areas are primarily residential areas for middle class residents of Bangkok. Whereas the inner city often has small apartments and low rises for poor immigrants, Lat Phrao and Si Nakharin offer residential compounds and townhouses. The two areas cover as much as 100 km2 (40 sq mi) to 150 km2 (60 sq mi) each, and have turned into what is now part of Bangkok as more suburban housing developments sprawl further out to the east and north. The west of Bangkok in Thon Buri is another growing area, approaching the degree of development experienced by the north and east. Suvarnabhumi Airport in the east is seen as a jump start for the eastern expansion of Bangkok as Don Mueang was for the north.
Ratchaprasong is at the forefront of Bangkok's shopping scene. The newly renovated Central World Plaza intends to serve as a square to Bangkokians. Just up the street is Siam Square, similar to Shinjuku in Tokyo and Oxford Street and Piccadilly Circus in London. The Sukhumvit area also serves as a shopping district for foreigners. The popular Chatuchak Weekend Market in the north of the city is where many people head for cheap, used and high quality products.
Bangkok's poorest districts are spread throughout the city. However, the most concentrated area is just north of the Port of Bangkok at the turn of the Chao Phraya River. For an area of 10 square kilometres (4 sq mi), the Khlong Toei district houses one of the poorest areas in the country with half-built houses and midrises for immigrants and workers from the northeast Isan provinces.
Green zones and major parks
Bangkok has large sections of greenery either preserved by the Department of National Forestry or designated as green zones. The city however, continues to lack a green belt development as economic activity continues to pour into the capital, resulting in massive housing projects along the suburbs.
Bangkok is known for its large green sections within the city centre, including the large forest park between Yannawa and Samut Prakan. This part of the city covers an area of over 50 km2 (19 sq mi). and is intended to buffer the CBD from the large industries of the west and south of Metropolitan Bangkok. Other areas include Bung Makkasan, an urban city buffer for residences, sections of many major roads which have unbuilt swamps and green fields. Some of these areas are intentionally undeveloped for protecting against urbanization, while others are land lost during the Asian Financial Crisis.
Lumphini Park is regionally famous. Renowned as Bangkok's Central Park, it was built in the early 1920s by Rama VI with this intent. It has since been used to hold grand pageants, ceremonies of the Thai constitution, and was a camp for Japanese soldiers during World War II. On Sundays, the western gates are open for runners to run on to Silom Road. The park is normally closed at night due to the incidences of vandalism, robberies and murders reported. Chatuchak Park and Rama IX Park are two of Bangkok's largest parks. The two, built in the past 50 years cater to Bangkok's suburban population are enormous and include botanic gardens, sports clubs and complexes, English/French/Japanese gardens and parks as well as large ponds and lakes. Other famous parks include Queen Sirikit Park near Lat Yao, Benchasiri Park on Sukhumvit, Saranrom Park across the Grand Palace, Sanam Luang, Suan Romaneenat, and Dusit Park.
Economy
Bangkok is the
economic center of Thailand, dominating the country's economy and dwarfing other urban centers. Development continues to pour in to Bangkok mostly neglecting the rest of the nation. In 2005, it produced a
GDP (
PPP) of about
USD 220 billion, which accounts for 44 percent of the country's GDP. Its GDP (PPP) per capita is well over USD 20,000, one of the highest in Southeast Asia, although statistics do not reveal the extent of the vast differences in wealth between haves and have nots. The
Stock Exchange of Thailand is located in Bangkok with over 536 listed companies and combined market capitalization of about
THB 6 trillion (USD 200 billion) as of 31 January 2007. Due to the large amount of foreign representation, Thailand has for several years been a mainstay of the Southeast Asian economy and a key center in Asian business. In the recent mini-crash known as Black Tuesday, the
SET lost over THB 800 billion or USD 25 billion in value, causing markets in the Asia-Pacific to fall and causing a global impact on 17 December 2006. The loss of market valuation evoked fears of a repeat of the
Asian Financial Crisis of 1997; however, a partial policy reversal saw market gaining back nearly all of the value lost.
Bangkok is home to the headquarters of all Thailand's large commercial banks and financial institutions; 27 financial institutions hold at least USD 1 billion in total assets. Their bank deposits totaled approximately THB 9.6 trillion (USD 314 billion) at the end of the third quarter in 2007. Many
multinational corporations have their regional headquarters in Bangkok because the cost of operation in the city is less than in most cities in Asia. Thirteen Bangkok-based companies are on the
Forbes 2000 list, including the largest Thai bank,
Bangkok Bank, and the country's largest energy company
PTT.
Tourism is a significant contributor to Thailand's economy, providing about 5 percent of GDP. Bangkok is Thailand's principal international gateway and a destination in its own right.
Income inequality of Bangkok's residents is significant, especially between relatively unskilled lower-income immigrants from rural provinces in Thailand and neighboring countries and middle class professionals (45% of registered residents), business elites, and retired and working foreign expats. About 7 percent of Bangkok's population (excluding illegal immigrants who constitute about 5-8 percent of population) lives below the poverty line compared to the national average of 9 percent.
The new shopping complex named "Siam Digital Gateway" was constructed in Siam Square and will be opened in 2009. After opening, it will be a modern gateway shopping complex in Southeast Asia with the technology such as: LEDs and LCD screen, HD video wall, Escalator Wrap, Balcony Ad, Elevator Wrap and Digital Tunnel. Siam Digital Gateway, has 4 floors with Digital Convention Hall and Electronic zone center with Digital Park, waterfall and fountain park.
Demographics
The 2005 Statistics report by the BMA Data Center notes a registered population of 5,658,953.
[10] However, this figure does not take into account the many unregistered residents. Most of the city’s population are ethnic
Thais. The
Chinese are by far the largest minority.
[11] Recently, Bangkok has experienced a large influx of foreign immigrants, long-term residents, and expatriates. Long-term foreign residents include 250,000
mainland Chinese, 85,000 Indians (most of whom are Sikh), of whom more than 80% have dual Thai citizenship,
[12] 30,000 Japanese (the largest Japanese population in Asia outside Japan)[
citation needed], 25,000 Americans[
citation needed], 45,000 Europeans, 15,000 Taiwanese, 20,000 South Koreans, 6,000 Nigerians, 7,500 Australians, 12,000 people of Arabic speaking countries, 20,000 Malaysians, 4,000 Singaporeans, 5,000 Filipinos, and 800 New Zealanders.[
citation needed] A vast majority of the population, 92%, is
Buddhist. The rest are
Muslim (6%),
Christian (1%),
Hindu/
Sikh (0.6%),
Jewish (41 residents), and others.[
citation needed] There are some 400 Buddhist temples, 55 mosques, 10 churches, 2 Hindu Temples, 2
synagogues and 1 Sikh
gurudwara in Bangkok.[
citation needed]
Administration
Bangkok is subdivided into
50 districts (khet, also sometimes called amphoe in the other provinces), which are further subdivided into 154 kwaeng (แขวง, equivalent to
tambon in other provinces). Each district is managed by a district chief appointed by the governor. District councils, elected to four-year terms, serve as advisory bodies to their respective district chiefs.
There is also an elected Bangkok Metropolitan Council, which has power over municipal ordinances and the city's budget. The last elections for local councils in Bangkok were held on 23 July 2006. The government of Bangkok is called the
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration or the BMA.
The seal of the city shows the god
Indra riding in the clouds on
Erawan, a mythological elephant-shaped creature. In his hand Indra holds a lightning bolt, which is his weapon to drive away drought. The seal is based on a painting done by
Prince Naris. The tree symbol of Bangkok is
Ficus benjamina.
Transportation
River and canals network
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.
[13] A notable khlong market is the floating market in
Taling Chan district. Through downtown Bangkok runs the
Khlong Saen Saeb, which has a canal boat service, the most extensive of which is the
Chao Phraya Express Boat with as many as thirty stops along the both banks of the Saen Saeb. However, there are limitations as the further north the route is the farther apart the stations are, impeding the ability of this water taxi to function as a true mass transit system.
Roads
Several elevated highways, newly rebuilt intersections, and many partially finished road and rail projects dot the landscape around greater Bangkok, but have done little to overcome the notorious traffic jams on Bangkok's surface roads as private vehicle usage continues to outstrip infrastructure development.
Bangkok also includes many shopping and business roads like the Sukhumvit Road which includes highrise business buildings, apartments, and shopping malls, Sukhumvit Road is where many foreigners like to come shopping. The Wireless Road or Thanon Wittayu include the Stock Exchange of Thailand and many business buildings like the All Seasons Place Complex which includes the Conrad Bangkok, a shopping mall, and many other business offices. The Thanon Khaosan or Khaosan Road is also well-known by foreigners. One of the popular shopping roads for teenagers is Rama I road, which has the Siam Paragon, Siam Square, and the Siam Discovery Center.
Inner-City Buses
A regular bus service is provided by the
Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) and it operates throughout Bangkok as well as to adjoining provinces around the clock on certain routes. Public buses are plentiful and cheap, with a minimum fare of 7 baht to most destinations within metropolitan Bangkok. Air-conditioned buses have minimum and maximum fares of 11 and 24 baht, respectively. Air-conditioned micro-buses charge a flat fare of 25 baht all routes. A Bus Route Map is available at bookshops.
The
MRT subway system opened for use in July 2004. The MRT connects the northern train station of
Bang Sue to the
Hua Lamphong 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.
Currently, transit and development projects initiated by ousted former Prime Minister
Thaksin are gaining in popularity with the currently elected government, and have a possibility of being resumed and extended.
A new high speed elevated railroad called the
Suvarnabhumi Airport Link, currently under construction, will link the city with the new
Suvarnabhumi Airport. The announced opening date has been pushed to back to 2009. The Airport Express railway is to be operated by the
State Railway of Thailand. It will provide a 28.5 km (17.7 mi) link between the new airport and the
City Air Terminal (CAT) at
Makkasan with connections to the BTS at Phaya Thai and MRT at Petchburi. There are plans to extend the line to Don Mueang and
Rangsit, but again, this is very dependent on the political situation.
Plans have been approved for a further extension of the BTS Silom line from Wong Wian Yai to Bangwah (4.5 km/2.8 mi), Sumrong to Samut Prakarn (8 km/5.0 mi), Mo Chit to Saphan Mai (11.9 km/7.4 mi) and the National Stadium to Phran Nok (7.7 km/4.8 mi). This includes five underground stations in the Rattanakosin area. The State Railway of Thailand has also been given approval to complete the Dark Red and Light Green lines. Alongside, MRT has also begun construction on two new lines, the Purple line from Bang Yai to Bang Sue, and the Blue line from Hua Lampong to Bang Khae and Ta Pra.
For intercity travel by train, most passengers begin their trips at
Hua Lamphong at the southern end of the MRT. Here, trains connect Bangkok to
Malaysia in the south,
Chiang Mai to the north, and
Nong Khai to the northeast and beyond to
Laos.
Bus service
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, such as
Pattaya,
Ko Samet and
Ko Chang, buses leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal at Ekkamai. For all destinations north and northeast, the Northern Bus Terminal is at Mo Chit. Bangkok's less accessible southern terminal was recently moved even farther out. Though Bangkok is well connected to other cities, getting to the bus terminals often are a challenge in themselves[
citation needed].
Bus (Bangkok Mass Transit Authority)
Non-air condition Bus Hino Line 2(This Free Bus From Tax Show Word รถเมล์ฟรี จากภาษีประชาชน)
The
Bangkok Mass Transit Authority service area covers Bangkok Metropolis and its suburban areas in the adjacent provinces of
Nonthaburi,
Samut Prakan,
Pathum Thani,
Nakhon Pathom, and
Samut Sakhon. It serves approximately 3 million passengers per day. The service hours are 05.00-23.00 hrs, except 24-hr night-owl service on some routes. In September 2005, BMTA owns a fleet of 3,579 buses—comprising 1,674 ordinary buses and 1,905 air-conditioned buses. In addition to BMTA-owned buses, there are 3,485 private-own contract buses, 1,113 contract minibuses, 2,161 side-street
songthaews, and 5,519 vans. In total, there are 15,857 buses and vans over 427 routes across 8 zones.
Zone 1: North (Hubs: Rangsit, Bangkhen)
Zone 2: Upper East (Hubs: Bangkapi, Minburi)
Zone 3: Lower East (Hubs: Samrong, Samut Prakan)
Zone 4: South Central (Hubs: Khlong Toey)
Zone 5: Southwest (Hubs: Dao Khanong, Phra Pra Daeng)
Zone 6: West (Hubs: Bangkhae, Thonburi)
Zone 7: Northwest (Hubs: Nonthaburi, Pak Kret)
Zone 8: Central (Hubs: Huay Khwang)
Airports
Departures Hall
Suvarnabhumi AirportBangkok is one of Asia's most important
air transport hubs. In 2005, more than ninety airlines served
Don Mueang International Airport (
IATA: DMK;
ICAO: VTBD). It was the 18th busiest airport in the world, second busiest in
Asia by passenger volume, 15th busiest in the world and fourth busiest in Asia in international passenger volume. Don Mueang consistently ranked 19th in the world in cargo traffic, and seventh in the
Asia-Pacific region. Don Mueang is considered to be one of the world's oldest international airports, its opening in March 1914 making it almost twenty years older than
London Heathrow. It has three terminals and is located about 30 km (19 mi) north from the heart of Bangkok.
On 28 September 2006,
Suvarnabhumi Airport (
IATA: BKK;
ICAO: VTBS), became Bangkok's official international airport, replacing Don Mueang. Pronounced Suwannaphum (
RTGS), or loosely Su-wan-na-poom, the airport is located southeast of the city center in
Bang Phli district,
Samut Prakan Province. The progress of Suvarnabhumi Airport dates back to the early 1970s when a large plot of land 8,000 acres (3,237 ha) (32 km²) was bought. A student uprising in October of the same year prevented further progress with the development when the military government of
Thanom Kittikachorn was subsequently overthrown. After several military coups and the Asian financial crisis of 1997, construction finally began in 2002, after five years of clearing the site. The first flights landed in September 2006, shortly after another military coup. Its two parallel
runways are connected by the five
concourses of the main
terminal building. The airport features a 132.2-metre (434 ft)-tall
control tower, the tallest in Asia and one meter (3.2 ft) taller than
Kuala Lumpur International Airport control tower. It is the tallest stand alone purpose built control tower in the world.
[14] Airports of Thailand Plc. (AoT) have announced another terminal to accommodate a further fifteen million passengers. This will be part of Phase 2 of the airport, which is expected to begin construction in three to five years. The main airline of Suvarnabhumi is
Thai Airways International.
Much of the construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport took place during the premiership of
Thaksin Shinawatra, who took personal responsibility for its timely completion. Despite a "ceremonial" opening on the planned date, construction was over a year late. Continuing controversy surrounds the quality of planning and construction; accusations include cracks in the runway, overheated buildings, a severe shortage of toilet facilities and lengthy passenger walks to departure gates. The fact that the airport is already overcrowded and near its maximum capacity less than a year after opening is another concern.
Don Mueang remains in use as a base of the
Royal Thai Air Force.
Thai Airways and most of the low-cost airlines now use the airport for domestic flights, in an effort to ease congestion at Suvarnabhumi, until the next terminal is opened.
[15]
Taxis
A typical Corolla taxi operated among the Bangkok taxi services.
These three-wheeled ‘open-air’ motorised taxis (called tuk-tuks) are popular for short journeys.
River taxis can be used on the Chao Phraya River. Some are just cross river ferries, but others serve the many landing stages on both banks and cover a route that goes up as far as the northern suburb of Nonthaburi.
Education
The majority of the country's universities, both public and private, are located in and/or around the capital.
Chulalongkorn University and
Thammasat University are at the forefront of tertiary education. The two are both public universities and have been a foundation for young thinkers for nearly a century. Over the past few decades however, the general trend of pursuing a university degree has prompted new universities to crop up and meet the needs of the Thai people. Bangkok became not only a place where immigrants and provincial Thais flock to for job opportunities, but a chance to receive a university degree.
Ramkhamhaeng University emerged in 1971 as the only open university then, it has the highest enrolment of students compared with any other Thai university. Ramkhamhaeng was one of the Thai governments ways to deal with the rise in a demand for tertiary education. The growth of universities has stemmed tens and hundreds of other universities and colleges in the metropolitan area. Vocational/technical colleges have recently seen their fair share of success. One of such is SAE Institute Bangkok (started in 2002). In recent years, a large number of private institutions primarily with western ties and exchange programs have made their way to the capital. The rise in the number of schools offering English teaching have raised the bar for many state-owned institutions to meet up with private standards.
Amidst all this however, the tertiary education scene in Bangkok is still over swamped with non-Bangkokian's. Officials currently stress the need for a revamping of the Thai educational system. Education has long been a prime factor in the centralization of Bangkok and will play a vital role in the government's efforts to decentralize the country.
Health care and medical centers
Bangkok has a large number of hospitals and medical centers, which include eight of the country's fifteen medical schools. Many hospitals in Bangkok act as
tertiary care centers, receiving referrals from distant parts of the country. Lately, especially in the private sector, there has been much growth in
medical tourism, with many hospitals providing services specifically catering to foreigners.
The Bumrungrad Hospital is the main international class hospital on Sukumvit Road, and is popular with expats, wealthy Thais and medical tourists. Its closest competitors are Samithivej Hospitaland and Bangkok Hospital Medical Center. All 3 of which have achieved accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI).
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.
Culture
Royal Ploughing Ceremony May
An ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, in which farmers believe, is able to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop. The event is a result of a series of ceremonies that are conducted by Phraya Raek Na, portrayed by a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who wears colourful traditional costumes. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season.
H.M. The Queen’s Birthday Celebration 12 August
To display their loyalty and to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments.
Trooping of the Colours December
Their majesties the King and Queen preside over this impressive annual event, held in the Royal Plaza near the equestrian statue of King Chulalongkorn. Dressed in colourful uniforms, amid much pomp and ceremony, members of the elite Royal Guards swear allegiance to the King and march past members of the Royal Family.
H.M. The King’s Birthday Celebrations 5 December
H.M. King
Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world’s longest reigning monarch is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country, buildings and homes are elaborated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.
There is an average of four million readers for more than 25 Bangkok based newspapers, one of which,
Thai Rath, sells over a million copies a day.
[16][17] Bangkok also has two major English-language dailies, the
Bangkok Post and
The Nation and the new free-sheet, The Daily Xpress. The
Asian Wall Street Journal and
International Herald Tribune are printed in Bangkok and have high distribution numbers. There are also a number of weekly publications normally published on Fridays that deal with political issues. Other publications, such as lifestyle and entertainment magazines are also plentiful.
Many gossip and fashion magazines are also published in Bangkok, especially after the launch of the
Bangkok Fashion City project in 2004. Since then,
United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC, or now True Visions), the Thai cable operator, has launched a new channel devoted to Thai fashion as well as a Thai edition of E! Entertainment television.
There is a large amount of television media in Bangkok. Six television stations operated and controlled by the government and many major cables TV operators such as
True Visions (formally UBC) ,
MTV, TTV, PTV, ASTV are based in Bangkok. They broadcast a total of 100 channels to viewers with including many Thai television stations such as TITV, Nation Channel, ETV, DLTV, Royal TV, Money Channel, SMe TV, six sports channels, and
Channel V, among others. There are more than 50 FM radio stations within the Bangkok metro vicinity and 50 AM channels including international brands such as
Virgin Radio. Radio stations mainly broadcast in Thai, although some broadcast solely in English due to the growing expat population and the growing number of locals who enjoy learning English.
Contact
*Landlines provided by TOT and TT&T
*IDD phones provided by CAT
*Mobiles provided by AIS GSM, DTAC, TRUE and HUTCH
*Internet / High-speed internet (ADSL) provided by TOT, CAT and TT&T. Internet cafes can be found everywhere.
*Post offices are available in every district.
Nowadays, modern art scene is centred around Bangkok as the capital of
contemporary art in the region while, traditional art can be found in many commercial areas in the old city as well as temples and palaces throughout the city, there are a number of artists who prefer to live and work outside the metropolis. The number of artists is constantly on the rise, so an increasing variety of works are available on the art market. Many art galleries in Bangkok tend to sell work restricted to traditional rural motifs. The artists creating this type of art are often influenced by traditional
Buddhist beliefs and motifs, and are popular among the general Thai public.
Nevertheless, some Thai artists are breaking away from these norms by addressing more controversial issues in their work, for example the loss of traditional values and the obsession with money in today's society.
Sport
Main article:
List of sport venues in BangkokRajamangala National StadiumModern sports have been introduced to the people of Bangkok dating back a century by
King Chulalongkorn.
Horse racing followed by
golf began in Bangkok 100 years ago when the king bestowed land for the first race course. The objective of His Majesty was to introduce and promote the quality of horse racing and breeding in Thailand, while providing sporting facilities of international standards for Thailand. Today, horse racing is one of the most popular sports in the capital and one of the most famous sport events in the region. Bangkok has hosted the
Asian Games four times, in 1966, 1970, 1978 and 1998. Bangkok was also the host of the first
SEA Games in 1959 and
Summer Universiade in 2007.
Bangkok's popular modern sports are football, golf, bowling and horse racing. The city has many famous
league football clubs with a number of international class football stadiums as well as many golf courses and bowling alleys throughout the city, while the popular traditional sports are
Muay Thai, which is held in two major boxing stadiums in the city:
Rajadamnern Stadium along with
Lumpini Stadium,
Takraw, which is played in open spaces throughout the city, and
kite fighting, which is easy to see in the centre of the old city.
Sanam Luang, on the north side of
Wat Phra Kaew, is transformed each year around February from a sedate little patch of greenery in the midst of a concrete jungle into an ongoing kite festival as locals come to the park to practice the art of flying kites.
Rajamangala Stadium is Bangkok's new national stadium. It can seat more than 65,000.
Bangkok features a number of sports clubs including the Royal Bangkok Sports Club,
Southerners Sports Club and the British Club, which was established in Bangkok in 1903.
[19] 
Urban lifestyle
MBK or Mahboonkrong, one of Bangkok's oldest shopping malls, has also been a tourist hotspot and a hangout for young Thais.
Although it is one of Asia's most important cities economically, the
urban pace of Bangkok is somewhat relaxed, as the city offers enormous amounts of getaway locations. Most residents tend to stress over the amount of traffic in the city. Peak hours are between 6:30 am to 9:30 am and 4:30pm to 8:00 at night on weekdays, with a general state of traffic on Monday morning and Friday night.
Many Bangkokians leave town on weekends to visit seaside resorts such as
Hua Hin and
Pattaya. Others return home to visit elderly relatives in
Isan and the northern provinces. Saturday is somewhat considered a work day to many Bangkokians.
Religion does not play a very influential role in the capital as it would compared to other cities. However, a good proportion of the population remains devout and offers daily alms to the monks who walk their neighbourhoods. Muslims are often either assimilated entirely by the Thai or live in remote parts of the city such as the
Nong Chok district where tradition Thai Muslims still live.
Current issues
Bangkok has long been notorious for its massive
traffic jams, which are still a serious problem. The recent construction of the elevated second-level, third-level and fourth-level expressways, many tunnels and flyovers, BTS and MRT systems, four new SRT lines and
BRT Bangkok has eased some of the congestion along specific corridors, but has done little to alleviate overall congestion. The major reason is the continued popularity of private automobiles, and extensive consumer credit for automobile purchases.
Air pollution in Bangkok
Environmental issues such as
air pollution, a large part of which is caused by the traffic and dirt left on streets from construction projects, was a major problem. Industrial pollution has also contributed to poor air and water quality. Though
sulfur dioxide and
ozone levels have fallen substantially, PM (
particulate matter) still exceeds health standards in some areas. However, the large volume of trash in the canals must be cleaned out by other means.
Mold growth is ubiquitous in Bangkok, as the wet tropical climate makes it grow, and many residents simply ignore it.
As in many other Asian cities, the sale of
illegally copied copyright-protected material, mostly software and
DVD movies, is widespread in Bangkok, but technically illegal.
Another issue which has given the city a reputation is the sex industry.
Prostitution in Thailand is technically illegal, but can be found all over Bangkok in vast numbers of massage parlors, saunas, parks, and hourly hotels, serving foreign tourists as well as locals. Organized sex work in Bangkok alone involves a minimum of many thousands of workers, and possibly in the tens of thousands[
citation needed].
Crime
Foreign residents and tourists alike complain of widespread scams and blatant
price gouging. Elaborate
gem store scams involving earning the trust of a Westerner who is in cooperation with locals have robbed tourists of thousands of dollars,
[20] although overcharging is more of a common occurrence. Commission-based
profiteering is common for restaurants, hotels, and just about any kind of business. The
Tourist Police lack police powers and are largely responsible for writing out reports for insurance companies for victims of theft. In more serious cases, they will translate reports to be passed on to the regular police in Bangkok. Also, despite stringent drug laws the illegal drug trade continues to thrive.
Armed robbery and violence against tourists is rare, but murders involving tourists and long term foreign residents do occur. A dramatic increase in the number of illegal immigrant workers in Thailand has resulted in many of the crimes being committed by these illegal immigrants.
[21] However, Bangkok is generally considered safe from the standpoint of violent crime. The rates for violent crimes such as murders and muggings are fairly low when compared to other large Asian and international cities.
[22]
