Bangkok tourist attractions - The Grand Palace

Bangkok Tourist Attractions And History

Bangkok: City of angels and capital of Thailand

Bangkok became the capital of Thailand in 1767 and is now an enormous metropolis that covers over 560 square kilometres and has a population of more than 6 million. It is, alongside Singapore and Hong Kong, one of the most important Southeast Asian trade cities, and thus a very busy place. However, most people find Bangkok fantastic, and we’re amongst them! Why? With so many Bangkok tours and attractions, there are plenty of things to see and do. You can, for example, visit the peaceful teak wood suburb, accessible solely by boat, see ancient royal temples and palaces, shop till you drop at the markets and stores, or explore Chinatown for a true insight into these industrious traders.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

Historical Bangkok

The general (and governor) of the province of Tak, General Taksin, had to flee Ayutthaya but later drove the rest of the Burmese army out of central Thailand. In 1770, he crowned himself King, and founded a new capital in the province of Thonburi on the western bank of the River Chao Phraya.

The successor to Taksin, King Rama I (who later had Taksin bludgeoned to death) moved the capital to the east bank where it was easier to defend against the Burmese. He built the city on top of rubble brought by boat from the ruins of former capital Ayutthaya. The plans for the city were to follow, as close as possible, those of Ayutthaya. The Royal Palace and the nearby temples formed the heart of the city. The place that was chosen for the palace was already populated by a group of influential Chinese traders who had to be relocated to the south of the city, this later grew to be Chinatown-a major bangkok tourist attraction.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

The Grand Palace

Out of all of Bangkok's tourist attractions, The Grand Palace is something that you really cannot fail to be impressed with. Designed in honour of the highly respected Thai royal household, and the belief of Buddhism, The Royal Palace can be visited during our Bangkok tour or Bangkok sightseeing tour by bicycle. The temple is actually the symbol of the Royalty. Even though the king doesn't actually live here today, as you walk around you’ll see gold leaf, mosaics and sometimes demonic statues; everything glistens and glitters! The complex is also architecturally very interesting. A good example of which is the "Chakri Mahaprasat" (Grand Palace Hall). This hall was designed in 1882 by an English architect, in the style of the Italian Renaissance, whilst keeping the traditional Thai architecture.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

Wat Phra Kaew

Another attraction in Thailand is the neighbouring Wat Phra Kaew temple which boasts a rather special attraction - "The Emerald Buddha" and is considered to be the most important temple in Thailand. "The Emerald Buddha" is a green statue, standing at 75 cm high, and is regarded as the Royal Thai talisman. The statue is first mentioned in a legend dating from the 15th century, but the style of the statue fits those of the 13th and 14th centuries (Chiang Saen or Lanna periods). The statue is made of a sort of jasper or jade, and sports three cloaks, each season the statue wears a different robe. The king himself actually changes the robe in a special ceremony. The Thai people frequently visit the temple to offer lotus blossoms or burn joss sticks.

Wat Phra Kaew can be visited during your Thailand holiday on our Bangkok tour.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

The History of Khlongs

The area surrounding Bangkok has always been a swamp, and the Chao Praya River forms the biggest waterway here. The canals in and around Bangkok, were created for a variety of reasons during different periods of time. In the 16th century there were already channels dug in the Chao Praya River to give shipping better access to and from the former capital Ayutthaya. The majority of waterways were created after Bangkok became the new capital. Almost all trade was conducted on the water and a great number of Bangkok’s residents lived on the water, in floating bamboo huts or in houses on stilts. As centuries went on, the expansion of trade mobility was a prime reason for building new waterways as the city developed and grew.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

Using Khlongs Today

Nowadays not all Khlongs are in use. Some of them have been filled in to improve land transportation. However, you can still explore the old waterways on a Bangkok sightseeing tour, as parts of Bangkok have retained the old waterway atmosphere providing the opportunity for a relaxing outing. You could, for example, take the Khlong Bangkok Noi water taxi and travel the old river arm and see the original canal communities. The water taxi leaves from Tha (pier) Maharat, next to Silpakort University. Each journey costs about 20 Bhat and the further you go into the Khlong, the more beautiful the surroundings. You’ll pass wooden teak houses with gold-leafed Temples and colourful orchids cultivated in tiny gardens. This taxi service is provided by the so-called 'longtail boats’.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

River Trips

Practical River Transport
If you really must travel during the rush hour, it's a good idea to take an express boat over the Chao Praya River to get somewhere. It's a bit hectic, but a lot less muggy than trying to travel over land.

Dinner Cruises
You can have a wonderful meal in Bangkok on a dinner cruise in the evening. A few are named in the Lonely Planet book and it can be useful to make a reservation. We did a really nice cruise on a typical wooden ‘rice barge’ with gentle Thai music, fine service and lots of good food. This was not the cheapest (approx 1250 Bhat per person) but it was absolutely worth it. Loy Nava Dinner Cruises Tel.437-4932 / 437-7329.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

Walking through Chinatown

Chinatown is fantastic for people who like to rummage through markets and small shops. Chinatown appears to be one great big market, where you can get everything from octopus, baby clothes, cuts of pork, to joss sticks. It's the perfect place to pick of a souvenir from your Thailand holiday. There are some streets in which all the shops sell just one type of product, like wedding clothes or religious articles. Nearly all shops have a shrine, which is nice to see. In Chinatown you’ll find both big, busy streets and picturesque little alleyways.

Bangkok Tourist Attractions

The History of Chinatown

Chinese immigrants have lived in Bangkok since before it was made the capital and have, since the 16th century, held important trading positions and political influence throughout the country. The first two Kings were themselves half Chinese, and maintained regular contact with the Chinese elite. Even today, the Chinese have many key positions in Thai life. So why did so many Chinese immigrate to Thailand?

In the 19th century, 10,000 South Chinese immigrated to Thailand. The Chinese had very different ambitions to the Thais. They were not against working as paid labourers in a foreign city, where as the Thai people preferred not to move to Bangkok, but would rather remain an independent rice farmer. The Chinese turned more and more towards trading, retailing, the collection of taxes, and in later years banking, and in time, the they had fully integrated with the Thais. They married Thai women, wore Thai clothes, and sometimes became monks in Thai temples. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Chinese community started to segregate itself, with separate Chinese schools and Chinese newspapers. Since then, Chinatown has remained active as an industrious trading centre in Bangkok.