Bangkok became the capital of Thailand in 1782, when the royal court relocated from the city of Ayutthaya, which had been left in ruins following years of conflict with the Burmese. After settling temporarily on the wastern banks of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi, the capital moved again, this to the area of Rattanakosin in present-day Bangkok. Almost entirely surrounded by water, the new location was easier to defend against potential attacks. The final move marked the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty. Rama1 named the new capital Krung Thep.(City of Angels) in reference to the past glories of Ayutthaya, and he ordered the construction of two of the Kingdom’s most illustrious religious monuments at that time, Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, to consolidate the new capital’s ruling status.
During the subsequent reigns of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and his son King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the city developed rapidly, culminating in the midernisation and explosive growth of the 20th century. After visiting European capitals, Rama V moved the royal family to the leafy enclave of Dusit. The modern architectural monuments built in this neighbourhood include the Thai Parliament Building, the impassive marble Wat Benchama Bophit and the enormous teak Vimanmek Mansion.
Greater Bangkok now occupies nearly 1.5 square Kilometers and is home to some 12 million residents. Rattanakosin remains the spiritual centre of the city, graced by the dazzling splendors of the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew and nearby Wat Po.
Modern downtown Bangkok stretches southeast of Rattanakosin and look very much like many other Southeast Asian capitals, with the usual array of gleaming skyscrapers, deluxe apartment projects and lines of snarled traffic. The core of the new city encompasses the Sathorn/Silom districts and Sukhumvit Road, which include upscale shopping plazas, leafy public parks these major downtown neighbourhoods are connected by the BTS Skytrain and the MRT subway systems.
The gradually expanding public transportation networks, with their bright, snaking trains carrying wide-eyed tourists and weary commuters alike, have not only helped to relieve the city’s traffic congestion, but also given the City of Angels a modern, 21st-century feel.
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v TEMPLES
v HITORIC HOMES
v MUSEUMS
v PARK & ZOO
· FLORA BANG KRACHAO
· JATUJAK & QUEEN SIRIKIT PARKS
· LUMPINE PARK
· RAMA 9 ROYAL PARK
· ROSEGARDENRIVERSIDE
· DUSIT ZOO
· SAMPHRAN ELEPHANT GROUND & ZOO
. SIAM OCEAN WORLD
· FLORA BANG KRACHAO
· JATUJAK & QUEEN SIRIKIT PARKS
· LUMPINE PARK
· RAMA 9 ROYAL PARK
· ROSEGARDENRIVERSIDE
· DUSIT ZOO
· SAMPHRAN ELEPHANT GROUND & ZOO
. SIAM OCEAN WORLD
v EXHIBITIONS
v PERFORMING ARTS
v CLUBS & BARS
v SHOPPING
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