It''s worth putting up with the traffic jams, pollution, annual floods
and sticky weather to experience one of Asia''s
most exciting cities.
Bangkok has dominated Thailand''s urban hierarchy, as well as its
political, commercial and cultural life, since the late 18th century.
Although the late 20th-century boomis over - you can still shop in air-conditioned comfort in Western-style mallsBangkok proper seetheson the east side of the Chao Phraya River. The city is reportedly
sinking at a rate of 90cm (36in) every year, but there''s too much
happening in this vibrant city for anyone to get that sinking feeling
for too long. Metropolitan Bangkok covers 1569 sq km (612 sq mi) of southern
Thailand, sitting in the middle of the most fertile rice-producing
delta in the world. A network of natural and artificial canals crisscross the city, feeding to and from Thailand''s hydrological lifeline
- the broad Chao Phraya River - which snakes through the city providing
transport for passengers and cargo.
Bangkok is divided in two by the main north-south train line.
Old Bangkok, where a large proportion of the city''s temples and palaces
and its Chinese and Indian districts are found, lies between the river
and the railway. East of the railway, comprising the main business,
tourist and sprawling
residential districts, is ''new'' Bangkok. Of
course, outside of these general classifications, Bangkok sprawls in
all directions with a mixture of commercial, industrial and residential
areas.
Jim Thompson''s
House, the former abode of
mystery man and silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson is a great spot to visit
for authentic Thai residential architecture and South-East Asian art.
Thompson was a New York architect who served as a spy in Thailand
during WWII. After setting up house in Bangkok, he gradually built up
worldwide clientelefor a craft that may otherwise
have died out. Each wall of Thompson''s house has its exterior side
facing the building''s interior, exposing the wall''s bracingsystem to residents and guests.
Bangkok is a cultural melting pot and there''s no better evidence of
this than Pahurat, on the edge of Chinatown. A wide variety of Indian
goods are available in this small area, ranging from an astonishing
array of silks to Thai shoulder bags. The choice is amazing, the
haggling is fierce and the bargains can be unbelievable - if you''re
good enough, that is. Head down little alleys into the ''bowels'' of this
area and you''ll find foodstuffs, household items and a thriving culture
that might ordinarily pass by unnoticed. Pahurat lies west of Chinatown
towards the river.