Bangkok Factfile - introduction

Welcome to Bangkok, a large city of towering golden pagodas, with wide, long, straight thoroughfares built along ancient canals that were long since concreted over. It is a hot, steaming city that never sleeps, with dense traffic that is fluid for a few hours each night. Yet despite the heat and noise and pollution, the people of Bangkok are generally calm, relaxed, patient and friendly. Here it is common to wait for ten minutes at traffic lights, or take an hour to travel half a mile, yet uncommon to hear a car klaxon or see an impatient driver. Probably the most common phrase you will hear is mai pen rai, meaning "never mind".

Bangkok is known to the Thais as Krungthep, which in Thai means "City of Angels". Established as the capital of Thailand in 1782 by King Rama I, Bangkok has developed over the past two centuries into a famous modern metropolis with a population of over eight million—where East and West, ancient and modern exist side by side. Bangkok never ceases to impress visitors with the unique beauty of its contrasts. Like other modern cities, Bangkok boasts towering skyscrapers and sophisticated office blocks, luxurious hotels and thriving shopping centres. Yet, amidst all this, traditional Thai culture is alive and well.

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