Bangkok at a Glance

Bangkok's history begins at the rivers edge. At the edge of the Chao Praya River to be precise. Over 370 km long and with its origins in four rivers flowing from the Northeastern region of the country, this waterway has been as historically and agriculturally significant in shaping Thailand as the Nile has been to Egypt. Bordered to the west by rugged Burmese mountains, by lofty mountains to the north separating southern China from the Southeast Asian mainland, and to the east by the high, sprawling plateau settled by the Ban Chiang people, wave after wave of settlers moved into this huge river basin to take advantage of the fertile land and abundant fish. In fact, what we today know as Bangkok grew from little more than a small collection of villages scattered among the river basin canals and rice paddies.
Spread over nearly 350 square kilometres and home to an estimated ten million people, it's grown into a sprawling mass of glistening skyscrapers, towering apartments and gridlock traffic with a skyline like that of many other Southeast Asian capitals. However, while economic liberalisation has brought outside influences, styles and mores to the capital, some things stay the same. Rattanakosin, for one, is still the spiritual centre of the city. And Bangkok, thankfully, is still graced by the enchanting splendour of some of the Kingdom's most illustrious monuments. Among them, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Wat Po and the spectacular Grand Palace.