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BANGKOK

Bangkok was founded in 1782 by  Rama the I,  and he decided for stratecical reasons to move the capital to the eastern sida of the river Chao Phraya because it would be more protected by attacks from Burma in the west. The place was in that time a small market-place, which the foreigners called Bangkok, while the thai-people called it for  Krung Thep, ”The town of angels” which is a shortening of the full name which consisits of over 150 letters.

Today Bangkok have estimated 8 miljons inhabitans and 1-2  miljons further if the suburbs is included. The traffic are one of the tightest in the world and as tourist you should try to awoid  the traffic-jam, greater holidays and the rain-period during june-october when the streets often are flooding.

Chao Phraya river

The river which are passing through the capital are a importent transportlink for both goods and people. Ferry's big lighters and smaller boats which are loaded with fruits and vegetables they are all the time on the river. As a tourist you shouldn´t  miss to see the capital from the river. The cheapest way to do this is to take the Phrahya-express which have several stops by the river. There are also ferrys which are crossing the river and also longstreaming boats.

The old city

Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo-complex are Bangkoks main touristattraction. They were beginning to been build in year 1782 to mark the foundation of the new capital and to choose a place for the  Smaragd- Buddha (Phra Kaeo) and a castle for the king.

The whole area is surrounded by 1900 meters  long wall, and  from the beginning it was a selfprovided city in the city..

Another temple-complex is Wat Pho which is the biggest in Bangkok. The temple consists of a education-center for  traditional medicin but also a school for traditional thai-massage. The complex also consists of a monastery for  300 monks, and a  46 meter long resting Budda in another buildning.

Rather close to the Wat Pho is the big field Sanam Luang, ”The kings fieldt” were ceremonies with the king and his family use to take place. Here at the field are also Dragon-competations taking part. In the nearby lies  Nationalmuseum which have an enormous excange of arts and craft from every period in Thailands history.

Chinatown

Nearly south of the old cily is Chinatown. The Chineese came to Thailand at the beginning of 14 th century. In late 18th century after the war with Burma  Chineese imigration was incouraged, to rebuild the economy of the country. In spite of antichineese restrictions against imigration are the chinese still  dominating the buisiness even today. Chinese descendants are even today half of the amounts of  the capital.

In the area between the heavy trafficing Yaowarat road and Charoen Krung Road there are much of narrow streets full of marketbooths. And here are several clothmarkets as for example Sampeng Lane, Soi Isara Nuphap, Pak Khlong, Nakorn Kasem and Phahurat.

In the area there are also much of shops for spieces, tinned and fresh food, chines herbmedicine and countless of goldenshops.

Dusit

In this area northeast of the old city is the center for thai state governments. The area is an oasis in a caotic city. King Chulalongkorn founded the area after european cityplanning with open views, broad boulevards and a geomatric streetnet. Here in the area are the old buildings low. The area also consists of the Dusit-Park.

Among a fantastic garden and buildings are here several museum, Photo-museum, Clock-museum och the Royal Family-museum. East of Dusit-Park is Chitrlada Palace where the king has been living since 1946.

City

East of Dusit and Chinatown is the  modern city. The core in the capitals contionously growing city lays between Silom Road and Ploen Chit Road. The Salimstreets skyscrapes are the home for businessmen on days, but when darkness is fallen the entertaiment takes over the city. Longer to the north on Ploen Chit Road and Rama I Road there are fancy boutiques. In the marketstands on Silom Road and Siamsquare the shopping is cheaper.

Worth seeing are the old houses with different styles in the Farangquarters beside the river and  parallell with Charoen Krung. In this area were the citys first harbour. Since beginning of 19 th century are here a lot of embassys, and also the famous Oriental Hotel which was opened in 1876.

Another famous house is Jim Thompson´s House. He was an american silkmerchant, who revented the art of weaving silk after almost the art had died out after war world II. His six teakhouse from 19 th century are after his dead a museum and here are also a great collection of antiquetets and arts through whole Southeastasia.

Thon Buri

On the left side of river Chao Phraya lays Thon Buri and here were capital  before it moved to the east side of the river. Here is the temple Wat Arun, "The Dawntemple" which is inspirered by Khmer architecture and which is the only temple in Thailand which is ornamented by thousands of porcelain pieces in different colours.

Bangkoks surroundings

There are also many other interesting things woth seeing outside the capitals city. Eastwards is Sukhumvit Road with many boutiques, small gallerys and museum. For the one who likes shopping you should not miss Chatuchak-market in the north, which is Thailands greatest  market with 6000 stands and is opening every weekend..

A mile northeast of Bangkok lies Nonthaburi on the left side of Chao Phraya-river. Here you can travel by riverboat from one of  Bangkoks express-quay. The journey takes around an hour and offer several intresting views for example the Royal boats and the temple Wat Khian which is standing halfway under water.

About ten miles westwards lies the  "Floating market" in  Daamnoen Saduak and here on the channels fresh fruit and vegetables from the farmers are been selling directly from the boats. Westwards you find the wellproneed park Rose Garden. However the most tourist are coming here for looking att the exibitions  by thai culture including thai traditional dancing, wedding, moonkceremony, fencing and thai boxing.   A couple of miles southward is the Ancient town with copys of different buildings and monuments.

Nearby lies the Crocodilefarm  which is both a zoo and a breeding-park. Here is Thailands greatist crocodilefarm with 30.000 crocodiles of every shapes and sizes. Here you can watch spectacitulate shows when the animal trainer put boths hands and head into the mouth of the crocodiles and even wrestling with the crocodiles.  

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CENTRAL PLAIN

Central plain which is broading out northwards of Bangkok is the nations rice-shed. It´s also in this area the first historic developments did happen with the old kingdoms Sukothai and Ayutthaya.

The area is today the countrys most rich and most close-populated region with fast growing citys wich are surrounded by rice-fields and sugar-plantations. In the wood-covered hills in the area there are many nationalparks with beutiful waterfalls and a rich animal-life.

NORTH CENTRAL PLAIN

In the northern part of the centralplain about 40 miles north of Bangkok lies  Sukhothais historical park and in the abandoned city there are ruins from about 40 temples. A couple of miles north there is another historical park Si Satchanalai-Chalieng which was a twin-city to Sukhothai.

Soutwest of Sukhothai lies Khlong Lan Nationalpark  which was opening in  1982. Here there are  exotic animals as tigers and Blackbear and the Waterfall  is the main attraction. Not far away is Mai Wong nationalpark which is suitable for  hiking and bird-watching.

SOUTH CENTRAL PLAIN

In the south central plain about seven miles north of Bangkok lies the city  Ayutthaya  which was devasted by Burma in year 1767. Here there are much of ruins around the whole  modern city.

The city was in the 16 th and 17 th century, one of Asias most important trade-center. The portuguese was the first who came here at 17 th century and was later followed by englisch, dutchmen, franscheese and  japaneese.

Five mile northeast from Ayuttahya is Lop Buri which was a province-capital for the Khmers which later was counquered by Ayuttahya. The city is not as well-known for tourists as Ayuttaya or Sukhothai but the city have a lot of sukhothai- and khmer-ruins.

Westwards about 11 miles from Bangkok is Kanchanaburi with the legendary River Kwai Bridge. This bridge was built under war world II  1942-43 and also 400 km. railways by 300.000 asian force-labors and 60.000 allied prisonors. Thousands died by colera, malaria, starvation and privations. The japaneese had plans to use the railway for  attacking Burma during war world II.

Norh of the River Kwai Bridge are several well-known  national-parks. The nearest is Erawan which is famous for the tremendous beautiful  Erawan Water-falls. Here there are also about  80 differnet types of birds. Two other national-parks int the area is Sai Yok and Chaloem Rattanakosin.

Further north are the two  national-parks Thung Yai Naresuan and Huai Kha Khaeng which both are on UNESCO:s list. Here there are  Thailands greatest wild  elephant-herds and also several wild beasts as  tiger, leopards and mala-bear but also buffelherds and rare gibbon-apes..

Northeast of  Bankok is Thailands first  nationalpark Khao Yai which was founded in year 1962. Here are many animals under the threat of extermination, for example elephants, tigers leopards, gibbon-apes and mala-bears but also over 300 different types of birds. The national-park has an area of 2000 squarekilometers and have constantly green woods and several mountains over 1000 meter. The park have also waterfalls and rivers.  

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NORTHERN THAILAND

Northern Thailand belonged to the ancient rich of  Lanna and also Burma into the 18 th century. Here in the north  the landscape is more hilly with higher mountains and thight woods than in other parts of the country. Here you find plenty of ancient monuments and museum and also markets which sells crafts and textiles which are typical for northern Thailand.

In the region there are several grand national-parks. In his region there is also popular in walking much depending on the many differnt types of animals, but also the fascinating  mountain-tribes. In the area at the top of Thailand there are also several groups of half-nomade people which origin are from China, Tibet and Burma.

NORTHWEST

In northwest Thailand lies the countrys second largest city Chiang Mai about  70 miles from Bangkok. The city have 200.000 inhabitans and inspite that the city is much smaller then the capital, Chiang Mai has almost the same numbers of temples. The temples were build bethween 13 th to 16 th centrury when the city was an important religous center through the Lanna-period.

One of the most holiest temple in northern Thailand is Doit Suthep situated a mile north of Chiang Mai in a national-park.  The temple lies on a  mountain at 1601 meter high. There you travel on a winded road almost to the top. At the final  you walk the 300 steps long stairway up to the temple or instead take the mountain-railway.

Another famous and beautiful tempel is Wat Phra That Lampang Luang situated sotheast to Chiang Mai. The temple is covered inside severel walls  as defence against attacking Burmeese in the 18 th century. The city Lampang with 70.000 inhabitans is the second largest city in northern Thailand. Here you can still see beautifully colored wagons drawn by horses, which is unique for the whole country. The city has also several  festivals as for example Songkran-festival which are for three days in  april.

Nowhere in the country there are made so much crafts than in and around Chiang Mai. Here you find  highest quality wood-handicraft, silver-works,  ceramics and other crafts as for example at the umbrella-factory in the village Bo Sang a mile east of Chiang Mai.

Further a couple of miles to the east lies San Kamphaen which is famous for there silk-products. Here they also demonstrate the whole procedur to make silk from the silk-butterfly to cocongs and to weaving. A little bit on the east is San Kamphaeng Hot Springs where hot water is spouting up in the air from hot underground springs.

West to Chiang Mai is Thailands highest mountain Doi Inthanon situated in a  national-park with the the water-fall Vachirathan, and here you find many  spieces of animals and birds. Southeast ten mils is the efephant-trainingcenter Chiang Dao for young elephants.

North there is another national-park Doi Chiang Dao with the third highest mountain in  Thailand. Under the moutain there is 14 km long caves. East of the city Chiang Dao is another elephant training-center. As tourist you can hire to ride on elephants or participant in walkings which is arrenged by different companys.

In  nordwest there is another national-park Mae Surin with one of Thailands highest waterfalls. Here you can also find mala-bears, black-bear and many spiceces of birds.

South to national-park is the city  Mae Hong son. And by looking  at the arcitecture it´s obious that the city have been dominated by nearby Burma.

NORTH AT THE TOP

At the top in the north are the bordings of  Thailand, Burma and Laos meeting. The area is known as "The Golden triangel" for formely producing opium. This is now forbidden and are nowadays mostly replaced by new crops as for example cabbage, tea and different herbs.

The whole area has fast become a great tourist-attraction.  In the area there are many different mountain-tribes which mostly have kept there  traditional lifestyle. Here the landscape is grand and beautiful with the forest-dressed high mountains along the boarders to Burma and Laos and to the winding Mekong-river.

The centre in the area is the city Chiang Rai with 40.000 inhabitans. The city was founded as early as  1262 and was the capital in the Lanna-rich, before the capital moved to Chiang Mai  30 years later.

In the region there are other small citys as  Fang which in great part consist of two department teak-houses, or the city Tha Ton which has an enormous big Budda-statue. The city Mae Salong was founded  1962 when chineese soldiers which was defeeted by Mao Zedong had moved there. In the city there is a beautiful temple with a great view at the top of  Mae Salong-mountain.

In  Thailands most norhterly city  Mae Sai it´s just a bridge over to Burma. Here comes every day people from Burma to sell woodencrafts, jewel-stones or different jade-objects often made in Burma.

In the village Sop Ruak are the three countries Thailand, Burma and Laos meeting, and the village prosper with it´s restaurants and boutiques thanks to treeparts-meeting. Eastward near the boarder to Laos lies the city Chiang Khong which sells typical thai lue-cloths.

Also at the top of norther Thailand there are several  national-parks and Doi Phu Kha is one of the countries newiest national-park with caverns and waterfalls. Near southward lies Nan which was an isolated kingdom in 13-15 th century. From 16 th it belonged to Burma and was handed over to Thailand in 18 th century, but it was rather selfindependent to 1931. In Nan are draggonboats-competitions been held in  october every year with up to 30 meter long boats who are rowing by 50 men.  

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NORTHEAST THAILAND

Northeast Thailand  consists in greatest part of the Korat-plateau, The territory is also one of the countrys pourest in Thailand. Great areas consists of red soil and unproductive bushes. The area was part of the Khmer-rich in 7 th to 13 th century och was one of the first areas where rice growed and silk was weaved. Majority of the inhabitnas are related with the people from Laos.

The maingate to the area is the town Korat laying  25 miles northeast of Bangkok. Eastward is the well wort seeing  Khmer-temples Prasat Hin Phimai and Khao Phnom Rung.  North of these temples lies Surin. Here since 1960 had  exhibition with elephants been held every year one week in november.

Here are shown how 150-250 elephants are catched and trained. Also there is a exhibition of a wargame with elephants to tribute king  Naresuan in the 17 th century for an assaualt on the Burmeese.

Further norh is Ba Ta Klan more known as the "Elephant-village". Here lives the Sua-tribe who are famous for there ability to catch and train wild elephants. It´s from this village the elephants later are driven to the exibitions in Surin.

The mighty Mekong-river shapes a 75 miles long border between northeast  Thailand and Laos. The whole area close to the river are relativ fertile compared with the rest of the territory.

Mainly because of the great distance from Bangkok  the area has avoided to be exploided despite it´s beautifulness. Here are several  national-parks for example. Phu Kradung,  Phu Hin Rong Kla and Phu Rua.

You can also travel by boat at several places on the Mekong-river for example between  Chiang Khan and Pak Chom, or travel by local busses between the bigger citys along the whole river.

Nong Khai was earlier a small border-city but has now been transfomed to one of northeast Thailands most important business-center. The reason for that is the opening of the "Friendship-bridge" which was built in 1994 over the Mekong-river and which had led to increased trading between Thailand and Laos.

On the other side of the river in  Laos lies the city Vientiane as in the 16 th century was the capital in the kingdom Xangs and later became to Auyttaha. When France conquered Laos they did Vientiane for there capital 1893. Even today you can see the frence colonial  influensces with it´s grand houses and boulewards with trees outside.  

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SOUTHERN THAILAND

The Thailand-gulf western coast

The tradition of seaside resort in Thailand started in 1920 when the railway was built from Bangkok and 190 km. down to  Hua Hin and at the same time the countrys first golf-link was opening at  the Royal Hua Hin.  Another seaside resort is Cha-am which in the first place are aimed at the thai-people on the weekends which are here foremost for to drink at eat.

Longer to the south lies the island Ko Samui. On the1970:s, was the first back-packers arriwing to the island, which in that time was called the worlds largest coconouts-plantage. 

Today is tourism the main income for the island, which have over a half million visitors every year which are living in more and newer hotels built for charter-travellers. The island is on 247 square-meters and from the provins-capital Naton threre is a five mile long road around the island.

There are also ferrys which are going in both directions. Maenam is a four kilometer long beach at the northwest and here there are many people who likes windsurfing. On the northeast is Bophut which have a two kilometer quiet beach which is pupular among families and back-packers. Chaweng on the eastcoast is the longest beach with over five kilometres,  and which at the same time is the beautifulliest beach and also the most developed tourist-village.

To the west of Ko Samui  is Angthong marine national-park. Here on the  40 islands had the thai navy before its bases into year 1980, when the area became a  marine national-park. Except white beaches, limestone-caverns and luxuriant greenness, the visitors can also paddle canoe around the island, and also snorkel among the colored coralls.

Here there are a rich life of  of vegatation and animals both on land and in the water.  The whole area in the western Thai-Gulf is a  feritile area and here there are plantages for ananas, corn, sugar-cane, bananas, asparagus and mango-fruits.

Thailand-gulf east-coast stretchening  from Bangkok down to the border in  Kampuchea. Early here was discovered stratums which was rich on jewel-stones. The town  Chantaburi became in the 13 th century a center for commercial of jewel-stones. The area is still a region with foremost  rubines and safires and at the same time there are also fruit-gardens and fishing-villages. In the latest years dramatic changes are on the way because of growing oil and tourism. In the area there are also grand national-parks as  Khao Chamao and Khao Wong wich have tigers, elephants and black-bears.

Here lies also Pattaya which is  Thailands greatest and most luxiourus seaside resort, which is attracting both families and lonely men. Pattaya was grown up as an notorious retreat for american soldiers under the Vietnam-war, with its neon-lighted  go-go-bars. Despite its notorious, Pattaya is  a good center for water-sports.

Ko Samet is a small island lying south of Pattaya. The island is six  kilometres long and three kilometres wide and became national-park in 1981. The island with its clear blue water and christallic sand is popular both by foreginers and thaipeople whcih are going there on weekends. Here you can as a visitor sleep over the night in simple bungalows.

Southwest

The area west of  Thailand-gulf are closing to  Burma in the north and westward against India Ocan. It´s  also called Upper Andaman-coast. Here have in the latest 10-15 years tourism exploaded, mostly in the places  of Phuket och Krabi. That´s not so strange because here´s the countrys best beaches and places to diwe. The area have the most beatifully nature with corall-beaches, palmes, limestone-cliffs and rocky island 300 meters high, and also a green country with rain forrest. Here in the south the climate is very warm and at the same time have moistness the whole year. The area is characteristics for its abundant of fish and shellfish. Every month of the year there are a rich offer of fish, crab, lobster, mussel, schrimps and octopus.

Phuket is Thailands biggest island and maybe the most popular resorts because one million are visiting the island every year. The island is almost five miles long and have a squaremeters of  550. The island is also an own province with an  international airport for charter. In the north is the island separated by a small bay where the Sarasin-bridge with the length of 700 meters is going over to the mainland.

The city Phuket lies on the islands southeast and is functioning as transport and servicecenter. The city was founden in the beginning of 19 th centrury when tin was found, which inticed thousands of chineese labor-workers. As the time went on the chineese became mixed with the thai-people, and at the same time portoguise trademen influided the city. Many of the businessmen became rich and build grand houses. Today the towns city is more adapated to the local people than to the  the tourists..

On the west-coast lies the best beaches, with the cleariest water and the best luxyry hotels. Patong Beach is the most  exploatated, while Katong Beach and Kata Beach is more quiet.

Eastwards of Phuket lies Phangnga-bay and Krabi which the last years have became a great goal for travel. Krabi lies in the mouth of a river and is surrounded by high limestone-cliffs. Krabi is also the center for ferrys and boats who travel out to the many islands in  Phangnga-bay. There are many strange and impressive high limesone-cliffs which can be as high as 200-300 meters. Under many of these there are often caverns, which you can paddle under by canoe when it is low-water.

The most famous is the Phi Phi-islands which consists of two islands in a national-park. The islands are famous for its dramatical nature and mountain-climbers are attracted by the vertical limestone-cliffs stiching up 300-400 from the water. The crystal-clear water around the islands and the rich animal-life is an  eldorado for people who loves nature.

The most famous island in the area is Ko Khao Phing Kan which was on the famous James Bond movie ”The man with the golden gun”

South

The south part of Thailand have more comman with Malaysia  in the south  As a visitor you get an feeling to visiting another country. Here are the malaysian, indian and chineese influences obvious. The people in the area have also darker skin and speak with strong musicaly dialect or yawi a language related to malaysian and indonesia. The food here in the south are more spiced and there are often cyrry in the meny. As the southwest area in the Adaman-coast there are also here a abundance of different fish and shellfish.

The east low-land in the south is one of the countrys most fertility areas. Because of high temperature and high air-moisture every month of the years, the area makes best circumstances for cultivation of coffebeans, ananas, rambutan, oil-palmes and rubber-wood.

The city Hat Yai 930 km. south from Bangkok is the comercial center. The city is Thailands third greatest city with 120.000 inhabitans. The city have fluorished by its strategical place with a railway-junction and cheep products. Here are many tourists from Malysia coming on weekends for shopping and going for restaurants and also for the nightlifes sake.

Nakhon Si Thammarat  havn´t so many tourists but is  the most important historical city in the south of  Thailand and the city was a religious center in the Sriivijava-rich before it was taken over by Thailand. The temple Wat Mahathat from 900 th century is assumed to being built to house relics by Budda who was brought here from Sri Lanka.   Another town is Songkhla laying on the eastcoast and which is a important city for fishindustry. The city had former a rumour to be a place with pirates.

When time went on the city was growing and trademen from Arabia, India, Khmer and China arrived. Today you can see that on the food and the languages and the multiplicity heritage. Near the city Ko You with the lake Thale Sap there are big fish-breedings.

Longer to the south, also by the coast lies Pattani. Here are 75% by the population muslims, and here are also several chineese. Here lies many mosques and Matsayit Klang  is the foremost. 

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