| BANGKOK,
THE CITY OF ANGEL |
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Bangkok,
known to the
Thais as “Krungthep”,
which mean the
City of Angles,
was established
in 1782 by King
Rama I as capital
of Siam. Over
the past two
centuries, it
has developed
into a great
metropolis |
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with a population
of over eight million.
Like other modern
cities in the world,
Bangkok boasts lots
of massive buildings,
numerous luxurious
hotels, shopping centers
and a modern international
airport. But Bangkok
has also retained
its traditional charm,
It is a mixture of
East and West, the
ancient and the modern.
Its surface has taken
on the look of the
present time, while
underneath the old
ways are much alive
in Thais’everyday
life. So, despite
its modernization,
Bangkok is still best
suited for a glimpse
of the traditional
arts, architecture,
religion, and other
aspects of the culture
of the Thai people.
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This is in
sharp contrast
to other countries
in which several
cities have
grown into
one, with
several downtown
areas a considerable
distance from
each other.
While Bangkok
has specific
districts
dedicated
to specific
functions,
these districts
all are part
of inner Bangkok.
There is the
old centre
on the Rattanakosin
island formed
by the Chao
Phaya River
and the Banglamphu
Klong; adjacent
to this, is
Chinatown,
which is mainly
a trade area;
adjacent
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to
Chinatown is
the New Road
/ Silom Road
area which is
the modern financial
centre of Thailand;
then there is
the Silom Road
area and the
Siam Square
area which is
the capital’s
prime shopping
district; to
the northwest
of Siam Square
most of the
national government
buildings are
located.
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The
capital
and largest
city of
Thailand,
Bangkok
is also
the most
populated.
Results
of a recent
census
put the
city's
population
at around
6 million
people.
Generally,
Thai government
statistics
are not
a good
source
for population
data on
cities.
The reason
is that
population
data is
recorded
primarily
on Changwat
level.
This means
it's taken
on a provincial
level
rather
than per
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town.
The capital
cities
of each
province
are named
after
the province
itself,
for example,
for the
local
administration
Phuket
City is
actually
Phuket
Province.
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The
result
of this
administrative
structure
is rather
confusing.
Local
government
officials
often
pass
on the
provincial
population
as the
population
of the
city.
In the
case
of Bangkok,
the
figures
for
the
province
and
the
actual
city
may
not
diverge
much.
In other
areas,
such
as Chiang
Mai,
a vast
province,
it causes
all
sorts
of problems.
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