Thailand, Bangkok,hotels,tours excursions,Tower Inn, Sofitel Silom, Siam City, Monarch Lee Gardens, Eastin, Empress, Rose Garden Riverside,f loating market,River Kwai,Grand Palace,klongs,Lopburi,Ban Pa In,Ayuthaya

After Sukothai, Ayutthaya, and for a short time Thon Buri, Bangkok became the Capital of Thailand in 1872, under the reign of king Rama I. Bangkok, the name of the capital of Thailand known to foreigners, is made of two Thai words: "bang", signifying a village on the river, and "kok", a hog plum; therefore it means the "village of hog plum". Usually, the Thai people refer to their metropolis in its abbreviated form as Krungtep, meaning the city of gods or angels, just like Los Angeles.
No other city in Southeastern Asia compares with Bangkok in the gripping and growing interest which leaves a permanent and fragrant impression on the mind of the visitor. It is difficult to set down in words precisely whence comes the elusive fascination of Bangkok. With a wealth of imposing temples, beautiful palaces, other characteristic buildings and monuments, Bangkok offers a vista of fascinating views.

	Tourists, arriving in Bangkok on their first trip to Thailand, may feel the "cultural shock" and because of its pollution and heavy traffic (the new air-metro is a good way to go around quickly and easily) want to rush to more relaxed parts of the country, it is worth staying a few days to discover the treasures of the city: the Grand Palace, with several palaces build by the kings of the Rama Dynasty and the Wat Phra Kaew, temple of the Emerald Buddha, protector of the city - The Wat Po, temple of the Lying Buddha - The Wat Arun, temple of Dawn - the "klongs" or canals, where you can admire beautiful traditional houses - Jim Thompson's house, the American who reintroduced silk industry in Thailand and built his beautiful house on the klongs out of three old teak houses in traditional Thai style, with a lot
of rare antiques of the country. He mysteriously disappeared in Malaysia about 30 years ago - Vimanmek Palace, built by Rama V, the largest building made of white teak in the World.
	Day tours will take you around Bangkok to Damnoen saduak, the colorful floating market, to Kantchanaburi where you will pay an emotional visit to the River Kwai bridge, its JEATH museum and its cemetery or to Ayutthaya, the second Capital of Siam. For animal lovers, the Crocodile farm will give you the opportunity to see thousands of these animals, a very impressive show and take your picture with a tiger or a croc. Bangkok is also a modern city which offers a lot of good restaurants and many shopping opportunities, luxury shopping malls, but also the typical Thai mall, Mabukon, and the night market of Patpong in Silom.
Do not throw anything on the ground, even a cigarette butt ... you might get a 2 000 Baht fine. This regulation has made the streets of Bangkok much cleaner.

BANGKOK

MEKHALA
Journey on the River of Kings

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Klongs (canals) tour

Boat tour on the canals of Bangkok, where you can appereciated all the different kind of houses, some very beautiful, built in this area
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Damnoen Saduak & Rose Garden

floatmark2.jpg (10170 octets) Starting from the wharf of Damnoen Saduak Canal, you pass the grape vineyards, before passing various agricultural plantations. See the traditional Thai Houses at waterside.
During his reign, King Rama 5 used to come, visit and dine with the common folk along the river.
Then you arrive at the central Damnoen Saduak market.
floatmark.jpg (17918 octets) The Damnoen Saduak District of Ratchaburi first showed itself to the eyes of the tourist world in 1967 when pictures were seen of a market trading on water, where paddle boats loaded with all of life's necessities plied their trade up and down the river.
The various vendors are often dressed in dark clothing, similar to that worn by workers in the fields, their faces shielded from the strong rays of the sun by hats made from bamboo and palm leaves. They paddle up and down the waterway selling and bartering their merchandise. Nowadays, the market buses with activity from very early in the morning until about 11.00 am.
THE ROSE GARDEN offers an excellent show of all Thai cultural activities: dances, elephant training, Muyay Thai (kick boxing), ...
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Damnoen Saduak & River Kwai

The Bridge Over the River Kwai
Internationally famous, thanks to several motion pictures and books, the black iron bridge was brought from Java by the Japanese Army and reassembled under Japanese supervision by Allied prisoners of war labor as part of the "Death Railway" linking Thailand with rivkwai2.gif (7567 octets)

Myanmar. Still in use today, the bridge was the target of frequent Allied bombing raids during 1945, and was rebuilt after the war ended. The curved spans of the bridge are the original sections.
The JEATH War Museum
This enclave in the riverside precincts of Wat Chaichumphon has been constructed largely in the form of an Allied prisoners of war camp. The name JEATH is derived from Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland. The thatched detention hut with cramped, elevated bamboo bunks contains photographic, pictorial, and physical memorabilia dating from the Second World War. The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery contains the remains of 6 982 prisoners of war who perished during the construction of the "Death Railway".

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Jim Thompson's House
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Thai diner & classic dances
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Grand Palace & Emerald Buddha

This inner-city riverside landmark contains several buildings with highly detailed architectural features. It was built in 1782 when King Rama I succeeded to the throne and Bangkok was founded as the capital of Thailand. The architectural plan is almost identical to that of the Royal Palace in the former capital of Ayuthaya. In the same compound is located the royal chapel or Wat Phra Kaeo, a treasure house of Thai arts, which houses the Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha image in Thailand. Three main buildings inside the temple which form up a glittering scene are the Golden Stupa, enshrining the relics of the Buddha, the Phra Mondop or the Library, housing the Tripitaka or a Buddhist scripture, the Royal Pantheon which is a pavilion used for keeping statues of deceased kings of Chakri dynasty. Besides, the 178 section mural paintings which depict the story of the Ramayana are the superb masterpiece of Rattanakosin artisans.