BANGKOK, THAILAND

Bangkok is today Thailand's capital and was founded in 1782 by King Rama I (named Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke). It situates on the Great Chao Phya River Delta which flows from the North down to the Gulf of Thailand. The word - Bangkok is derived from two primitive Thai words, i.e. "Bang" means Village and "Kok" means Olive, thus its original meaning is "Village of Olive". In the olden days, Bangkok was just a small agricultural and fishing village where people traveled mainly by rowing boats.

Of the famous and infamous attractions, Bangkok’s best feature is its intermingling of opposites. A modern world of affluence orbits around a serene traditional core. Step outside the four-star hotels into a typical Siamese village where taxi drivers knock back energy drinks and upcountry transplants grill chicken on a street side barbecue. Hop the Skytrain to the glitzy shopping malls where trust-fund babies examine luxury brands as carefully as the housewives inspect produce at the open-air markets. Or appreciate the attempts at enlightenment at the city’s famous temples and doorstep shrines, or simple acts of kindness amid the urban bustle.