Another side of Bangkok

The Thai capital is more than just a hedonist’s haven - it is the bustling epicentre of national activity in Thailand, and a city of profound cultural richness



Bangkok, better known locally as “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon”, is historically, culturally, and economically one of the most important cities in East Asia, a metropolis that sprawls more than six-hundred and five square miles and is the most visited city in its hemisphere. Yet for all its exposure to the world, it retains an ill-deserved reputation for being a party city, where drink and dionysian pursuits are in full supply to the Western traveller.



Yet to paint the city so monochromatically is self-evidently unjust when one considers facts that refute such a shallow caricature. Due to its great size and long history, Bangkok is an enduring bastion of Asian cultural life- containing many important buildings and sites, old and modern, as well as an innumerable scattering of temples and other assets amongst its attractions, all of which speak of a depth of history and culture that can rival any global peer. In order to know these treasures, which are multitudinous, one simply has to seek them out.



Since the Lanna period of the 12th Century to the present era of Rattanakosin, Bangkok has thrived as Thailand’s unrivalled political centre leaving the city teeming with magnificent historical relics. Royal castles and houses still remain and are a popular attraction. A must see is the Grand Palace, the historic residence of Thailand’s Monarchs; situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the palace remains a monument to Thailand’s traditional Royal lifestyle and is home to a vast array of valuable historical relics including: the Royal Collection of Weapons, the Coin Pavilion, the Royal Chapel, and a museum filled with the palace’s own artefacts.



The world famous Temple of the Emerald Buddha also lies within the palace grounds; this site is one of the most frequently visited in Thailand, and certainly it’s most revered Buddhist sanctuary. With its intricate woodcarvings, vibrant mosaics, porcelain murals, and a legendary jewelled statue of Buddha housed within its walls, it is an iconic Thai shrine, eminently worthy of a visit.



Another royal relic is the Vimanmek Mansion, the world’s largest building made entirely out of gold teak. Built as a residence for the rulers of Thailand in the 20th century, the palace was converted into a museum and is now daily frequented by tourists.



Elsewhere, Bangkok’s underappreciated canal is flanked by historical buildings that are redolent with the city’s past: traditional Thai houses, discreet temples, the royal barge museum and aging markets constellate around the flow of the city’s man-made conveyance artery. The buildings that cluster on either side of its banks are, in places, a virtual heritage trail through the city’s trading past, when the canal was an even more crowded, important waterway for commerce and travel then it is today.



For a more relaxing, air-conditioned tour of Thai heritage one can visit the private Prasart museum. It houses a lifetime’s collection of antiques horded by Mr. Prasart, the owner. It contains objects that date from prehistory to the present day, and also many models of the city’s great monuments.



In a similar vein, albeit on a grander scale, one can gorge one’s senses to satiety on the artefacts of the palatial Thailand National Museum- that is, if you can manage to navigate the city: it has over a dozen branches in Bangkok alone, and 38 nationwide, which indicates the size of its collections. A good place to start would be the biggest and most popular site, based in the centre of the city on Na Phrathat Road, not far from the Sanam Luang public square and park.



The attractions mentioned above are but a taste of Bangkok’s huge variety of places of cultural interest including over 400 temples, hundreds of galleries, dozens of museums, a world-class University and many beautiful parks. There are just too many such spaces of this kind to enlist in full here.



Bangkok also contains a similar number of more contemporary attractions including several state of the art cinemas, a science museum, a Madame Tussaud’s wax museum, Zoos, Aquariums, sports centres, Theatre and Opera houses, amongst much else.



Like any modern metropolis the city possesses an impressive variety of attractions; unlike many megacities of its ilk, however, Bangkok holds a veritable embarrassment of cultural riches that are as majestic and diverse as they are widespread.



Author Bio: Jimmy Dean is a writer who loves to travel and writes for companies such as Etihad Airways who fly to Bangkok as well as many other destinations. I can often be found head buried in a laptop tapping away creating new articles.