Bangkok

File:Ac.bangkok3.jpg

Bangkok from the Chao Phraya River at sunset, July 2004

Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep (กรุงเทพฯ^ⓘ), or Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon is the abbreviation of its full ceremonial name Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit (กรุงเทพมหานคร^ⓘ, IPA: [kruŋtʰeːp mahaːnakʰon]), is the capital and largest city of Thailand, with an official 1990 census population of 8,538,610. Bangkok is located at 13°45′N 100°31′E / 13.750°N 100.517°E / 13.750; 100.517 [1], on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand.

Bangkok is one of the fastest-growing, most economically dynamic cities in Southeast Asia. Local people like to think that it is emerging as a regional centre to rival Singapore and Hong Kong, but it suffers from major infrastructure and social problems as a result of its rapid growth. The World Meteorological Organization has dubbed Bangkok the world's hottest large city. It is also one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. Bangkok is also known for relatively low retail prices.

History

Bangkok began as a small trading center and port community, called Bang Makok ("place of olive plums"), serving Ayutthaya, which was the capital of the nation (then known as Siam) until it fell to Burma in 1767. A new capital was then established at Thonburi (now part of Bangkok) on the west side of the river, before King Rama I built his palace on the east bank in 1782 and renamed his city Krung Thep, meaning the "City of Angels". The name Bangkok (บางกอก^ⓘ) now refers only to an old district on the Thonburi side of the river, but continues to be used to refer to the entire city by most foreigners.

The full ceremonial name of Krung Thep is กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์, or Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit (listen^ⓘ), which means "The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn." Local schoolchildren are taught the full name, although few can explain its meaning because many of the words are archaic. Most Thais who do recall the full name do so as a result of its use in a popular song (กรุงเทพมหานคร/Krung Thep Mahanakhon by อัสนี-วสันต์ โชติกุล/Asanee-Wasan Chotikul 1989) and will often recount it by recalling the song at the same time, much in the same way that English speakers might sing the alphabet song while reciting the English alphabet.

Economy

Bangkok is the economic center of Thailand. In 2005, it produced a GDP(PPP) of about USD 220 billion, which accounts for about 43% of the country's GDP. Its GDP(PPP) per capita is roughly USD 20,000. The Stock Exchange of Thailand is located in Bangkok with over 400 listed companies and combined market capitalization of about 5 trillion Baht (USD 120 billion) as of 5 January 2006.

Bangkok is home to all the headquarters of Thailand's large commercial banks and financial institutions. Its bank deposits totalled approximately 7 trillion Baht (USD 177 billion) at the end of the third quarter in 2005. There are 18 financial institutions with at least USD 1 billion in total assets.

The income disparity of Bangkok's residents is significantly large, especially among lower-income immigrant workers (from other provinces and neighboring countries) and higher-income native residents. The poverty rate stands at 7% of the population (excluding illegal immigrants who constitute about 5-8% of population) compared to the national average of 13%.

Demographics

As of the 2004 census, there are 6,500,000 registered residents in the city. Daytime population swells by over 2 million people. More than 50% of Bangkokians have some Chinese ancestors. Recently, Bangkok has experienced a large influx of foreign immigrants, long-term residents, and expatriates. The number of expatriate executives stood at 65,000 as of Nov, 2005 and additional number is increase in an average of more than 1,800 permits per month. Long-term foreign residents include 250,000 Chinese (citizen of China), 30,000 Japanese (the largest community in any Asian city outside Japan), 100,000 Indians (35,000 Sikh) of whom more than 80% have Thai citizenship, 6,000 Americans, 45,000 Europeans (the second largest number in any Asian city after Singapore), 15,000 Taiwanese, 7,000 South Koreans, 6,000 Nigerian, 8,000 people of Arabic countries, 25,000 Malaysians, and 4,000 Singaporeans. There are approximately 400,000 - 600,000 illegal immigrants from Cambodia, Burma, Russia, Ukraine, Pakistan, Nigeria, India, Bangladesh, China, and other countries. 92% of the population are Buddhist. The rest are Muslim (6%), Christian (1%), Jewish (300 residents), Hindu (0.6%), and others. There are some 400 Buddhist temples, 55 mosques, 10 Churches, and 2 Synagogues in Bangkok.

Administration

Bangkok is one of two special administrative areas in Thailand (the other being Pattaya) in which citizens vote to choose their Governor, unlike in Thailand's 75 other provinces (changwat). In the 2004 gubernatorial election Apirak Kosayothin was elected Governor.

The urban sprawl of the greater Bangkok Metropolitan Area extends beyond the borders of Bangkok province, spilling into the neighbouring provinces of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon. The province as it is today was created in 1972 when the previous Bangkok province - changwat Phra Nakhon - merged with Thonburi province.

Seal of the province

The seal of the city shows the god Indra riding in the clouds on Erawan, a mythological elephant-shaped creature (sometimes portrayed with three heads). In his hand Indra holds a lightning bolt, which is his weapon to drive away drought. The seal is based upon a painting done by Prince Naris. The tree symbol of Bangkok is Ficus benjamina.

Bangkok is subdivided into 50 districts (khet, also sometimes called amphoe as in the other provinces), which are further subdivided into 154 kwaeng (แขวง, equivalent to tambon in other provinces).

Higher Education

There are a large number of both private and public universities located in Bangkok. Amongst the most respected universities in Thailand are the two oldest, Chulalongkorn University and Thammasat University. Other public and private universities include:

There are also several "Rajabhat universities", which formerly were part of the teachers college system.

Hotels

Bangkok boasts of some of the world's best hotels. Oriental Bangkok and Shangri-La have consistently figured in Travel and Leisure Magazine's top hotels of the world.

Transportation

A Bangkok canal with a home and residents swimming.

An elaborate network of canals (khlong) gave the city the nickname "Venice of the East" at a time when all transportation was done by boat. Today almost all have been filled in and converted into traffic-filled streets. However, many do still exist with people living along them and markets being conducted there as well. A notable one is the floating market in Taling Chan district.

Several elevated highways, and a partially-finished ring road around Greater Bangkok, have been built to overcome the jams.

In 1999 an elevated two-line 'Skytrain' (officially called BTS) metro system was opened. The first line of the underground Bangkok Metro opened to the public in July 2004. The remains of a failed elevated railroad project (the Hopewell project) can still be seen all the way from the main railroad station out towards the Don Muang airport. Due to the Asian financial crisis the construction was halted and the concrete pillars were left unused. Locals call them "Hopehenge," Hopeless, or Stonehenge.

In July 2004, a new MRT subway system was launched connecting the northern train station of Bang Sue to the Hua Lamphong railway station near the city center, while also going through the eastern part of the city. It connects to the BTS system at BTS Stations Mo Chit, Asok, and Sala Daeng.

For travel by train, most passengers begin their trips at Hua Lamphong at the southern end of the Metro. Here, trains connect Bangkok to Malaysia to the south, Chiang Mai and beyond to the north, and Khon Kaen and beyond to the northeast.

Virtually all cities and provinces are easily reached by bus from Bangkok. For destinations in the southwest and the west, buses leave from the Southern Bus Terminal, west of the city. For destinations in the southeast, such as Pattaya and Ko Samet, buses leave from the Eastern Bus Terminal, at Ekkamai, the third-eastern-most stop on the Skytrain. For all destinations north and northeast, the Northern Bus Terminal at Mo Chit, which can be reached by both the Skytrain and Metro, is the place to start.

Airports

Bangkok International Airport, commonly called "Don Muang", the busiest in South-East Asia, is located north of the city, now already enclosed by urban areas. Construction for the new Suvarnabhumi Airport (pronounced Suwannaphum), in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan Province to the south-east of the city started in 2002; it is scheduled to be opened in 2006. Once the new airport is completed, all international traffic and Thai's domestic traffic is expected to go there and Don Muang will be used for low cost and charter flights only. There is also a railway station at Don Muang for destinations to the north and northeast.

Current issues

Bangkok has long been notorious for its massive traffic jams, which are still a serious problem. Although the recent construction of elevated second-level expressways and the Bangkok Mass Transit System's (BTS) SkyTrains have eased the problem a little, much more needs to be done for the transportation infrastructure.

Environmental issues such as air pollution, a large part of which is caused by the traffic, is also a major problem. Industrial pollution has also contributed to poor air and water quality. There have been efforts to clean up Bangkok's canals, many of which are dangerously polluted, through biological means - using water hyacinths, a plant commonly found in the waterways, to cleanse the water of pollutants. [2]

Like many other Asian cities, the sale of illegally copied copyright-protected material (mostly software and DVD movies) is also widespread in Bangkok. One of the most popular locations in Bangkok for purchasing unauthorized copies of software is Pantip Plaza. Although many attempts have been made at cracking down on illegal copying by raiding Pantip and other venues over the years, these have been largely ineffective and illegal copying of copyrighted material is still a booming business.

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