Bangkok is situated on the delta of the Chao Phraya River, roughly 25 miles (40 km) from the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok Thai Krung Thep is Thailand's largest city and harbor. Being the cultural and economic hub of Thailand, it represents the only cosmopolitan metropolis in a nation of rural towns and villages.
History of Bangkok
When General Chao Phraya Chakri, the founder of the governing Chakri dynasty, acquired the throne as Rama I and relocated the court from the west to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River in 1782, Bangkok was designated as the capital of Siam (as Thailand was once known). The wide westward bend in the river served as a large moat that surrounded the northern, western, and southern boundaries of the new location, suggesting that the decision to relocate was motivated by strategic concerns. The Sea of Mud, a massive delta that was covered in swamps and could only be crossed with great difficulty, was to the east. Rama I based the new city on Ayutthaya, the previous capital, which is located 40 miles (64 km) to the north.
The majority of the city's residents are of Thai ethnicity. The Chinese represent the vast majority of the minority population, but there are considerable populations of other Asians, North Americans, and Europeans as well.
Weather in Bangkok
Bangkok's climate is hot all year long, with temperatures varying from 25 °C in the "cold" season in December to 30 °C at the height of the hot season in April. The average annual precipitation is 1,500 mm, with four-fifths falling in sporadic heavy downpours in the late afternoons of the rainy season, which lasts from mid-May through September; the dry season, which lasts from December to February.
How to get to Bangkok
The Skytrain or Metro is the ideal mode of transportation in Bangkok since it is quick, convenient, and user-friendly for tourists. Buses are also widely available in the city, but they are subject to the city's infamous traffic congestion.
Taxis are reasonably priced, although traffic is a common problem. The simplest method of transportation from Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to the city center is a cab.
