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Bangkok

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Asia

                                                          CAPTION: Bangkok
                                   กรุงเทพมหานคร

                                              Statistics
                                    Area:                     1,568.7 km²
                                                               Ranked 68th
                             Inhabitants:                 6,355,144 (2000)
                                                                Ranked 1st
                            Pop. density:                  4,426 inh./km²
                                                                Ranked 1st
                              ISO 3166-2:                            TH-10
                                Governor:                Apirak Kosayothin
                                                              (since 2004)
                                                 Map
                            Map of Thailand highlighting Bangkok Province}

   The Bangkok Skytrain at sunset on Thanon Narathiwat Ratcha Nakharin
   with Empire Tower at the back.
   Enlarge
   The Bangkok Skytrain at sunset on Thanon Narathiwat Ratcha Nakharin
   with Empire Tower at the back.
   The Wat Phra Kaew temple complex
   Enlarge
   The Wat Phra Kaew temple complex

   Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep ( กรุงเทพฯ ), is the capital and
   largest city of Thailand, with an official 2000 census population of
   6,355,144. Bangkok is located at 13°45′N 100°31′E, on the east bank of
   the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand.

   Krung Thep has been the proper name of the city for more than two
   centuries. However, the city's original name of Bangkok (which now is
   used locally to refer only to a district of the city) persists in being
   used by most foreigners. (See History and Full Name below.)

   Bangkok is a fast growing, economically and culturally dynamic city in
   Southeast Asia. The World Meteorological Organization has dubbed
   Bangkok the world's hottest large city. Moreover, it is one of the
   world's most popular tourist destinations. Bangkok is the wealthiest
   and most populated city in Thailand. The city is ranked as the 22nd
   most populated city in the world

History

   Bangkok began as a small trading centre 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 city has gone through a number of change under the Chakri Dynasty.
   It has long been a gateway to Thailand because of its route which leads
   to the Gulf of Thailand.

Full Name

   Krung Thep, or Krung Thep Maha Nakhon ( IPA: [kruŋtʰeːp mahaːnakʰon],
   กรุงเทพมหานคร ) is the abbreviation of the city's full ceremonial name
   Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok
   Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udom Ratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon
   Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanu Kamprasit (กรุงเทพมหานคร
   อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทราอยุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์
   อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ
   วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์), ( 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 Vishnukam." Local school children 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.

   The full name of the city is listed by Guinness Book of Records as the
   world's longest place name.

Economy

   Bangkok is the economic centre of Thailand, and dwarfs anything in the
   country, so much so that other cities seem quite neglected. 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 totaled
   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. Many transnational Japanese companies own
   large offices in Thailand because it is prohibitively expensive to do
   so in other nations.

   Tourism is a significant contributor to Thailand's economy, providing
   about 5% of GDP. Bangkok is one of Thailand's international gateways,
   the major transit point, and a destination in its own right.

   The income disparity of Bangkok's residents is significant, especially
   among lower-income immigrant workers (from other provinces and
   neighboring countries) and between government officials, business
   elite, and retired foreigners. 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 9%.

Demographics

   As of the 2000 census, there were 6,355,144 registered residents in the
   city. However, this figure does not take account of the many
   unregistered residents and daytime visitors from the surrounding
   metropolitan area. More than 50% of Bangkokians have some Chinese
   ancestry. 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 (citizens of
   China), 30,000 Japanese (the largest community in any Asian city
   outside of 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
   (mostly Han Chinese), 7,000 South Koreans, 6,000 Nigerians, 8,000
   people of Arabic speaking countries, 25,000 Malaysians, and 4,000
   Singaporeans. There are approximately 400,000 - 600,000 illegal
   immigrants from Cambodia, Myanmar (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/Sikh (0.6%), and others. There are some
   400 Buddhist temples, 55 mosques, 10 churches, 2 Hindu Temples, 2
   synagogues and 1 Sikh gurudwara in Bangkok.

        Year      Population
   1880              255,000
   1910              365,000
   1. April 1919     437,294
   15. July 1929     713,384
   23. May 1937      890,453
   25. April 1947  1,178,881

                                 Year       Population
                            25. April 1960   2,136,435
                            1. April 1970    3,077,361
                            1. April 1980    4,697,071
                            1. April 1990    5,882,411
                            1. April 2000    6,320,174
                            1. January 2005  6,642,566

Climate

   Bangkok has a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate
   classification system. Bangkok is said to have the highest average
   temperature of all cities in the world.

   Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
   Avg high °C
   (°F) 32.0
   (89.6) 32.7
   (90.9) 33.7
   (92.7) 34.9
   (94.8) 34.0
   (93.2) 33.1
   (91.6) 32.7
   (90.9) 32.5
   (90.5) 32.3
   (90.1) 32.0
   (89.6) 31.6
   (88.9) 31.3
   (88.3) 32.7
   (90.9)
   Avg low temperature °C
   (°F) 21.0
   (69.8) 23.3
   (73.9) 24.9
   (76.8) 26.1
   (79.0) 25.6
   (78.1) 25.4
   (77.7) 25.0
   (77.0) 24.9
   (76.8) 24.6
   (76.3) 24.3
   (75.7) 23.1
   (73.6) 20.8
   (69.4) 24.1
   (75.4)
   Precipitation centimeters
   (inches) 1
   (0.4) 2
   (1.1) 3
   (1.2) 7
   (2.8) 19
   (7.5) 15
   (6.0) 15
   (6.2) 18
   (7.4) 32
   (12.6) 23
   (9.1) 5
   (2.3) 1
   (0.4) 145
   (57.1)

                             source: Weatherbase

Administration

   Bangkok City Hall
   Enlarge
   Bangkok City Hall

   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
   governatorial 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). Each
   district is managed by a district chief, appointed by the governor.
   District councils, elected to four-year terms, serve as advisory bodies
   to their respective district chiefs.

   There is also an elected Bangkok Metropolitan Council, which has power
   over municipal ordinances and the city's budget. The last elections for
   local councils in Bangkok were held on 23 July 2006. For details,
   please see: Thailand local elections, 2006.

Higher education

   There are a large number of both private and public universities
   located in Bangkok area. The oldest universities in Thailand are
   Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, Mahidol University, and
   Kasetsart University. Other public and private universities include:
     * Assumption University
     * Bangkok University
     * Dhurakijpundit University
     * Dusit Thani College
     * Kesem Bundit University
     * King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
     * King Mongkut's Institute of Technology North Bangkok
     * King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi
     * Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University
     * Mahanakorn University of Technology
     * Mahamakut Buddhist University
     * National Institute of Development Administration
     * Ramkhamhaeng University
     * Rangsit University
     * Ratana Bundit College
     * Rajamangala University of Technology
     * SAE Institute Bangkok
     * Saint John's University
     * Siam University
     * Srinakharinwirot University
     * Sripathum University
     * Silpakorn University
     * University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce

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

Tourism

   Bangkok is considered to be one of the world's top tourist hotspot and
   is currently Asia's top tourist destination - the third top in the
   world according to Travel and Leisure magazine. The city boasts some of
   the country's most magnificent historical venues such as the Grand
   Palace. There are numerous projects to maintain Bangkok's historic
   sites such as the Rattanakosin area. Bangkok is Thailand's major
   tourist gateway and one of the largest in South East Asia.

Wats and Palaces

   The Bangkok Metropolitan area is home to two capitals, the present,
   Krung Thep and the short Thon Buri reign before 1782. There are
   numerous historical sites on both banks of the Chao Phraya River which
   has been the main means of transportation for pre-motor vehicles. The
   river connects to [[Wat Arun] Wat Pho is home to the reclining Buddha,
   a marvel of historical sculpture, a Buddha 46m in length and 15m in
   height and made of pure gold.

   There are 3 Palaces in Bangkok, the current one which houses the Royal
   Family is Chitralada Palace. It is a phenomenal landscaping and design
   piece due to the wonderfully crafted exterior fencing and a 5m moat
   around the 1km sq. compound. The King's very own dairy farm and
   environmental tests are carried within the confines- his extensive work
   has helped Thailand's farmers battle hard rains and long droughts and
   other environmental issues.

Hotels

   The Peninsula Bangkok recently won Travel and Leisure magazines top
   hotels list, whilst the Oriental claimed second however as the magazine
   may cover only the services and the tourism part of it, the Oriental
   has won world wide recognition for its magnificent use of land on the
   Bangkok side of the Chao Phraya. The hotel offers a panoramic view from
   roughly all hotel rooms of the river scenery. The Shangri-La Bangkok,
   of the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts chain, also claims themselves to
   have rivalling picture perfect sets in their rooms. Sukhumvit Road
   hosts a series of international chains such as JW Marriot, The
   Landmark, Intercontinental, Sheraton and many more. Somewhat out of the
   centre is the Grand Princess Hotel near the more bureaucratic part of
   the city. This 30-story building has its lobby on the 15th floor,
   presenting the city's massive skyline. The Banyan Westin Hotel on
   Sathon, one of Bangkok's tallest hotels featured the tallest bar and
   restaurant in the city, Vertigo, up until the launch of Sirocco on top
   of State Tower, 247m up from the bustling street set of Bang Rak.
   Perhaps an underrated and less known hotel is the historical Sukhothai
   hotel, where at the heart of it all, a corner of peace and tranquility
   is found.

   There are large numbers of cheap hotels however offering comfortable
   stays scattered throughout the entire city. Notable is the backpackers
   paradise of Khao San Road where hotels go as cheap as $10 a night.
   Motels are uncommon unlike Western cities, however a fast and growing
   business is a bed and breakfast adapted to suit Asian lifestyle, a
   variety of these small houses can be found in Ploenchit, Watthana and
   Klong Toey.

Shopping

   Thailand has a variety of shopping experiences from street markets to
   malls. Tourists have historically always preferred markets and bazaars
   to the other forms of shopping. The Chatuchak weekend market is one of
   the largest shopping destinations in Bangkok. Water markets are
   gradually disappearing but remain strong tourist attractions as many
   tours are offered through the canals the market is located on.

Transportation

   A Bangkok canal with a home and residents swimming.
   Enlarge
   A Bangkok canal with a home and residents swimming.
   Bangkok from the Chao Phraya River at sunset, July 2004
   Enlarge
   Bangkok from the Chao Phraya River at sunset, July 2004

   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 canals 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, however they are
   severely polluted with sewage and nearly everything else. A notable one
   is the floating market in Taling Chan district. There is also Khlong
   Saen Saeb, which has a canal-boat service, the most extensive however
   being the [[Chao Phraya] Express boat run by the Chao Phraya Express
   Boat Co.,Ltd. There are as many as 30 stops along the both banks of the
   river however there are limitations, the further north the boat gets,
   the far apart are stations and impedes the ability to work as a true
   mass transit.

Roads

   Several elevated highways, newly rebuilt intersections, and many
   partially-finished road and rail projects dot the landscape around
   Greater Bangkok, but have done little to overcome the notorious traffic
   jams on Bangkok's surface roads as private vehicle usage continues to
   outstrip infrastructure development. Many city residents complain they
   spend more than half their waking day on the dusty streets on a
   open-air city bus.

Rail systems

   In 1999 an elevated two-line ' Skytrain' (officially called BTS) metro
   system was opened. 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 Mueang 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.

   After much reluctance and commotion of being unable to deal with
   possible floods and damp soil, the subway was finally opened for use in
   July 2004. The MRT subway system connected the northern train station
   of Bang Sue to the Hua Lamphong central railway station near the city
   centre, 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. Many stations have various designs and concepts with many to
   install retail shops to draw more commuters, the Hua Lampong station
   under the Central Rail Station also houses the Rail Museum of Thailand.

   Political bickering and profiteering also has stalled many promised and
   planned urban rail projects including Skytrain and subway extensions,
   and projects that are completed often are very much delayed.

   A new high-speed elevated railroad called the Suvarnabhumi Express,
   currently under construction, will link the city with the new
   Suvarnabhumi Airport. The announced opening date is late 2007, but it
   is expected this will be delayed. The Airport Express railway is to be
   operated by The State Railway of Thailand. It will provide a 28.5 km
   link between the new airport and the City Air Terminal ( CAT) at
   Makkasan with connections to the BTS at Phaya Thai and MRT at
   Petchburi. There are plans to extend the line to Don Mueang and
   Rangsit.

   Due to completion within the early stages of 2007, the BTS Silom line
   extension to Wongwian Yai as well as the Sukhumvit line to Sumrong.
   Plans have already been approved for a further extension from Wong Wian
   Yai to Bangwah (4.5km), Sumrong to Samut Prakarn (8km), Mochit to
   Saphan Mai (11.9 km) and the National Stadium to Phran Nok (7.7km)
   extension of the Silom line which will include 5 underground stations
   in the Rattanakosin area. The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) have also
   been given the green light to complete the Dark Red and Light Green
   lines. Alongside, MRT have also begun construction on 2 new lines, the
   Purple line from Bang Yai to Bang Sue, the blue line from Hua Lampong
   to Bang Khae and Ta Pra. Much of this is in a government effort to
   reduce Bangkokians from relying on personal vehicles and the hope of
   linking the city within 10 years by a ring road of rail systems.

   For intercity 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 Nong
   Khai and beyond to the northeast.

Bus service

   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, Ko Samet and Ko Chang, 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. Long distance bus service has become
   safer as drivers are changed and most no longer take methamphetamines
   including Ya Baa to stay awake, which often caused excessive speeding
   and passing on dangerous undivided roads.

Airports

   Bangkok is one of Asia's most important air transport hub, as of 2005
   more than 80 airlines served Don Mueang International Airport ( IATA:
   DMK; ICAO: VTBD) and over 38,000,000 passengers, 160,000 flights and
   700,000 tons of cargo were handled at this airport per year. It was the
   18th busiest airport in the world and 2nd busiest in Asia by passenger
   volume and the 9th busiest in the world and 4th busiest Asia in
   international passenger volume. Don Mueang consistently ranked 19th in
   the world in cargo traffic, and 7th in the Asia-Pacific region. Don
   Mueang is considered to be one of the world's oldest international
   airports opening in March 1914, making it almost 20 years older than
   Heathrow. It has 3 terminals and is located about 30km north from the
   heart of Bangkok.

   On September 28, 2006 Bangkok officially opened Suvarnabhumi Airport (
   IATA: BKK; ICAO: VTBS) (pronounced RTGS Suwannaphum, or loosely
   Su-wan-na-poom), in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan Province.
   Suvarnabhumi has been one of the most, if not the most anticipated,
   mega-project in Thai history. The progress of Suvarnabhumi Airport
   dates back to the early 1970's when a large plot of land (8,000 acres,
   20,000 rai) was bought. A student uprising in October of the same year
   prevented further progress with the development when the military
   government of Thanom Kittikachom was subsequently overthrown. After
   several military coups and the Asian financial crisis of 1997,
   construction finally began in 2002, after 5 years of clearing the cobra
   swamp. Moreover, the military coup d'etat of September 2006 was to
   inaugurate the first week of domestic flights.

   Suvarnabhumi Airport has been dubbed the 'Pride of Thailand' due to its
   architecture. Its 2 parallel runways are connected by the 5 concourses
   of the main terminal building which is the world's second-largest
   passenger building after Hong Kong's Chep Lap Kok. The airport features
   a 134 meter-tall control tower, the tallest in the world and one meter
   taller than Kuala Lumpur International Airport control tower. Moreover,
   the Airports of Thailand Plc. (AoT) have announced another terminal
   within the airport for low-cost airlines to accompany 15 million
   passengers for the growing use of low-cost airliners. This will be
   encompassed by phase 2 of the Suvarnabhumi Airport which is expected to
   begin construction in 3-5 years. In total, the airport hopes to handle
   as many as 100 million passengers per year.

   Don Mueang is now the base of the Royal Thai Air Force (RTaF) and is
   only used for chartered flights.

Crime

   Foreign residents and tourists alike complain of widespread scams and
   blatant price gouging. Elaborate gem store scams involving earning the
   trust of a Westerner who is in cooperation with locals have robbed
   tourists of thousands of dollars, but overcharging is more of a daily
   (or hourly) occurrence. Commission based profiteering is common for
   restaurants, hotels, and just about anything. Often petty theft
   accompanies prostitution and other crime, with many reports of laptops,
   mobile phones, cash, and other items of value stolen, and the lack of
   rule of law and police and business complicity complicate matters, as
   well as ubiquitous pawn shops where thieves can sell stolen goods with
   anonymity. Armed robbery and violence against tourists is rare but is
   common among university students, but murder cases involving tourists
   and long term foreign residents do occur.

Current issues

   Traffic jam in Bangkok
   Enlarge
   Traffic jam in Bangkok
   Taxi motorcyclist in Bangkok
   Enlarge
   Taxi motorcyclist in Bangkok

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

   Environmental issues such as air pollution, a large part of which is
   caused by the traffic and dirt left on streets from construction
   projects, is also a major problem. Industrial pollution has also
   contributed to poor air and water quality. Though sulfur dioxide and
   ozone levels have fallen substantially, PM( particulate matter) is
   still exceeds health standards. 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. However, the large
   volume of trash in the canals must be cleaned out by other means. Mold
   growth is ubiquitous in Bangkok, as the tropical wet climate makes it
   grow, and many residents simply ignore it. Rats and cockroaches are
   extremely common sightings in Bangkok as trash is not properly put in
   bins and raw food is dumped onto ever wet sidewalks all over the city.

   As in many other Asian cities, the sale of illegally copied
   copyright-protected material, mostly software and DVD movies, is also
   widespread in Bangkok, but technically illegal. One of the most popular
   locations in Bangkok for purchasing unauthorized copies of software is
   Pantip Plaza. Although many "go through the motions" attempts have been
   made at cracking down on illegal copying over the years, as with the
   sex industry, police corruption and cooperation have made it largely
   ineffective and illegal copying of copyrighted material is still a
   booming business.

   Another issue which has given the city a bad reputation is the sex
   industry, centered on Patpong, where women and men sell themselves, and
   prostitution, which is also technically illegal, can be found all over
   Bangkok as vast numbers of massage parlors, saunas, parks, and hourly
   hotels exist within the city, serving foreign tourists as well as
   locals. Organized sex work in Bangkok alone involves a minimum of many
   thousand workers, and possibly in the tens of thousands. Though Bangkok
   is far more affluent than many areas in Indochina, popular youth
   culture encourages easy money, paid sex is seen as a means of acquiring
   the best of capitalism and life has to offer. Vast numbers of locals
   fly to Europe on extended vacations with generally older men. Although
   in upcountry Thailand prostitution holds a strong stigma, in Bangkok
   locals, hotel workers, and officials often turn a blind eye towards
   such behaviour and allow it to continue to flourish.

Nightlife

   As with many large cities in developing countries, a large proportion
   of wealth situated in one area causes that region to develop quickly.
   In the case of Thailand, this area is Bangkok. Bangkok, like Pattaya,
   is notorious for its prostitute-ridden streets and a-go-go bars and
   cafes. There are, however, many places to find a relaxing spot and
   enjoy one of Asia's most diverse cities. Bangkok offers a widely varied
   nightlife. There are Westernized clubs and cafes for the rich, and
   lower-cost bars and pubs that are very popular with the locals. The
   city's renowned district of Phra Nakhon is home to one of the world's
   very first international streets–Khao San Rd. A walking street, it
   allows visitors to see the diversity of the world on one single road
   where East meets West. Sukhumvit Road boasts some of Asia's most
   exclusive clubs and restaurants along the 5 km section between Ekamai
   and Withayu, with a number of activities available for the city's
   thousands of night owls.

Sister cities

   Bangkok has a number of sister cities. They are:
     * United States Washington, D.C., United States (1962)
     * People's Republic of China Beijing, China (PRC) (1993)
     * Russia Moscow, Russia (1997)
     * Philippines Manila, Philippines (1997)
     * South Korea Seoul, South Korea (2006)

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangkok"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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