About Bangkok Thailand
Bangkok certainly lives up to its reputation as a travel hot spot in Southeast Asia. The 'City of Angels' has funky markets, upmarket malls, a riverside full of surprises, a vibrant nightlife scene, many fabulous sights and attractions that reflect its unique heritage, and much, much more…Say goodbye to traffic jams – thanks to the city's modern skytrain and underground systems that cover a large area. Or explore the riverside area by a long-tail speedboat or river taxi. Whether your trip is for business or pleasure, Bangkok bursts with exciting opportunities.
Bangkok Royal Palace
Every visitor to Bangkok should see the magnificent buildings within the Grand Palace compound to get a feeling of the grandeur architectural style.Since the founding of Bangkok as the Nations capital by King Rama I, The Grand Palace has been the major architectural symbol of The Thai Royal Family. In the present time, The Royal Family resides at Chitralada Palace while The Grand Palace is used for ceremonial purposes.
Bangkok Shopping
Siam Square
The “Siam shopping strip” is conveniently located on the BTS Skytrain line (Siam and National Stadium) and features a number of shopping complexes either attached to one another or within walking distance.
The majestic Siam Paragon, directly across from the Siam station, is Bangkok’ s newest addition to the “shopping strip” having offia lly opened with much fanfare in December 2005. With more than 40 international and local fashion labels, bigname watch brands and jewelers? not to mention a gigantic aquarium? The fivestorey,500,000 square metre complex has quickly become the prime shopping hub in the city.
The Mezzanine and Ist floor are devoted exclusively to shops featuring designer clothing labels such as Hermes, Chanel, Burberry , Hugo Boss, Guicci and Versace. You can also find some of the world’s finest jewellers and watchmakers on these floors such as Franc k Muller, Harry Winston, and Rolex. as well as shops displaying the finest in locally crafted rings, necklaces and bracelets.
The 2nd floor is dedicated to lifestyle and leisure products, like golf wear and an extensive array of audio-visual outlets, such as the Samsung Plaza, Sony Style store, Bang & Olufsen and Bose. The floor also features a number of spas. a selection of opticians and a “gold gallery”.
Bookworms should head for the massive Kinokuniya bookstore. It’s on the 3rd Iloor and features titles in English. Thai. Chinese, Japanese, French and German. Next door is the futuristic TRUE Urban Park IT store with mobile phones, gadgets, an Internet cat’? and other digital delights. Computer buffs will be turned on by the Mac Studio (next door to Kinokuniya) and IT City on the 4th floor, which also houses the AlS Future World and Jay Mart mobile phone shops.
The 3rd floor also houses a wide selection of hone decor and designer furniture outlets. To add some distinctly local touches to your home, check out the Thai fashion house Jaspal Home Collection. International brands such as Martha Stewart, Barbara Barry and Yves Delonne are also featured.
The 5th and 6th floors of Paragon are made up of a Cineplex, and an IMAX cinema, along with a combined karaoke lounge and bowling alley, and the 1,6(X) scat Siam Opera theatre. In the basement below the sprawling food court, Internet cafe and Gourmet Market is Siam Ocean World.
Next to Paragon is the adjoining Siam Center, which has a number of trendy boutiques and local fashion houses. Watch out for international brands like Sisley, Swatch. Levi’s. Benetton. and local designer Jaspal. For a coffee break there is a Starbucks on the ground floor.
Across the street is Siam Square proper, where you’ll find piles of leather goods, handbags, jeans and sexy shirts in every colour of the rainbow and then sonic. Most shops cater to Thai teenagers, so finding Western-sized clothing can be a bit of a challenge. Shops usually open around 11 am and close at 9pm.
The Scala, Lido and Siam cinemas can also be found in Siam Square. These older movie theatres with their kitchsy charm may not boast the latest sound systems and giant 10-storey screens, but they are one of the few places in the city that regularly screens award-winning international and art-house films.
Connected to Siam Center by an enclosed walkway is Siam Discovery, which has undergone a mild facelift and now sports a clean white look. There are a few international brands such as North Face, MAC cosmetics, Kipling and Asia Books to keep savvy shoppers busy. Unwind in The Metropolitan Museum of Art shop ,which showcases refashioned jewellery and bric-a-brac modelled on original historic pieces housed at the original New York museum.
The 5th floor is Kid’s World where you’ll find Tiny Tykes, The Maternity House, and Pork Chop & Friends. The 6th and 7th floor house cinemas. a food court, and franchise restaurants.
Across the pedestrian bridge. Mah Boon Krong or DMBK is an enormous mall that is a blessing to both shoppers on a tight budget and those with money to burn. The seven-storey mall (crowned with a Cineplex as has become the fashion in Thailand) boasts a fascinating array of Thai. Western and, at the Tokyu department store, even Japanese goods. At the hodgepodge of stalls (redolent of a Thai street market) you can haggle away. but at the more expensive shops, the prices are fixed.
Working our way up, the ground floor stalls and shops are outfitted with ladies fashions, hair accessories. Thai trinkets, a supermarket. pharmacy. camera shop, money changer and bank. On the 2nd floor you’ll find more clothing and jewellery, beauty salons, masseuses and a post oflice.The 3rd floor o11crs yet more clothes, dried fruit, health and beauty products, T-shirt printing shops and cameras. But the 4th floor is solely dedicated to IT. mobile phones and electronics. Up on the fifth floor you can find expensive, modem furnishing sand home decor. The 6th floor houses a food court, fashion shops, a money changer and Thai Crafts.
ATM machines that accept international bank cards are also located throughout MBK.
Siam Paragon
Siam Paragon (Thai: สยามพารากอน), Syam Paragon is a shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It is one of the biggest shopping centers in Asia.[citation needed] Opened on December 9, 2005, it includes a wide range of specialty stores and restaurants as well as a multiplex movie theater (consisted of 15 large size theaters with one of the them having the biggest screen and seating capacity in Asia) and the Siam Ocean World (Underwater world) aquarium (the largest aquarium in South East Asia) and an exhibition hall and the Thai Art Gallery and also an opera concert hall. It also has a large bowling alley and karaoke center. It is a joint venture by Siam Piwat, the company that owns the adjacent Siam Center/Siam Discovery shopping malls, and The Mall Group, which also owns The Emporium. Siam Paragon has attracted large crowds since it opened, but financial results aren’t reported by the privately held Siam Paragon Development.
Bank of Thailand Museum in Bangkok
Bank of Thailand Museum, The museum displays bank notes dating back to the reign of King Rama IV in 1853 and documenting the late 1850s, when Queen Victoria of Great Britain gave Thailand the gift of a minting machine and the minting of Thai coins followed in 1858. The main objective of the Museum is to preserve Thai currency, one of our important cultural heritages, as well as to stimulate the research and study on the history and evolution of Thai currency. The exhibitions started from the prehistoric medium of exchange the ancient currency, used in different eras up until the present day. In addition, it also highlights the roles and responsibilities of the Bank of Thailand, the governors, as well as the history of Bang Khun Phrom Palace and H.R.H. Prince Baripatra Sukhumbhands life. The exhibitions compose of 14 rooms such as Ancient Coins Room: The exhibition in this room dated back to the prehistoric era when medium of exchange such as shells or beads were used as money until the introduction of coins, including Funan coins, Dvaravati coins, Sri Vijaya coins, as well as Lanna and Lanchang money, which had been used before the Kingdom of Thailand was found.
Address: Bang Khunphrom Palace
Tel: +66 (0)2 283 5286 or +66 (0)2 283 6723
Opening Hours: 09:30 - 16:00 (Monday - Friday)
How to Get There: Taxi is probably the best way to go. Or you can take the Chao Phraya Express Boat to Thewej Pier (N15), then continue on taxi.
National Museum in Bangkok
National Museum is the largest museum in Southeast Asia and houses collection of Thai artifacts, including some interesting collections of Chinese weapons, ceramics, clothing and textiles, wood-carvings, ect.
Wat Arun Temple of Dawn
Temple of Dawn
The temple was built during the Ayutthaya period and was originally called Wat Makok after the name of the local village Tambol Bangmakok. It means “Village of Olives”. Wat Arun gets its name from Aruna, the Indian god of the dawn, hence its common name The Temple of Dawn.
Bangkok Tips
- Beware of scams involving tuk tuks, gem shops, and tailors, particularly around popular tourist attractions. Remember, there is no such thing as a free ride.- Its better to flag down taxis that are already driving (the red light means empty); these will generally use the meter while parked taxis typically ask for higher fixed fares or will take you for the proverbial ‘ride’.
- During the monsoon season months of June through September rains come quickly and heavily, particularly in the afternoon. Adequate footwear and an umbrella are advisable.
