Bangkok is located in the central part of the country on the low-flat
plain of the Chao Phraya River, which is the most important river
that can be compared to the main artery of the nation, at a distance
extending from 27 - 56 Km. from the river mouth adjacent to the Gulf
of Thailand. The location is at latitude 130 45' north and longitude
1000 28' east. It is a tropical land with long hours of sunshine,
high temperature and humidity. The climate is influenced by seasonal
monsoon. There are three main seasons; Rainy (May-October), Winter
(November-January) and Summer (February-April). The average low temperature
is approximately in low to mid 20 degree Celsius and high temperature
in mid 30 degree Celsius.
Area
Bangkok was established in 1782 as the new capital
of Thailand by King Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty on a flood plain
delta of the Chao Phraya River. The location was then selected with
the consideration as a natural defense from enemies and the richness
of water for lives earning. Since its establishment, the city grew
steadily in size and importance which covered only 4.14 square kilometers
to nowadays a megacity that comprises of 50 districts. Up until now,
Bangkok is the growth pole of the whole kingdom with total area of
1568.737 square kilometers.
Population
During 1782 - 1900, the commencing period of
city establishment, Bangkok grew rather slowly. The population then
was only 600,000 and urbanized area was about 18 square kilometers.
After the Second World War, the city was increasingly populated with
rapid urbanisation which brought about number of infrastructures and
other constructions. The registered population in Bangkok increased
from 1.6 million in 1958 to 5.4 million in 1986 and 5.6 million in
1999. The population of Bangkok is now close to 7 million by registered
record or about 10 million of daytime population. Most residents in
Bangkok are native Thais with around 25% of the city's inhabitants
being Chinese or of Chinese descents as well as Indians, Arabs, Malays
and Europeans. Most Thais are welcoming and friendly to visitors and
thus the alias "Land of smile" is appreciatedly granted
to Thailand.
Area and Population in Bangkok Metropolis by Districts in 2004
Economy
As Thailand's main port, Bangkok has always
been more cosmopolitan than other city of the region. The government
sector does play a significant role in Bangkok along with the private
sector. There are number of activities in commerce, industries, construction,
manufacture and various kind of services including banking and other
financial services.. Bangkok's work force includes employees, private
retailers, street vendors, entrepreneurs, government officials etc.
Bangkok Today
Bangkok can be seen as the heart of Thailand.
It is the cultural, educational, political and economical center of
Thailand. This very highly populated city is currently faced with
some unavoidable urban pollution problems in addition to traffic congestion
problem like any other large cities. Bangkok is not only the center
of tourist attractions in Southeast Asia but also the important city
in this region's industrial and financial sectors. "Don Muang
International Airport", one of the busiest airports in Southeast
Asia is also located just inside Bangkok. . Bangkok is also well known
for a lot of canals and rivers that wind in and around the city that
have made it famous as "Venice of The East". Bangkok is
also the center of transportation in Thailand with major roads and
railways branching out to various parts of the country. In Bangkok,
numerous beautiful temples can be found featuring traditional Thai
architecture. The old sections of Bangkok are immensely popular tourist
spots, especially the Royal Grand Palace. Bangkok is an interesting
blend of traditional buildings and modern skyscrapers waiting for
visitors to discover.
