Bangkok General
Anybody’s first trip to Bangkok will undoubtedly come as a shock to the system - or if it is somebody’s first taste of the far east it will simply blow them away. The city’s cultural landmarks coupled with debauched nightlife, tropical heat and dense, varied population has made Bangkok synonymous with exoticism. The city has become the archetypal example of the enrapturing eastern metropolis – the concept of which the west has held for hundreds of years.
Bangkok is Thailand’s capital and largest city, though in Thai the name is as dissimilar from ‘Bangkok’ as possible. Part of the city’s title in the native language is ‘Krug Thep Maha Nakhon’ which literally translates as “City of Angels”; it seems that Bangkok and Los Angeles have more in common that just being two neon jungles filled with the world’s weird and wonderful people.
The initial shock for the traveller upon entering Bangkok gradually abates and exhilaration takes its place. The city is a fascinating blend of the business district’s postmodern skyscrapers and the ancient, traditional Buddhist temples that dot the city like outsized ornaments. On the ground there are street vendors hocking their wares – from delicious food to Tuk Tuk rides to their own company; anything and everything seems to be there for the taking in this tumultuous sea of humanity.
The city is infamous for its nightlife and it is definitely one of the cornerstones of the Bangkok experience… it is undoubtedly a city of unbridled indulgence. There has recently been large scale social reforms in the city leading to closing hours of many places being brought back to one or two o’clock in the morning; but for those of us who aren’t averse to staying up a little later, there is always some kind of late night craic to be had at the informal street bars that emerge out of the shadows on the Khao San Road. For those with more exotic tastes there is always the district of Silan, home of the world famous go go club ‘Patpong’ which simply as a spectacle attracts all types of people in their hoards.
Essentially the city is so large and diverse that attempting to explain it in a handful of words is an impossibility. From Monks clad in brilliant orange to spectacular historic ruins to shameless debauchery - this city will be an attack on the senses that will leave you reeling, riveted and hungry for more. So go and check it out, don’t be afraid to immerse yourself in it as there is nowhere else like it on earth.
