1.1. HISTORY Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and the largest city located on the left bank of the Menam River at its mouth in the Gulf of Siam. Bangkok is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep, which means “City of Angels”. The city was a small trading post near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya kingdom in the 15th century. Bangkok’s history dates back to at least the early 15th century when it was under the rule of Ayutthaya. Its name referred only to a small village on the rivers west bank. Because of its strategic location near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, the village gradually developed and served as a customs outpost. It was the scene of the 1688 siege during which the French were expelled from Siam. After the fall of Ayutthaya to Burma in 1767, the king moved his headquarters to this village. Since then, Bangkok has undergone enormous changes, developing rapidly in the second half of the 20th century to become Thailand’s main city. It was the centre of Siam’s modernization in the late 19th century, including the introduction of rail transportation and public services. During World War II, the city was subjected to Allied bombing, and subsequently represented the central political scene of modern Thailand, with a series of protests and coups occasionally taking place on its streets. Since World War II Bangkok has grown with unprecedented rapidity, which caused problems with transportation, communication, housing, water supply, drainage, and pollution. Tourism rose in importance during the Vietnam War when the city became a popular destination for U.S. military personnel. By the 1980s, nightclubs and the tourist sex trade as well as crime and sexually transmitted diseases—were flourishing. Although prostitution is formally illegal and the number of prostitutes per capita is lower in Thailand than in some other Asian countries, the city’s commercial sex industry employs an estimated 100,000 people and is popular among foreign tourists. However, the vast majority of clients are Thai nationals. To combat abuses, notably underage prostitution, the government stiffened penalties for both patrons and brothel operators during the 1990s. That those responsible for modernizing the metropolis are coping with these problems suggests the appropriateness of its official emblem: the God Indra seated atop a sacred white elephant, the four tusks of which denote its celestial status and its ability to accomplish the impossible. Throughout the 1980s the city experienced an economic boom, which was blunted by an economic crisis that hit Asia in the late 1990s. However, the city continued its role as one of Asia’s most important tourist, financial, and commercial centres. The city’s uniquely Thai character, while perhaps diminishing, provides a vibrant backdrop for Bangkok’s cosmopolitan image. (Bangkok Forever, 2021) 1.2. MAIN AREAS IN THE CITY Located in the central part of Thailand on the north of the Gulf of Siam, Bangkok is Thailands largest urban city, covering a land area of approximately 1,500 square kilometres. The Chao Phraya River divides Bangkok city into two areas – Bangkok and Thon Buri. Across the river is the old city of Thonburi, which existing long before Bangkoks founding. In fact, Thonburi was the capital of Siam for a short period before the new capital was established. One of the citys most recognizable landmarks, Wat Arun, is in Thonburi. To the north of the old royal precinct is the Banglampu area, more commonly known as Khaosan Road, popular with budget travelers. Further north and slightly east is the Dusit district, where the royal familys current primary residence (Chitlada Palace) is, near to the houses of parliament and the Dusit Zoo. To the east along the river is the citys Chinatown district, called Yaowarat. Further east are the big riverside hotels set amid the oldest embassies and former trading houses of the west. Heading north away from the river at this point is Silom Road, home to many of the main tourist hotels as well as the citys most notorious entertainment area: Patpong. Still further north of Silom is the main shopping district centered on Siam Square, which includes Mahboonkrong (MBK) Center, Siam Discovery, Siam Center, World Trade Center, Narayanapand, Gaysorn Plaza, Amarin Plaza and Central Chidlom. A little further north of the Siam Square area is the Pratunam, the citys garment district. Heading west from Siam Square is the Sukhumvit road area, home to many more tourist hotels, business hotels and entertainment areas. Administrative and cultural institutions: Bangkok is the seat of several universities and a Catholic archbishop as well as the administrative, cultural and economic center of Thailand. Bangkok is home to the National Museum and Theater and the National Gallery and Library. (Vietnam Stay, 2020) 1.3. THAI PEOPLE IN BANGKOK The Thai population on the whole is fairly diverse in in terms of ethnicity and race. In broad terms it is something of a mix of people with various degrees of Chinese, Mon, Khmer, Lao, and Indian descent. And anyone who has done any travelling around the country in Thailand may have noticed that residents in the various regions tend to have their own specific traits and appearance. These may be down to variations in the environment and geographical features. One of the things that may make a city like Bangkok so interesting is that the majority of these people make no effort to adapt these traits when they move into the nation’s capital, often wearing their origin and culture ‘on their sleeve’, so to speak. Each group speaks its own specific version of the Thai dialect and has customs and characteristics unique to the region they live in, which is most prominent in terms of what is generally referred to as Thai food. The Thais native to the central Bangkok region have been known by various terms over the years, including ‘Khon Thai’, Central Thais, and Siamese. They make up the population that has traditionally been based in the central plain around the Chao Phraya River, which runs through Bangkok. However, the term “Thai people” has a broad and general meaning in many ways as we said, and a fair proportion of the ones you are likely to encounter in Bangkok are far from native to the central region. The term ‘Thai’ is a generic term for Thailand’s people and includes the Central Thais, the Northern Thai (Lanna), the Thai Lao or Isaan people of north eastern Thailand, and ‘Pak Tai’ of southern Thailand. (Mark Philip, 2021)
FACULTY OF TOURISM & CULINARY ARTS TOURISM ENGLISH TOPIC: TOURISM IN BANGKOK Lecturer: Student: Code: i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER BANGKOK OVERVIEW 1.1.HISTORY 1.2.MAIN AREAS IN THE CITY 1.3.ECONOMY 1.4.RELIGION 1.5.TRANSPORTATION CHAPTER 2.FAMOUS TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN BANGKOK 2.1.THE GRAND PALACE 2.2.WAT PHRA KAEW 2.2.1 The architecture of the Shrine 2.2.2 Religious Ceremonies and Worship at Wat Phra Kaew 2.3.WAT ARUN 2.4.ENCIENT SIAM 2.5.CHAO PHRAYA RIVER 10 CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN BANGKOK THAILAND 13 3.1.NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISIT BANGKOK IN 2019 13 3.2.DEVELOPING THE DESTINATION FURTHER 13 3.3.BANGKOK REOPENS TO TOURISTS 14 REFERENCES 15 ii CHAPTER BANGKOK OVERVIEW 1.1 HISTORY Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and the largest city located on the left bank of the Menam River at its mouth in the Gulf of Siam Bangkok is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep, which means “City of Angels” The city was a small trading post near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River during the Ayutthaya kingdom in the 15th century Bangkok’s history dates back to at least the early 15th century when it was under the rule of Ayutthaya Its name referred only to a small village on the river's west bank Because of its strategic location near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, the village gradually developed and served as a customs outpost It was the scene of the 1688 siege during which the French were expelled from Siam After the fall of Ayutthaya to Burma in 1767, the king moved his headquarters to this village Since then, Bangkok has undergone enormous changes, developing rapidly in the second half of the 20th century to become Thailand’s main city It was the centre of Siam’s modernization in the late 19th century, including the introduction of rail transportation and public services During World War II, the city was subjected to Allied bombing, and subsequently represented the central political scene of modern Thailand, with a series of protests and coups occasionally taking place on its streets Since World War II Bangkok has grown with unprecedented rapidity, which caused problems with transportation, communication, housing, water supply, drainage, and pollution Tourism rose in importance during the Vietnam War when the city became a popular destination for U.S military personnel By the 1980s, nightclubs and the tourist sex trade - as well as crime and sexually transmitted diseases—were flourishing Although prostitution is formally illegal and the number of prostitutes per capita is lower in Thailand than in some other Asian countries, the city’s commercial sex industry employs an estimated 100,000 people and is popular among foreign tourists However, the vast majority of clients are Thai nationals To combat abuses, notably underage prostitution, the government stiffened penalties for both patrons and brothel operators during the 1990s That those responsible for modernizing the metropolis are coping with these problems suggests the appropriateness of its official emblem: the God Indra seated atop a sacred white elephant, the four tusks of which denote its celestial status and its ability to accomplish the impossible Throughout the 1980s the city experienced an economic boom, which was blunted by an economic crisis that hit Asia in the late 1990s However, the city continued its role as one of Asia’s most important tourist, financial, and commercial centres The city’s uniquely Thai character, while perhaps diminishing, provides a vibrant backdrop for Bangkok’s cosmopolitan image (Bangkok Forever, 2021) 1.2 MAIN AREAS IN THE CITY Located in the central part of Thailand on the north of the Gulf of Siam, Bangkok is Thailand's largest urban city, covering a land area of approximately 1,500 square kilometres The Chao Phraya River divides Bangkok city into two areas – Bangkok and Thon Buri Across the river is the old city of Thonburi, which existing long before Bangkok's founding In fact, Thonburi was the capital of Siam for a short period before the new capital was established One of the city's most recognizable landmarks, Wat Arun, is in Thonburi To the north of the old royal precinct is the Banglampu area, more commonly known as Khaosan Road, popular with budget travelers Further north and slightly east is the Dusit district, where the royal family's current primary residence (Chitlada Palace) is, near to the houses of parliament and the Dusit Zoo To the east along the river is the city's Chinatown district, called Yaowarat Further east are the big riverside hotels set amid the oldest embassies and former trading houses of the west Heading north away from the river at this point is Silom Road, home to many of the main tourist hotels as well as the city's most notorious "entertainment" area: Patpong Still further north of Silom is the main shopping district centered on Siam Square, which includes Mahboonkrong (MBK) Center, Siam Discovery, Siam Center, World Trade Center, Narayanapand, Gaysorn Plaza, Amarin Plaza and Central Chidlom A little further north of the Siam Square area is the Pratunam, the city's garment district Heading west from Siam Square is the Sukhumvit road area, home to many more tourist hotels, business hotels and entertainment areas Administrative and cultural institutions: Bangkok is the seat of several universities and a Catholic archbishop as well as the administrative, cultural and economic center of Thailand Bangkok is home to the National Museum and Theater and the National Gallery and Library (Vietnam Stay, 2020) 1.3 THAI PEOPLE IN BANGKOK The Thai population on the whole is fairly diverse in in terms of ethnicity and race In broad terms it is something of a mix of people with various degrees of Chinese, Mon, Khmer, Lao, and Indian descent And anyone who has done any travelling around the country in Thailand may have noticed that residents in the various regions tend to have their own specific traits and appearance These may be down to variations in the environment and geographical features One of the things that may make a city like Bangkok so interesting is that the majority of these people make no effort to adapt these traits when they move into the nation’s capital, often wearing their origin and culture ‘on their sleeve’, so to speak Each group speaks its own specific version of the Thai dialect and has customs and characteristics unique to the region they live in, which is most prominent in terms of what is generally referred to as Thai food The Thais native to the central Bangkok region have been known by various terms over the years, including ‘Khon Thai’, Central Thais, and Siamese They make up the population that has traditionally been based in the central plain around the Chao Phraya River, which runs through Bangkok However, the term “Thai people” has a broad and general meaning in many ways as we said, and a fair proportion of the ones you are likely to encounter in Bangkok are far from native to the central region The term ‘Thai’ is a generic term for Thailand’s people and includes the Central Thais, the Northern Thai (Lanna), the Thai Lao or Isaan people of north eastern Thailand, and ‘Pak Tai’ of southern Thailand (Mark Philip, 2021) 1.4 ECONOMY After the Second World War, Bangkok developed into an important industrial location, the older companies are mainly located on the Chao Phraya (rice mills, sawmills, paper and soap factories), while modern industries in various branches are in the outskirts Ten years of economic boom (1987–97) have changed Bangkok enormously: massive expansion into the surrounding area as well as inner-urban structural changes (several thousand high-rise buildings, demolition of traditional buildings and uncontrolled land use) have made the city almost ungovernable Since the so-called Asian crisis in 1997, a large number of the new high-rise office and apartment buildings have been vacant The city is slowly recovering economically, which is evident from numerous construction projects (Find Countries And Cities, 2021) 1.5 RELIGION The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but grants Buddhism as the national religion (not the state religion) of Thailand a special position, which is guaranteed by the king The king is the bearer of the supreme decision-making power in the national Buddhist monk council (Samgha), whose head (the “Supreme Patriarch of Thailand”) he appoints As a “defender of religion”, he also protects the religious freedom guaranteed to nonBuddhist religious communities The training of Buddhist monks is subject to state control The dominant religion is the Hinayana Buddhism of the Theravada school , to which around 85–95% of the population profess; it is spiritually and institutionally supported by over 20,000 monasteries with around 250,000 ordained monks Often, however, men only enter a monastery for a limited time, for example to get a good education Great respect is shown to the monks Religious minorities are made up of Muslims (around 5% of the population [according to different figures, up to 10%]), Christians (around 1%), Hindus and Bahais Among the Chinese there are followers of Daoism and Confucianism The numerically vanishingly small Jewish community (synagogue and community center in Bangkok) goes back historically to Jews who fled Soviet Russia in the 1920s The Muslims (especially Malays) are Sunnis The majority of Christians belong to (post-) Reformation faith groups (Presbyterians, Baptists, Pentecostals, etc.); numerically the largest Protestant community is the reformed “Church of Christ in Thailand” Traditional ethnic religions have survived among the hill tribes (Find Countries And Cities, 2021) 1.6 TRANSPORTATION The port of Khlong Toey can be called by seagoing vessels and is the main port of entry and exit in the country In 2006, the new international airport (Suvarnabhumi Airport) was opened, replacing the previous Don Muang International Airport, 30 km north of the city, in its importance as an air traffic hub in Southeast Asia In addition to car traffic, local passenger transport is handled by the Sky Train, the subway and the light rail (Suvarnabhumi Airport Link) Bangkok is a center of international tourism and is one of the most visited cities in the world (Find Countries And Cities, 2021) BTS Skytrain – General information The Skytrain is one of the main transportation means in Bangkok It is air-conditioned, spotless and highly efficient, serving millions of passengers every single day Using the Skytrain is very simple For those of you who visit Bangkok/take the Skytrain for the first time, I’ve prepared the following detailed explanation which will help you travel using the Skytrain, while saving precious time Those who took it before can also use the information and probably learn a thing or two Transportation in Bangkok Entering and Exiting the BTS Skytrain Station After buying tickets (for a single journey / a rechargeable SmartPass), you can pass through the designated (automatic) gates The entrance / exit gates are located at the same place yet marked differently At the entrance gate you’ll see a green lit arrow, and at the exit only gate you’ll see a red lit X sign Taking the MRT (Underground) Although it is unknown to many tourists, the MRT offers the most effective and convenient way to get to the weekend market Bangkok public river boats – Chao Praya Express Boats The public river boats offer a great means of transportation inside the city, without being dependent on the heavy traffic or having to worry about traffic jams Here you will find useful explanations which will help you find your way around the different boat types, lines and piers The Bangkok BRT – New, Modern Bus Line The BRT consists of modern, up-todate busses which run through an exclusive, designated route and are thus unaffected by rush hours and traffic jams (David, 2021) CHAPTER FAMOUS TOURIST ATTRACTIONS IN BANGKOK 2.1 THE GRAND PALACE The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand, is one of the most visited tourist stop-offs in the country It receives more than million visitors every year, and features on most Bangkok itineraries The Grand Palace is apparently somewhere between the third and the eighth most visited attraction in Asia, depending on which listings you look at, and it features on the World’s Most Visited Tourism Attractions list along with The Great Pyramids and The Colosseum One of the main reasons for that is that Bangkok’s Grand Palace is one of Thailand’s most revered and well-known heritage sights, having originally been the official Chakri Dynasty Monarchs’ residence when Bangkok was first established as the capital With the complex being divided into two zones, the palace is also adjacent to the ‘Temple of The Emerald Buddha’, which is home to the even more renowned and revered ancient ‘emerald’ (actually jade) Buddha statue that actually turns out to be smaller than some people may be expecting They certainly won’t be disappointed though by the sheer grandeur and style of the Grand Palace’s architecture The Palace itself is divided over three main sections, namely the outer, middle, and inner courts, and is still used for hosting grand royal ceremonies such as welcoming state guests or honouring birthdays Possibly one of the most famous and revered temples in Thailand, Wat Prakeow (Temple of The Emerald Buddha), is home to various holy relics and statues Apparently (according to tradition) the temple includes a bone or hair of the Buddha, housed in a golden chedi The Grand Palace is the main attraction of its kind in Bangkok Despite the fact that the entrance fee is rather expensive, this place is always crowded with tourists You can make a stop here on your way to Suvarnabhumi airport because it’s only 35 km away Remember to dress appropriately Be warned, some visitors report that the toilets throughout the complex might not be operational, use the ones on the right an the entrance Let us know if this issue is fixed to update the information As the price of the ticket is 500 THB, we recommend a better deal – buy a combo tour for 650 THB (promotion) to The Grand Palace, the Temple of The Emerald Buddha and the famed Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Only 150 THB more and you will enjoy the convenience of going to various scenic locations on a modern and comfortable air conditioned vehicle and ride a long tail boat, book your ticket online now If you’re looking for somewhere to stay downtown near The Grand Palace, we recommend Mind Day Hostel Khaosan, only 200 baht per night (Mark Philip, 2020) 2.2 WAT PHRA KAEW Wat Phra Kaew is a Buddhist temple in the Phra Nakhon District of Bangkok in Thailand It is known in the English language as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha This temple can be considered to be the most pious Buddhist shrines in the whole of Thailand The word ‘Wat’ means temple in this context The site which has been chosen for this shrine is in the middle of two ancient wats, by the name of Mahathat Wat and Pho Wat This area is inhabited mostly by Chinese residents presently (Trip, 2019) 2.2.1 The architecture of the Shrine The construction of Wat Phra Kaew was completed in the year 1784 A large number of buildings lie on the premises of the Grand Palace The shrine of Wat Phra Kaew lies there, and the total area is about 234 acres Wat Phra Kaew precinct has more than 100 buildings and has a history which is more than 200 years old There is a lot of experimentation when it comes to architecture, and the design is particularly unique The style of architecture followed in Wat Phra Kaew is called the Rattanakosin Style (or the old Bangkok style) The polished roof comprises of polished tiles with shades of green and orange There are pillars which have a lot of mosaic-like work dine on them along with support pieces made of shiny marble All of this was made in the 18th century The main idol of Emerald Buddha is poised on an altar The altar is elevated high above the ground and is surrounded by colossal decorative pieces Originally the setup’s base was not present there and was added by a king named Rama, the Third On the sides of the main image, there are two images of Buddha, which are said to represent the two kings of the Chakri dynasty What leaves visitors in awe is the fact that no matter the age, the temple still retains its magnificence and beauty, and the structure still retains the original design (Trip, 2019) 2.2.2 Religious Ceremonies and Worship at Wat Phra Kaew From the late 1700s to early 1900s, there was a practice followed, whereby the Emerald Buddha from Wat Phra Kaew had to be removed from the temple And it had to be paraded through the streets of the city of Bangkok This was believed to have the potential to relieve the general population from the ill effects of epidemics & calamities Later on, the practice was discontinued, when King Rama, the Fourth started ruling, as it could damage the Lord’s idol Also, this was the time when scientific temperament was developing in the eastern regions of the world The king said the cause of diseases or epidemics are due to germs only, and not by displeasure to the Buddha, or any evil spirits of sorts Another major ritual is the costume change ritual of deity The king cleans and wipes off any dust which might have gotten on the image himself And chants prayers for the deity as his attendant climbs up to change the garment of the Lord The other two sets of garments which are not in use are kept on display so that the visitors can have a look at them too The Thai King’s Coronation, which is also a very important event for the country, is dependent on the king’s visit to the shrine of Wat Phra Kaew (Trip, 2019) 2.3 WAT PHO Wat Pho in Bangkok, or better known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, is one of the most important Buddhist temple complexes in the Thai capital On a temple tour you will discover many beautiful things: colorfuly decorated chedis, golden Buddha statues, a massage school, beautiful mural paintings, stone statues and many different temple buildings In case you get tired, you will even have the opportunity to relax while having a temple massage The ultimate attraction of the Wat Pho temple, however, is the approximately 46-meter-long sleeping Buddha, which attracts thousands of visitors every day and so a visit is one of the best things to in Bangkok The official name of the Wat Pho temple is actually Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Ratchawaworamahawihan But locals and tourists always call him by his short name Wat Pho This beautiful temple is located directly in the historical center of Bangkok, not far away from the river Chao Phraya and the ferry station Tha Tian The highlight and the most important attraction of the temple complex is the 45 meter long Reclining Buddha, but many more interesting things to see will await you during a visit to the temple The history of Wat Pho in Bangkok goes back to the 17th century The temple was built 1688-1703 in the Ayutthaya period At the end of the 18th century it was restored and extended under King Rama I for more than 10 years, between 1789 and 1801 In further consequence there were renovations for 16 years under King Rama III Today it is a Royal Temple of the First Class On a visit to Wat Pho in Bangkok, you will enjoy unbelievably beautiful highlights In addition to the well-known main attraction, the resting Buddha, many more amazing things are waiting for you About 100 chedis, beautiful belfries, a small museum, the massage pavilion, mystical stone statues and countless golden Buddha statues are just a few of the other interesting attractions of this famous temple complex (Juma, 2020) 2.4 WAT ARUN 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 The location of the temple is in the area that used to be occupied by the Palace of King Taksin who re-established the Siamese Kingdom after the fall of Ayuttaya more than two hundred years ago The main Buddha image is believed to have been designed by King Rama II Wat Arun, often called The Temple of Dawn, is one of the most remarkable visual identities of Bangkok The imposing Khmer-style prang or tower is 104 metres tall and decorated with bits of porcelain that was used as ballast by boats coming from China It is surrounded by four smaller prangs Construction of the prangs were started by King Rama II and completed by King Rama IV The central balcony is an ideal spot for looking across the river to The grand palace and The Temple of the Emerald Buddha Each year at the end of the three-month lent period for Buddhist monks, H M The King or his appointed representative travels down river in a Royal Barge Procession to present new robes to the monks This ceremony is called Royal Tod Kathin (Amazing Thailand, 2020) 2.5 ENCIENT SIAM Ancient Siam or Muang Boran in Thailand is a privately owned museum park and reportedly the world’s largest outdoor museum, spreading over 200 acres Shaped like Thailand, Ancient Siam is almost an entire recreation of the country with miniature replicas and reconstructions of most of its important sites in the correct locations Whilst Ancient Siam does contain some original artefacts, the appeal of this little known attraction lies not in its authenticity, but in its overview of Thai history and the attention to detail in recreating national treasures Again, Ancient Siam is not truly a historical site in the traditional sense, but it is a great way to discover Thailand’s history in a pleasant, tranquil setting Lek Viriyaphant was an eccentric businessman and millionaire had a passion in art which inspired him to establish the Ancient city of Siam Originally his plan was to create a Thailand-shaped golf course with miniatures of ancient sites for tourists However, once he started doing research, Lek found that many ancient sites had been left to decay and so altered his plan so the focus of Ancient Siam was education The Ancient city of Siam therefore chronologically displays significant architectural styles from Thailand’s different eras, from the prehistoric through to the Ancient Khmer and Dvaravati Today, Ancient Siam is a time-machine back into Thailand’s ancient past, combining replicas of known significant sites with original structures moved there for preservation Amongst its recreations, visitors can see the Tiger King’s Palace of Phetchaburi, Preah Vihear, the Ancient Theatrical Pavilion, The Royal Stand and many more The entire layout of the park creates the shape of Thailand, and sites are placed corresponding to their real geographical locations Wander through beautiful landscape gardens full of native flowers and trees, streams and lakes, dotted with toilet facilities and shops Each site has a sign with a detailed English name A particular highlight at Ancient Siam is definitely the Sumeru Mountain; a golden walkway leads across a lake to an island shaped like a giant serpent, its mouth gaped open (Peta Stamper, 2021) 2.6 CHAO PHRAYA RIVER The Chao Phraya River is also known as the River of Kings It is formed by four major tributaries, including the Ping, Wang, Yom, and Nan Rivers It was, and still is, a very important waterway for the people of central Thailand Many people call the banks of the Chao Phraya River home Others use the river to get to and from work almost every day For others, it is a way of life and, ultimately, their main source of income Some of Bangkok’s most note-worthy attractions are on the banks of the mighty Chao Phraya River The four must-see attractions that are easily accessible from the river are Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha), and Wat Arun Be warned, however, that these are tourist hot spots 10 Many ‘friendly’ strangers will try to get you to pay upwards of ฿500 (about $15) for a cruise on the river Politely decline these offers and stick to our guide There are four different express boats Look for those with an orange, green, or yellow flag Only the orange boat is open every day Otherwise, these boats operate Monday through Friday, from about am to 10pm (some boats depart earlier, but not all) Depending on the boat you take, tickets will cost you ฿10-40, which is very cheap in compared to most public transportation around the city You can buy your tickets at the pier or once you are on board Keep this ticket with you Some boats leave every five minutes, while others leave every 25 minutes Be sure to check the timetable of your boat before arriving There are also many ferries on either side of the river They run frequently from about 6am to 9pm Truly, the River of Kings – as King Rama I named it – is the lifeblood of Bangkok And that’s not just because of this rich history Around 50,000 people still use the ferries here to get around each day Slow barges bearing cargo coast upstream Kids still frolic in the russet-brown water Wooden shacks, mottled by the elements, still lurch over the riverbanks Soaring hotels and condominiums hem in solemn temples, churches and civic buildings that look 19th-century European Not far away, the odd wooden sampan sells noodle soup or dried squid to hungry river workers It is this juxtaposition of calm and chaotic, modern and traditional, religious and secular, ugly and sublime, foreign and indigenous, which makes the Chao Phraya so evocative There are public boat lines, all operated by the Chao Phraya Express Boat company, that ply the same 21-km route: 'local line', 'orange', 'yellow', 'blue' and 'green-yellow' Operating between 6am and 7.30pm daily, each is identifiable by the coloured flag hanging off its rear The rush-hour only 'local line' stops at all 34 piers, while the other four are express lines stopping at only selected piers Only the Orange Flag Line, with its flat fee of 15 baht, runs all day and on weekends – for most journeys, this fits the bill The others stop at around 9am and begin again at around 4pm Cross-river ferries operate at most major piers and will drop you to the other bank for a very budget-friendly fare The Chao Phraya 'Tourist Boats' are another option, offering unlimited trips to prominent piers for a flat fee (service hours are between 9.30am and 3pm daily) That's 11 not a bad deal if you plan to a lot of hopping on and off over one day, want more comfort and the sites to be pointed out to you Bear in mind though – these run every 30 minutes while the public lines used by locals typically run every 15 to 20 minutes Other options for exploring the river include hiring a long-tail boat, a river cruise or dinner cruise All give a different perspective on this fascinating river (Kelly Iverson, 2018) 12 CHAPTER DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN BANGKOK THAILAND 3.1 NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISIT BANGKOK IN 2019 Thailand saw slower growth of foreign tourist arrivals of 4.2% last year and the outlook for a lucrative industry is weighed by strength in the baht and China's new coronavirus at a time of faltering economic growth Tourist receipts account for about 12% of Southeast Asia's second-largest economy, making it one of the most important drivers of growth for an economy that has lagged most regional peers for years Foreign tourist arrivals hit a record 39.8 million last year — equivalent to more than half of Thailand's population — after a rise of 7% to 38.2 million in 2018, when a boat accident killed dozens of Chinese tourists, Tourism and Sports Ministry data showed Visitors from China, Thailand's biggest source of tourists, increased by 4.4% to 10.99 million in 2019 The growth in foreign arrivals had slowed and missed a government target, and industry operators have blamed that on the strong baht, Asia's top performer last year.The baht rose nearly 9% against the US dollar and about 11% against China's yuan last year The Tourism Council of Thailand last week forecast less than 5% growth in overall foreign tourist numbers this year (Reuters, 2020) 3.2 DEVELOPING THE DESTINATION FURTHER The Thailand Future of Tourism report put together by Amadeus, the country’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency and the Pacific Asia Travel Association, highlights four areas that can help gear Thailand up for future growth Last year, Airports of Thailand unveiled investment of almost $8 billion to triple capacity at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok with the operator saying that it was build for 45 million passengers but arrival have hit 65 million The Thailand Towards 2030 report says airports should look at adopting smart technology including more self-service kiosks and automated bag drops It adds that the adoption of biometric technologies to help move passengers through the airport would also help Amadeus recently piloted technology with Ljubljana Airport enabling passengers to take a selfie alongside passport and boarding card details and have it matched with a photo at boarding to speed up the process 13 A second area for development in the study is improving links to and from the airport using different modes of transport The report suggests integrating airport links with public transport as well as the development of high-speed rail will help The report also highlights public-private partnerships to further help improve innercity transport networks Finally, the use of data to avoid overtourism through real-time analysis and predictive modelling, to help manage volumes, is highlighted as key The report points to the Phuket Data Platform where Internet of Things data is combined with open data to predict patterns of movement The initiative brings data from free hotspots and vehicle licence plates using CCTV cameras to help understand visitor demographics (Phocus Wire, 2019) 3.3 BANGKOK REOPENS TO TOURISTS Bangkok) - Prior to the pandemic, Thailand welcomed millions of international travelers each month, the bulk of them beginning their vacations in the capital, Bangkok The city's biggest international airport, Suvarmabhumi, was constantly abuzz with movement; travelers arriving from all corners of the globe at all hours, long lines snaking through the cavernous arrival hall as incoming passengers awaited their turn at the immigration counters Thailand tourism officials are now hoping they can entice travelers to rediscover one of the world's favorite cities Bangkok was amongst the first capitals in Southeast Asia to reopen back in November, its "Test & Go" program allowing fully vaccinated tourists from a long list of countries to enter the country Pre-approved passengers could fly in, get a RT-PCR test and head for their government-approved hotel where they'd await the results If that test came back negative, they were free to explore the country at will It was a start Around 250,000 travelers flew into Thailand in December 2021 according to government figures a drop in the bucket compared to the 3.95 million arrivals recorded in December 2019 (Karla Cripps, 2022) 14 REFERENCES [1] Amazing Thailand (2020) Wat Arun (Temple Of Dawn) By link: https://www.tourismthailand.org/Attraction/wat-arun-temple-of-dawn [2] Bangkok Forever (2021) History of Bangkok By link: https://bangkokforever.com/en/history-of-bangkok/#History [3] David (2021) Transportation in Bangkok By link: https://thailand- expert.com/thailand-travel-guides/bangkok/transportation-in-bangkok/ [4] Juma (2020) Wat Pho: Reclining Buddha Temple in Bangkok By link: https://www.placesofjuma.com/wat-pho-bangkok/ [5] Karla Cripps (2022) As Bangkok reopens to tourists, here’s what it’s like to visit now By link: https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/bangkok-thailand-quest-world-of-wondercmd/index.html [6] Kelly Iverson (2018) The Ultimate Guide to Navigating the Chao Phraya River By link: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/thailand/articles/the-ultimate-guide-to-navigating-thechao-phraya-river/ [7] Mark Philip (2020) The best way to visit the Grand Palace in Bangkok By link: https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/bangkok/the-best-way-to-visit-the-grand-palace-inbangkok/ [8] Mark Philip (2021) A Brief Guide to the People and Culture of Bangkok By link: https://www.discoverwalks.com/blog/bangkok/a-brief-guide-to-the-people-and-cultureof-bangkok/ [9] Peta Stamper (2021) Ancient Siam By link: https://www.historyhit.com/locations/ancient-siam/ [10] Phocus Wire (2019) How smart tourism developments in Thailand can help attract visitors By link: https://www.phocuswire.com/amadeus-thailand-tourism [11] Reuters (2020) Foreign tourist arrivals up 4% in 2019 By link: https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/1842844/foreign-tourist-arrivals-up-4-in-2019 [12] Trip (2019) Things to know before visiting Wat Phra Kaew Bangkok By link: https://www.trip.com/blog/things-to-know-wat-phra-kaew/ [13] Vietnam Stay (2020) Bangkok Overview: The city of angels By link: https://vietnamstay.com/bangkok-overview/ 15 [14] Find Countries And Cities (2021) Bangkok, Thailand Overview By link: https://www.findjobdescriptions.com/bangkok-thailand-overview/ 16