Bangkok
Capital and most populous city in the country. During the last two hundred years it has grown to become the political, social and economic center of the country, expanding its strength towards Indochina and Southeast Asia. Its influence in art, politics, fashion, education and entertainment, as well as business, has given it the status of a global city. In 2016, according to a report prepared by MasterCard, it was recognized as the most visited city by foreign tourists with 21.47 million, surpassing London. This has changed from a homogeneous Thai population to a heterogeneous one that includes citizens of Western origin, with groups from India or China, giving the city a cosmopolitan status.
What to see in Bangkok?
Temple of the Emerald Buddha
It is the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand, located in the historic center of Bangkok, within the grounds of the Grand Palace of Bangkok. The full name is Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram. The construction of the temple began when King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke moved the capital from Thonburi to Bangkok in 1785. Unlike other temples, it does not contain any place for monks to inhabit, instead only having sacred buildings, statues and pagodas with a rich decoration. The main building is the central ubosot, in which the Emerald Buddha is located. Although it is small in size, it is the main religious icon of the Thai people. Legend has it that the statue was created in India, but had a long journey before reaching Bangkok. After centuries of location changes, General Chakri captured it from Vientiane and brought it to Thonburi and then brought it to its current location.
Wat Pho
It is a Buddhist temple known as the “Temple of the Reclining Buddha”. It is located in the Phra Nakhon district, in an area of 80,937 square meters south of the Grand Palace in Bangkok. Built in the 17th century, long before Thailand's capital was established in Bangkok, King Rama I ordered the temple to be expanded in 1788, bringing in statues and other artifacts salvaged from the former capital Ayutthaya. Subsequently, various kings carried out renovations, the last being in 1982, for the city's bicentennial celebrations. It has more than ninety stupas. It consists of two main sections, the sacred (Buddhavas) and the residential (Sangghavas), where the monks live. In the Phra Vihara hall is the image of the reclining Buddha. Chinese granite statues "guard" the access to Phra Maha Chedi Si Rajakarn, the four 42-meter-high royal stupas. Phra Ubusot is the great hall of monastic ritual ceremonies, built during the reign of Rama I and reformed by Rama III, along with two galleries with 394 Buddha sculptures, as well as Phra Buddha Theva Patimakorn, the second largest Buddha image in Wat Pho, depicted seated on a pedestal.
Wat Traimit
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