Journey Through Bangkok: A Pictorial Guide to the City of Angels

The Thai people call their capital city Krungthep, meaning ‘the city of angels’ while foreigners know it as Bangkok. Once a sleepy fishing village along the Chao Phraya River, it grew to become a city as the river offered protection against invasion. The kings dug khlongs or canals for expansion and Bangkok came to be termed the ‘Venice of the East’. In recent times, rapid urbanisation has seen the canals being filled up and myriad motorways now run across the city. Today, Bangkok is a leisure and cultural hub, synonymous with food, fun, shopping and ornate temples but much of the people’s daily life still revolve around the remaining khlongs. Journey Through Bangkok narrates the story of this city, set against pictures that depict the rustic khlongs, beautiful Buddhist temples, uniquely Thai architecture, modern business districts and the faces of the genteel Thai people.