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In Thailand's history there have been dissensions from time to time, but in general, unity has prevailed.

 

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° Bangkok ° Ko PePe ° UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Because we prefer lodging near water, we booked rooms at the Hotel Menam in Bangkok which is built along the banks of the Chao Praya River. Within 24 hours, we were positive we'd made the correct choice. After riding through Bangkok in taxis on Tuk Tuks (open motorized vehicles), I was almost choking on fumes. The next morning, we noticed dozens of different types of boats ferrying back and forth across the Chao Praya carrying hundreds of passengers on their way to work. We also saw that the Hotel Menan, and most hotels up and down the river, had their own boat docks. We learned that many of the smaller boats were for hire by the hour or day, so that became our means of transportation for the next week.

A cruise along the legendary Chao Phraya River and some canals on the Thon Buri side is the most pleasant way to explore the city. We ferried back and forth between the River City Shopping Complex where tailors made jackets, pants and dresses made at extremely low cost in less than 24 hours, and to lunch and dinner in excellent restaurants along the water. n of the city's premier attractions.

Rivers and canals referred have always been vital forms of transportation in Thailand; when the capital of Thailand was moved to Bangkok in 1782 (the beginning of the Rattanakosin period), the capital was laced with canals which brought passengers, goods, food and other items to trade along the small towns and temples lining the river.

Initially, residents of Bankok generally settled by the Chao Phraya River and gradually spread into the core of the country.

We travelled 70 or 80 miles upstream on one guided tour. Traces of the earlier periods have been left alongside the river more than in the inland areas.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Thailand

• Historic City of Ayutthaya (1991)
• Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns (1991)
• Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (1991)
• Ban Chiang Archaeological Site (1992)
• Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (2005)