Bangkok History
By international standards, Bangkok is a relatively new city, at slightly over 200 years old. The capital was built out of necessity after the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767. At first, the Siamese capital was relocated to Thonburi, an existing fortress town at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, on the western bank. In 1782, Chao Phraya Chakri, the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, moved the capital across to the eastern side at a small outpost called Bang Kok or ‘Village of Olives’. The new site was protected against invasions from the west by the river.
The old city of Bangkok was built in a loop in the Chao Phraya River. Using Khmer prisoners of war, engineers cut canals to make the city a complete island—present-day Ratanakosin Island—on a similar model to the former capital of Ayutthaya. Upon completion of the new city in 1785, the capital was given its new name:
“Krungthep Mahanakhon Amornratanakosin Mahinthara Ayutthaya Mahadilok Phopnoppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amornphiman Awatanasathit Sakkathathiya Witsanukamprasit”
or “City of Angels, Greatest of Cities, Immortal Precious Jewel, All Powerful, Ancient, Nine-Jeweled Heavenly City, Built by Vishnukarma, Architect of Indra.”
The king built his palace at the best location on the island, forcing Chinese traders who had been living there to move south to a new site called Sampeng in what is now Chinatown. He completely encircled his palace compound with huge city walls, built from the rubble of Ayutthaya. The new capital had no paved roads, only elephant tracks, and canals for water-borne transportation.
The early Chakri kings set about building a city to rival the former glory of Ayutthaya. Hundreds of temples and palaces were built, and the canal system was extended into a vast inter-connecting network.
In the mid 19th century, Siam signed the Bowring Treaty, a diplomatic and trade agreement, with Britain and later the other imperial powers. The treaty brought an influx of foreign trading companies and diplomatic missions, along with hundreds of foreigners.
The first road was completed in Bangkok in 1864, linking the Grand Palace area with Chinatown. The road was called ‘New Road’ or Charoen Krung. More roads were built at the end of the 19th century to serve Ratanakosin Island and the growing city center. The main modes of transport were horse-drawn carriages and rickshaws.
At the turn of the century, Bangkok’s population had grown to about half a million, with a thousand or so foreigners involved in trade and administration. Many trading companies built their colonial-style offices along the Chao Phraya River, close to the Oriental Hotel.
At the beginning of the 20th century, during the reign of King Rama V, the first railway was opened, linking Bangkok’s Hualamphong Station with Ayutthaya to the north. The arrival of the motorcar spawned construction of more roads, and some of the original canals were filled in to make more space. The new civil service, created after abolition of the absolute monarchy in 1932, took over many areas of Ratanakosin Island. The expanding city acted like a magnet for private enterprise and the new culture, and many more people were drawn to the city.
In the modern era, Bangkok has experienced out-of-control growth, with skyscrapers rising alongside the old colonial buildings, traffic clogging the streets, overcrowding and a worsening environment. Nearly 10% of the national population is concentrated in the city. The double-digit economic growth came to a temporary halt in 1997 when the Thai currency nose-dived and the economy fell into recession.
Today Bangkok is back in business, albeit rather more cautiously than before. The city is as exciting as ever, with its undeniably Asian flavor, cosmopolitan character and a never-ending storehouse of surprises for the visitor.
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