9.6 Transport network

    * Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat

          o NIDA Line

          o Golden Mount Line

    * Chao Phraya Express Boat

          o Local Line

          o Orange Flag Line

          o Yellow Flag Line

          o Blue Flag Line

          o Ayutthaya Line (Weekend only)

    * Bangkok Noi Longtail Express Boat

          o Tha Chang-Bangkok Noi-Nonthaburi Line

          o Bangkok Noi-Pasee Charoen Line

    * Sathon-Klong Toei Express Boat

    * Sathon-Wat Dao Khanong Express Boat (Under testing)

    * Sathon-Samut Prakarn Express Boat (Under testing)

    * Khlong Pasee Charoen Express Boat (Under new testing)

    * Khlong Lardprao Express Boat (Under new testing)

    * Khlong Prem Prachakhon Express Boat (Under new testing)

    * Khlong Padung Krungkasem Express Boat (Under new testing)

    * BTS or Bangkok Skytrain

          o Sukhumvit Line

          o Silom Line

    * MRT or Bangkok Metro

          o Blue Line

          o Purple Line (Proposed)

          o Orange Line MRT (Planning)

          o Yellow Line MRT (Planning)

    * SRT or State Railway of Thailand

          o Northern Line-Don Muang Airport,Rangsit,Ayutthaya,Lopburi and beyond

          o Northeastern Line-Don Muang Airport,Rangsit, Ayutthaya,Saraburi and beyond

          o Eastern Line

          o Southern Line

          o Western Line

          o Red Line 1 or City Line(Under Construction)-Suvarnabhumi Airport

          o Pink Line or Suvarnabhumi Airport Link (Under Construction)-Suvarnabhumi Airport

          o Red Line 2 (Proposed)-Don Muang Airport and Rangsit

    * BRT (Bangkok) or Bus Rapid Transit

          o Chong Nonsi-Rama III Line (Under Construction)

          o Kaset-Nawamin Line (Planning)

    * BTS Links

          o IMPACT Link

          o BITEC Link (Occasion)

    * BMTA or Bangkok Bus

          o Zone 1

          o Zone 2

          o Zone 3

          o Zone 4

          o Zone 5

          o Zone 6

          o Zone 7

          o Zone 8

10. Crime

   Foreign residents and tourists alike complain of widespread scams and blatant price gouging. Elaborate gem store scams involving earning the trust of a Westerner who is in cooperation with locals have robbed tourists of thousands of dollars, but overcharging is more of a daily (or hourly) occurrence. Commission based profiteering is common for restaurants, hotels, and just about anything. Often petty theft accompanies prostitution and other crime, with many reports of laptops, mobile phones, cash, and other items of value stolen, and the lack of rule of law and police and business complicity complicate matters, as well as ubiquitous pawn shops where thieves can sell stolen goods with anonymity. Armed robbery and violence against tourists is rare but is common among university students, but murder cases involving tourists and long term foreign residents do occur. These days, since there is a dramatic increase in the number of illegal immigrant workers in Thailand, many of the crimes are committed by these illegal immigrants.  However Bangkok is generally considered safe from the standpoint of violent crime. Murders, muggings etc. rates are fairly low when compared to other large asian and international cities.

11. Current issues

   Bangkok has long been notorious for its massive traffic jams, which are still a serious problem. The recent construction of the elevated second-level expressways and of Bangkok Mass Transit System's (BTS) SkyTrains have eased the problem a little.

   Environmental issues such as air pollution, a large part of which is caused by the traffic and dirt left on streets from construction projects, is also a major problem. Industrial pollution has also contributed to poor air and water quality. Though sulfur dioxide and ozone levels have fallen substantially, PM (particulate matter) is still exceeds health standards. There have been efforts to clean up Bangkok's canals, many of which are dangerously polluted, through biological means - using water hyacinths, a plant commonly found in the waterways, to cleanse the water of pollutants. However, the large volume of trash in the canals must be cleaned out by other means. Mold growth is ubiquitous in Bangkok, as the tropical wet climate makes it grow, and many residents simply ignore it.

   As in many other Asian cities, the sale of illegally copied copyright-protected material, mostly software and DVD movies, is also widespread in Bangkok, but technically illegal. One of the most popular locations in Bangkok for purchasing unauthorized copies of software is Pantip Plaza. Although many "go through the motions" attempts have been made at cracking down on illegal copying over the years, as with the sex industry, police corruption and cooperation have made it largely ineffective and illegal copying of copyrighted material is still a booming business.

Another issue which has given the city a reputation is the sex industry. Prostitution in Thailand is technically illegal, but can be found all over Bangkok in vast numbers of massage parlors, saunas, parks, and hourly hotels, serving foreign tourists as well as locals. Organized sex work in Bangkok alone involves a minimum of many thousand workers, and possibly in the tens of thousands. Though Bangkok is far more affluent than many areas in Indochina, popular youth culture encourages easy money, paid sex is seen as a means of acquiring the best of capitalism and life has to offer. Vast numbers of locals fly to Europe on extended vacations with generally older men. Although in upcountry Thailand prostitution holds a strong stigma, in Bangkok locals, hotel workers, and officials often turn a blind eye towards such behavior and allow it to continue to flourish.

12. Culture

12.1 Media

   Bangkok has been heralded for decades for the amount of free press coverage in Asia. For long it has been the breeding ground of American democracy in Southeast Asia.

   There is an average of 4 million readers for more than 25 Bangkok based newspapers, the largest claiming to be Thai Rath one of the most acclaimed papers in Thailand. Bangkok also has two major English-language dailies, the Bangkok Post arguably the most famous, followed by The Nation. The Asian Wall Street Journal and International Herald Tribune are printed in Bangkok and receive high numbers of distribution. There are also a number of weekly publications normally published on Fridays that deal with political issues. Other publications, such as lifestyle and entertainment magazines are also plentiful. Hundreds line up in bookshops as people go about their interest in choosing them entitling Thailand as a "readers" country. Magazines has somewhat however taken over the new generation and youth of the past few decades turning to more Westernized publications handling issues such as fashion, the superstar life and glamour. There are large amounts of paparazzi magazines and fashion publications especially after the launch of the Bangkok Fashion City project in 2004. Since then, the Thai cable operator, United Broadcasting Corporation (UBC, or now called TrueVision) has launched a new Thai fashion channel devoted to Thai fashion as well as their Thai edition of E! Entertainment television.

   There are also a large amount of television media in Bangkok, 5 television stations operated by the government are based in Bangkok whilst the UBC cable operator also headquarters here. They broadcast a total of 50 channels to viewers with gold edition including many Thai television stations such MTV Thailand, iTV, 6 sports channels and Channel V and many more. Above this, there are more than 30 FM radio stations within the Bangkok metro vicinity and 50 AM channels including international brands as Virgin Radio. Radio stations mainly broadcast in Thai although some stations speak English throughout due to the growing expat population.

   There are a variety of ways to enjoy Bangkok through performances. Clubs featuring jazz and other live music line major districts of town, Victory Monument, along the entire Sukhumvit Skytrain line and in Phra Nakorn. Chalerm Krung Theater and the National Theater have been in operation since the early 20th century whereas the newer Thailand Cultural Center hosts a variety of plays and activities of recent.

   The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and Bangkok Opera are gradually earning recognition among international critics and regularly host performances of international performers. There are also a large amount of "cafes", or nightclubs, which host comedy acts, mainly suited for adults, along Rama IX Road, many great actors of Thailand have developed from these night time laugh shops.

   Bangkok has dozens of cinema multiplexes, and the city hosts two major film festivals annually, the Bangkok International Film Festival and the World Film Festival of Bangkok.

12.2 Arts

   Bangkok is home to the National Gallery of Thailand.

12.3 Nightlife

   As with many large cities in developing countries, a large proportion of wealth situated in one area causes that region to develop quickly. In the case of Thailand, this area is Bangkok. Bangkok, like nearby Pattaya, is notorious for some concentrations of massage parlours, go-go bars and karaoke places, with Patpong, Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza being the main areas catering to tourists. There are, however, many places to find a relaxing spot and enjoy one of Asia's most diverse cities. Bangkok offers a widely varied nightlife. There are Westernized clubs and cafes for the rich, and lower-cost bars and pubs that are very popular with the locals. The city's renowned district of Phra Nakhon is home to one of the world's very first international streets–Khao San Rd. A walking street, it allows visitors to see the diversity of the world on one single road where East meets West. Sukhumvit Road boasts some of Asia's most exclusive clubs and restaurants along the 5 km section between Ekamai and Withayu, with a number of activities available for the city's thousands of night owls.

12.4 Urban lifestyle

   Bangkok unlike other Eastern cities notable Tokyo, Beijing and Seoul, does not have as much a stressing gloom over the city. Although, it is one of Asia's most important cities economically, the urban pace of the city is somewhat relaxed. The city offers enormous amounts of getaway locations and secluded greenery meets urban sprawl. Most Bangkokians tend to stress over the amount of traffic in the city, peak hours are between 6:30am - 9:30am and 4:30pm - 8:00 at night on weekdays with Friday and Saturday days with all round traffic jams.

   A good number of Bangkokians leave town on weekends to visit seaside resorts such as Hua Hin and Pattaya. Others return home to visit elder relatives in Isan and Northern provinces. Bangkokian youth tend to stay within the city and use the weekends to relax and enjoy two free days from daily competitiveness. A good majority of them however do utilize Saturdays like their parents as a work day--a large amount of extra learning centers open on Saturdays as well as private tutors. It would not be unusual to see large groups of teenagers donning school uniforms on Saturdays, as with adults. Saturday is somewhat considered a work day to good number of Bangkokians. However, for the majority, people tend to use it as a day to run errands, meet friends and coworkers to discuss business and for the few, sightsee the many attractions that often are overlooked by Thais. For young Bangkokians, the most trendy spot would be considered Siam Square and other malls. Similar to many western countries, the urban lifestyle has taken over the youth of the nation, time would be spent at cafes, the movies and simply involving around friends as opposed to a family day. Young adults would pack the streets of Bangkok's known night club districts on Friday and Saturday nights.

   Religion does not play a very influential role in the capital as it would compared to other cities. However, there are still a good proportion of the population that remain devout and daily offer monks that walk in neighbourhoods their thankfulness and grant them necessities and food. Temples are not as packed on weekends as they would have 20 years ago as the western lifestyle takes over many urban city dwellers. Muslims are often either assimilated entirely by the Thai/Western culture or are devout to live in remote parts of town such as the Nong Chok district where tradition Thai Muslims still live.

Refer :

   "Bangkok." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 26 Apr 2007, 00:28 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 21 Jun 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bangkok&oldid=125996871>.