Major Cities of the World

Bangkok-Thailand

Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon for short, is the capital of and largest city in Thailand, with an official year 2000 census population of 6,355,144, but actually numbering at least twice that.[citation needed] Bangkok is located at 13°45'N 100°31'ECoordinates: 13°45'N 100°31'E, on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand.
Bangkok is the 22nd most populous city in the world. Although Bangkok now has roughly 7 million registered inhabitants, the actual population is much higher, and including commuters from the surrounding areas, may reach an estimated 10-15 million people during the day time. Recently, the value of Bangkok's economic output has matched that of Singapore, making Bangkok a major economic and financial center in Southeast Asia. Bangkok has one of the fastest rates in the world for construction of high rise buildings. The city's wealth of cultural sites makes it one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.
The Bangkok Province borders 6 other provinces: Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Chachoengsao, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Nakhon Pathom.

Geography and Climate
Bangkok province covers 1,568.7 km², making it the 68th largest province in Thailand. Much of the area is considered the city of Bangkok therefore making it one of the largest cities in the world. The Chao Phraya River which stretches 372 km is its main geographical feature along with being Thailand's longest river. The Chao Phraya River basin, the area surrounding Bangkok and nearby provinces are the series of plains and river deltas that lead into the Bay of Bangkok about 30 km south of Bangkok City Center. This has given rise to Bangkok's name as 'Venice of the East' due to the number of canals and passages that divide the area into separate patches of land. The city once used these canals which were so plentiful within Bangkok itself as divisions for city districts, however as the city grew in the second half of the 20th century to enormous extents, the plan was abandoned and a different division was uptaken.
Bangkok lies about 2 m above sea level. This low ground level causes problems for the protection of the city against floods during monsoon season. Often after a downpour, water in canals and the river overflow the banks, resulting in massive floods. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has recently installed higher planks alongside some canals to keep water levels from reaching street level. The Khlong Saen Saeb is perhaps one of the city's most notorious canals, the largest and most useful especially for commuting into the city. There are however some downsides for Bangkok's extensive canal routes, the city is rumored to be sinking an average of 2 inches a year as it lies entirely on a swamp. Some reports says that the city is sinking as much as 4 inches a year, and this combined with the sea level rising will leave Bangkok under 50 cm to 100 cm of water by 2025.
Bangkok has a tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification system. Bangkok is said to have the highest average temperature of any city in the world. Average temperatures in the city is about 2C higher than the one shown for the Don Muang Airport at 1960-1990 period. Absolute maxima is 40.8C and absolute minima is 10.0C. Coldest temperatures were recorded in January 1924,January 1955 and January 1974.


Tourism
Bangkok is considered to be one of the world's top tourist hotspots and is currently Asia's top tourist destination - the third in the world according to Travel and Leisure magazine. The city boasts some of the country's most visited historical venues such as the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, the various monuments and shopping malls. There are numerous projects to maintain Bangkok's historic sites such as the Rattanakosin area and river districts. Bangkok is Thailand's major tourist gateway, which means that the majority of foreign tourists arrive in Bangkok. An estimated 15 million foreigners arrive in Bangkok every year and many are lured back for a second visit due to the cheap cost of living and the quality of services provided.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Area is home to two capitals of Thailand's history, the short reign of King Taksin after the fall of Ayutthaya and the modern Bangkok, historically known as Rattanakosin. When King Taksin led his troops out of Ayutthaya and into Thon Buri, they took refuge in Wat Arun as the sun rose in the early morning. This pre-Thon Buri era structure, rises to 85 m and has held the status of tallest structure in Bangkok for longer than any other modern skyscraper.
Further up and across the river is the Grand Palace, this building dates back to 1782 and has housed Bangkok's monarchs for over 150 years. Up to the early 20th century and before the 1932 Revolution, the complex was key in Thai government: it included royal courts, administrative branches and was similar in layout to that of previous Thai capitals. Today, it is one of the most visited locations in Bangkok and within the complex is the Chakri Mahaprasat Hall, a European styled building with a traditional stucco Thai roof and Wat Phra Kaew, which houses the Emerald Buddha and is often considered the most important temple in Thailand.
Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, a 19th century styled building with a traditional Thai stucco roof, one of the marvels of the Grand PalaceAnother famous palace is Vimanmek Royal Mansion, the world's largest building made entirely of golden teak. Removed from Ko Sichang in Chonburi province, it was rebuilt in the Dusit Palace in 1900 by the command of King Rama V. It was recently renovated by HM Queen Sirikit, and made into a museum paying homage to the late King. As well as antique furniture, the Palace houses glassware, porcelain, old photographs and memorabilia from the late King's reign (1868 - 1910). Rooms are well maintained and are a good reminiscence of the past. Most of the compound is now a museum with guided tours available.