Bangkok, with 12 million populations, is the capital and also the biggest city in Thailand. Similar with Los Angeles in the U.S., it is also known as “city of angles” in Thai. Its fast growth modernization, which likes other fast-growing cities of developing countries, has decorated the city with many skyscrapers over the skyline and neon light flashing at night. Fortunately, although Thailand has gone through many incidents, either political riot or natural disaster that raise the instability of the society, Thailand’s beautiful historical sites and temples are preserved well and have become the cultural touch of its tourist attractions.

I have been to Bangkok once around 5.5 years ago.  I am not convinced that the Sky Bar, which is one of the most popular places to visit in Bangkok now, is worthwhile to spend 2.5 hours by plane from Singapore just for seeing the city skyline at night, so I am going to focus on the temples and historical buildings that is representative for Bangkok. Amid those numerous historical or religious sites in Bangkok, I would like to recommend the following places as the “must-go” ones that may not blow your mind away with modernity or advanced technology but may let you obtain some inner peace during your visit and be “wowed” by the delicate arts.

Grand Palace (Phra Boromma Maha Ratcha Wang)

Built in 1782, The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings, halls and pavilions at the Chao Phraya River bank. The total area is 218,400 square meters, about 30 soccer fields big. There are 22 (some say 28) buildings in this complex. It includes not only the residence for the kings of Siam (Thailand) since 1782, but also the government offices and another popular tourist attraction – the Chapel Royal of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo). Although there is only one government office left in the Grand Palace, and the current King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), moved out after his brother King Rama VIII who was assasinated there in 1946, many official events, royal ceremonies and national functions are still held inside the Palace every year.

Before going to the Grand Palace, make sure that you dress properly, meaning that your clothes have to be long-sleeved, your pants or skirt must be long enough to cover your legs, and no slippers or low-collar clothes are allowed. It is also better to wear shoes that cover your toes. We all know it is challenging to wear in such tire all day and walk around in a city that is famous for its warm weather. The alternatives are you can either wait in a long line to borrow and return the free clothes to cover yourself or to pay rent at stores nearby and save your time to more beautiful sceneries.

The architecture style of The Grand Palace encompasses different cultural touches from Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and even Britain. The Grand Palace is a beautiful combination of traditional Thai architecture, paintings, sculptures and decorations.

The Grand Palace ranks the 5^th among the 217 tourist attractions in Bangkok on TripAdvisor, but I would rank it as the 1^st place!

 The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo)

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaeo) is one of the buildings in The Grand Palace complex and was built in 1783. It locates in the northern side of The Grand Palace and is the temple for Thai royal families. As what is said on the name, Wat Phra Kaeo is famous for its precious emerald Buddha statue, and no one but the King is allowed to touch the statue. The King changes the cloak around the Buddha 3 times a year respectively in summer, winter, and rainy seasons, praying for fortune and wellness for the country.

As the most sacred and well-known temple in Thailand, it is not of my surprise that The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is full of people for most of the time, meaning that you should be prepared for some crowdedness, because not only tourists but religious local Thai also flourish to The Temple of Emerald Buddha every day. However, photos are not allowed taken inside the chapel. For your reference, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha ranks slightly higher than The Grand Palace at 4^th place on TripAdvisor.

Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho)

The statue of Buddha in this temple is not presented in a non-traditional way – the Buddha is lying with its one hand supporting its head, and the facial expression is relaxed with a grin. “Wat Pho” is the largest reclining Buddha statue and also the most Buddha images in the temple in Thailand and famous for its huge and gold-plated statue. This Buddha statue is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, much bigger than the Emerald Buddha. With such laid-back position, interestingly, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is actually an image that depicts the Buddha’s passing into Nirvana. Its eyes and feet are decorated with mother-of-pearl, and 108 characteristics of Buddha are carved in the feet.

With such a unique, laid-back position for the Buddha statue, the area of Temple of the Reclining Buddha is also the center of traditional Thai Massage. It is also considered the first public university in Thailand.

The temples in Bangkok tell the history of the city, or even the country. I hope you are not bored by the above Buddhism related introductions, and everyone can have time exploring some of the temples, and finally you may find out how religion is influencing the people in this country.

Medical Tourism in the World –
Medical tourism has been defined as the practice of traveling abroad or in another country to seek medical treatment. Hence, medical tourism is part of the tourism industry which definitely has a big impact on the economies of destination countries.

The first recorded instance of medical tourism dates back thousands of years to when Greek pilgrims travelled from all over the Mediterranean to the small territory in the Saronic Gulf called Epidauria. This territory was the sanctuary of the healing god Asklepios. Epidauria became the original travel destination for medical tourism.

Spa towns and sanatoriums may be considered an early form of medical tourism as well. Patients visited spas because they were places with supposedly health-giving mineral waters, treating diseases from gout to liver disorders and bronchitis.

World Medical tourism statistics revealed an anticipated growth of the industry from about $40 billion in 2004 to $100 billion by the year 2012. The estimate was made by the Confederation of India and the McKinsey Company.

Medical tourism in Thailand –
Thailand offers the best of both forms of Medical Tourism and Medical Tourism in Thailand is estimated to bring in close to $2 billion per year.
The number of medical tourists that come to Thailand has been steadily increasing since early 2000’s. As per statistics the Medical Tourist arrivals in 2009 reached approx. 1.4 million and is steadily rising (exceptional circumstances, such as the recent political unrest in the country and the natural flood disaster did however dent the flow of Medical tourists just as it affected the regular tourist arrivals into the country) . Despite these deterring circumstances Thailand is still placed amongst the top global medical tourism markets of the world and is regarded as a leading medical tourism destination in Asia.

The major reasons that have enabled Thailand to dominate this growing market are: Low cost of medical treatment, Quality treatment provided by hospitals and private clinics, and highly developed Tourism industry.
The national language of Thailand is Thai, but English is very widely spoken, particularly in establishments that cater to tourists. There are particularly a high number of service providers catering for Cancer treatment, Cardiology, Cosmetics, Dental, Eye, Hair transplant, Infertility, Neurology, Obesity, Orthopaedics and Spinal procedures .

Each treatment carries a general description along with information relating to the length of treatment or surgery, benefits, ideal candidates, planning, preparation, recovery and potential risks, complications and side effects. A similar level of detail is provided for all other major headings.

Destinations within Thailand for Medical Tourism –
Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Phuket and Rayong
The main sources for medical tourists in Thailand –
Japan, Middle East, US, China, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Australia

General guidelines for Medical Tourists seeking treatment –

Research –
It is important to conduct research about one’s own medical condition, potential complications of each treatment option and the recovery processes following particular medical treatments. Please read patient testimonials, compare different services, treatments, prices and credentials of various medical providers before selecting a doctor and/or hospital.

Process of selecting a Hospital and Doctor –
Trust and personal comfort are important factors in the decision making. It is important to ask the right questions about the treatment being considered especially the competency of the physician and potential alternatives or complications. Because this decision is an important one, it is best to avoid dealing with medical service providers who act impatiently or unsympathetically.

It is important to get accurate information not only about the hospital facilities and the physician who will perform the treatment but also the costs involved and the time frame for scheduling your treatment and recovery process.

It is advisable to make sure one will be under medical supervision for as long as is necessary to ensure that potential complications are no longer a threat to your health.

Many medical holiday packages may offer enticingly brief hospital stays, but one should be aware of the recommended times necessary for a physician or surgeon to confidently discharge a patient who has undergone medical treatment. Hospitals and physicians are often unfamiliar with the logistics of arranging travel plans before and after medical treatment and may unknowingly schedule follow up appointments for dates that are unreasonable for those traveling on a medical holiday.

Consequently, it may be advantageous to use a medical travel broker who is familiar with such issues, provided they take into account proper safety concerns.

it is important to do adequate research about one’s desired medical treatment and potential medical facility or physician.

Asking the right questions and medical appointments–
Major hospitals in Bangkok have 24 hour emergency rooms, but doctors’ appointments should be scheduled between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm, Monday – Friday. Some larger hospitals offer off-hours and weekend services. A number of Hospitals feature internet appointment scheduling while others continue to rely on telephone or walk-in scheduling. Depending on the nature of one’s medical condition and the treatments being considering, it is advisable to contact a hospital several weeks to several months in advance to guarantee a treatment from the doctor one prefers for treatment.
Personal safety is of utmost importance, so one needs to make sure to prepare adequately and not be afraid to ask tough questions regarding the physician’s skills or the potential complications that may arise during or after a medical procedure.

Initial travel into Thailand –
After deciding upon which doctor and hospital, and having made an appointment one could:

1. Schedule return air travel, reserve accommodation, and book tour packages. Make sure to give plenty of time to rest post treatment, and take this into consideration when booking return flight. Patients with heart problems, in particular, should not fly immediately after treatment.

2. Contact the hospital to determine what medical information/documents they will require and prepare these documents as well as the following documents that one should keep conveniently located while traveling to Thailand.

Emergency contacts, including relatives, friends and one’s home physician:
1.Map of the locations and telephone numbers of one’s home embassy in Thailand, the hospital where one will receive medical treatment and the hotel at which one is intending to stay.
2.Copies of passport, air tickets, medical prescriptions and other essential medical paperwork.

Post treatment care –
After the medical treatment, there are a number of options for post-treatment recovery period. Depending on the level of care and follow up required, one may opt to remain in the area where the treatment was provided to schedule follow up examinations at the hospital. If possible, one may also take advantage of time in Thailand to do some shopping, visit a spa or check out some of the country’s cultural or historical attractions.
Those undergoing dentistry or cosmetic surgeries that are less invasive may choose to travel around Thailand to participate in various activities such as golf or visit one of Thailand’s spectacular beaches and islands or mountain retreats, which are ideal for rest and relaxation.

Whatever medical treatments one opts to undergo, there are numerous options for post-treatment therapeutic care as well as a wide variety of recreational activities, allowing one to make the most of a medical holiday in Thailand.

Healthcare System in Thailand –
There are approximately 400 hospitals in Thailand offering advance healthcare services. The country takes pride in having the largest private hospital in Asia, as well as having the first Asian hospital to receive the ISO 9001 certification and JCI accreditation. To date, 14 hospitals in Thailand have been accredited by the JCI.

Thailand’s Medical tourism industry is largely driven by private hospitals. Thai doctors are attracted to the international hospitals as they can earn as much as 70% more than in the public hospitals.

Leading the list are the Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok Hospital Group, and Samitivej Hospitals. These hospitals are widely becoming renowned globally. They are known to cater mostly to foreign patients and have been actively seeking medical tourists since 2004 or earlier. Around 30-50% of the patients in these hospitals are foreigners, due to the fact that, to a greater extent, they find the hospitals cheaper than that of their home countries. However, most Thai locals still find the prices in these hospitals too costly.

Medical treatments offered in Thailand –
Thailand’s world-class medical facilities offer a wide variety of medical treatments and procedures. Whether one is looking for cosmetic surgery, dermatology, dental work, a medical check-up or more invasive medical procedures such as orthopaedic or cardiovascular surgery, Thailand’s hospitals and clinics have qualified doctors and surgeons using state-of-the-art equipment while offering first-class service.

Popular treatments –
More popular Medical treatments and procedures include the following -Cosmetic / plastic surgery, Dermatology, Dental, Lasik, Holistic/ Anti-aging, sex reassignment surgery, medical check-ups, and Orthopaedic surgeries.

Cosmetic / plastic surgery –
Thailand offers a wide variety of cosmetic procedures for both men and women. Cosmetic surgery, including breast augmentation, implants, reductions and lifts are performed in both Thai hospitals and specialized clinics. Botox injections, facelifts and eyelid surgery are also common procedures performed by experienced Thai doctors, as are rhinoplasty (‘nose jobs’), abdominoplasty (‘tummy tucks’), hair transplants and liposuction. In addition to information about the aforementioned procedures, the hospitals and clinics also include treatments such as chin augmentation, lip augmentation and ear pinning.

Dermatology –
Dermatology is a well-developed medical specialization widely practiced among doctors in Thailand, and is very popular with Thais who look to take good care of their skin. Often trained abroad and employing the latest techniques and applications, skilled doctors and specialists operate in environmentally controlled clinics in both private and public hospitals, with entire wings in several large hospitals dedicated exclusively to dermatology.

Treatments commonly received by medical tourists in Thailand include Botox, cellulite treatment, dermabrasion (skin refreshing), chemical peel, laser skin resurfacing, facial revival & nourishment, facial lines correction, skin rejuvenation, skin pores tightening, blemish removal, as well as Ultherapy anti-aging face-lifting using noninvasive ultrasounds to lift skin and stimulate collagen.

Dental –
Thailand is one of the world’s leading destinations for medical tourists seeking dental treatment. Because of the high degree of skill, professional service, reasonable prices and advanced technology found in Thailand’s dental clinics and hospitals, tourists from many countries take advantage of seeking dental care during their vacation.

Thailand offers international patients a wide variety of treatments including laser teeth whitening, composite and porcelain dental veneers, crowns, implants, dentures, bridges, and fillings at clinics all around the country.

Lasik –
Lasik, an innovative type of vision corrective eye surgery is offered to people suffering from near-sightedness, farsightedness, myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism.

Holistic treatment –
Holistic health is concerned with integrating all aspects of one’s life into a healthy whole. For example, rather than prescribing a bag of pills, a holistic practitioner would meet and discuss all the different elements of a person’s life before making any recommendations. These recommendations often focus on the integration of a person’s lifestyle, diet, fitness and stress management procedures.

Sex Reassignment Surgery –
Thailand is one of the leading centers in the world for sexual reassignment surgery. Both male to female and female to male surgeries can be performed in Thailand by some of the most experienced surgeons in the field and at costs much lower than in western countries. Treatments offered include breast augmentation, facial feminizing, body contouring and gender reassignment surgery, all of which are performed by surgeons utilizing some of the most advanced techniques in the field. The surgical discipline is part of a treatment regime for gender identity disorder/gender dysphoria in transsexual and transgender people, and the range of treatments include sex reconstruction surgery, genital reconstruction surgery, gender confirmation surgery, as well as feminizing genitoplasty or penectomy, orchidectomy, vaginoplasty and masculinizing genitoplasty for trans men.

Orthopedic surgeries –
Foreign patients fly to Thailand to get different kinds of orthopaedic procedures. Many orthopaedic surgeons in Thailand have been trained overseas and equipment used for the procedures are assured to be modern and innovative, including the Computer Assisted Surgery (CAS) Micro Invasive Surgery (MAS). Common orthopaedic surgeries that take place in Thailand are hip and knee replacement, as well as spine surgeries.

Medical check-up programs–
Medical check-up programs are a growing trend in the global medical tourism market. These programs are recommended for everyone, and the frequency would depend on the patient’s age and condition. They are particularly recommended for patients in their 40’s or 50’s. Every major hospital in Thailand has inclusive check-up packages.

General treatments in include the following –
Cardiovascular, ENT, Liver & digestion, Diabetes, Bone marrow and stem cell therapy, radiology, pulmonary treatment, spine, fertilization, neurology and breast cancer program

Medical providers in Thailand–

Hospitals –
Hospitals and other medical facilities in Thailand pride themselves on their high standards, and many have subjected their premises and systems to the most rigorous classification by applying for accreditation and certification, whereby a qualified standards organization – distinct from the healthcare organization under review – assesses the hospital or facility to determine if it meets a set of standards and requirements designed to improve the quality of patient care.

This voluntary process provides a tangible and visible commitment by the hospital to continually ensure a safe environment for its patients and staff.

Top Hospitals for Medical Tourism in Thailand –

Bumrungrad International :
Bumrungrad International is known to have excellent facilities for medical tourists. It attracts more foreign patients than any other hospital in the world. Over half of the hospital’s doctors have international training and/or board certification, including 200 who are US board certified.

Bangkok Hospitals Group:
The Bangkok Hospital Group is a leading group of hospitals with specialized services for overseas patients. It has a network of 15 hospitals scattered all over Thailand. The Bangkok International Hospital in Bangkok tops the list. It has an International Medical Centre which caters especially for medical tourists, and is completely employed with multilingual interpreters. It even has a Japanese Medical Centre with Japanese speaking physicians and nurses.

Samitivej Hospitals:
The Samitivej Hospitals are a well-known chain in Thailand. The group has expanded and developed world class healthcare facilities, including 3 JCI accredited hospitals. Samitivej Hospitals are equipped with advanced medical equipment that compares to the hospitals in the North America and Europe.

Cost of Medical Treatment in Thailand

Accreditations –
Thailand was the first country in Asia to achieve JCI accreditation in 2002, and 17 hospitals are now accredited. Hospitals and other medical facilities in Thailand pride themselves on their high standards, and many have subjected their premises and systems to the most rigorous classification by applying for accreditation and certification whereby a qualified standards organization – distinct from the health care organization under review – assesses the hospital or facility to determine if it meets a set of standards and requirements designed to improve the quality of patient care. This voluntary process provides a tangible and visible commitment by the hospital to continually ensure a safe environment for its patients and staff. This is also one of the major reasons why International Medical Tourists (largely from developed countries) feel a sense of safety and security in trusting the foreign doctors and hospitals with their bodies and lives.
Prestigious Medical Accreditation such as JCI has proven their value in public and private organizations of all sizes in Europe, South America, Asia, and the Middle East.

They ensure:
1. Coverage from patient entry to discharge, assessing the quality of patient care from the time a patient enters a facility to discharge and utilizing this data to plan and implement changes that create optimal care.
2. Assessment for all aspects of management to bring efficiency and best practices to all phases of management, from clarity of leadership’s responsibility and accountability to critical facility management.
3. Two Levels of Compliance – Measurement of performance against both the core requirements needed to achieve accreditation and additional standards that lead organizational best practice levels.
4. Creation of a culture of patient safety, implementing standards that focus on patient safety and risk reduction in clinical processes.

Boutique hotels in Bangkok, like their counterparts everyone, encompass a wide variety of styles, decors, sizes, and themes. Bangkok has historically had a very high number of budget travelers and thus the development of lower end boutique hotels and hostels catering to young travelers began very naturally. Transient neighborhoods such as Khao San Road and nightlife districts such as Ratchadapisek developed small independent boutique hotels early on and many other areas of the city follow soon after.

Today there are a substantial number of low and high end independent boutique hotels, such as the Hansar Bangkok Hotel, the Shanghai Mansion, or The Praya Palazzo, and Siam Heritage Hotel. These small hotels and hostels offer unique designs and themes; sometimes in line with Thai history and culture, some technologically advanced and streamlined, and others catering to the hip partying scene. These small independent hotels have been followed by larger boutique hotels, such as Luxx XL, On8 Sukhumvit, and Siam@Siam, which distinguish themselves in design and service, but cater to a larger customer base because they have more rooms and amenities.

Most recently and in the years to come, international brands will be opening boutique hotels, such us The So by Accor, W by Starwood, and Renaissance and Edition by Marriott. These hotels are arriving with the continued rise of Bangkok as an international business hub. They will cater to the younger business traveler as opposed to the transient backpackers or partygoer.

Thailand is very well known for its hospitality industry, both for business or leisure travel. There are modern cities in Thailand, such as Bangkok, as well as paradise beaches, such as Pattaya. It seems that you would never feel bored if you have a chance to explore this exotic and friendly country.

Thailand had gone through hardships historically which made the country culturally richer. In this report, I will discuss the evolution, the growth, and struggles of tourism industry in Thailand. Though Thailand has faced with numerous adversities throughout its history, the future of this country is brighter than ever before.

The evolution of tourism

During 1960s, Thailand became  a tourist hotpot because of Vietnam War. Due to the stable political atmosphere, many US soldiers and veterans visited Thailand for Rest and Recuperation (R&R).

However, Vietnam War was not the only reason that Thailand began to function as a star in the hospitality industry. Many other factors induced Thailand to become more and more popular. The reasons are as follows:

1.  The favorable geographic position and the stable political condition of Thailand.

Besides support from the US, Thailand had very stable political atmosphere, and Bangkok functioned as an international air hub during the Vietnamese War..  The good geographic position and condition of Thailand itself brought  a lot of demand.

2.   International mass tourism had increased rapidly during the same period.

At the same time, global economy had grown steadily. People had more money and time than ever before. Moreover, technology and all the other relevant conditions were improved. People not only had money and time, they also were able to travel further, cheaper, and faster.

The demand increased rapidly and boosted growth of Thailand’s hospitality industry.

Stable Growth with Many Competitions

The flourishing period in tourism of Thailand was not only a nine day’s wonder. After the initial period, Thailand tourism grew stably. Tourist numbers had grown more than ten percent per year from 1980 to 1987. From 1967 to 2007, the number of international tourists had increased by 360 percent..  Not only international tourists loved to visit Thailand, domestic tourism bloomed as well.

Meanwhile, tourism industry in Thailand was not always growing smoothly without any obstacle. People who enjoyed travelling in Thailand were mainly drawn by its unique Asian culture. However, during 1980s and 1990s, since Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam opened their tourism markets as well, Thailand faced increasing challenges and competition with those countries.

In order to attract people to visit Thailand continuously and compete with those countries, Thailand began to target various niche markets, such as golf holidays, or medical treatment trip. Besides, in 2000, Leonardo Dicaprio made a film shooting in Maya Bay. This probably was one of the best and effective advertising for Thailand tourism during this period.

The Struggle with Natural and Man-made Disaster

Unfortunately, it is impossible that Thailand tourism be flourishing forever.

In 2004, tsunami blew Thailand hospitality industry seriously and killed over 5,000 people, half of whom were tourists.

After Thailand recovered from the short disaster, Thailand faced a coup d’etat in 2006. Though the coup was short, international travelers became less willing to travel to Thailand due to the unstable political environment. After the coup, the political environment remained unstable, and UDD and PAD opposed to each other for a long time with even occupying street and government armed suppression. This conflict continued till 2010.

In 2009, H1N1 and the recession impacted the hospitality industry seriously.  To make matters worse, flood attacked Thailand in 2011, and it took a while for the country to recover from the disaster. Few days ago, there were two bombings in a busy area of Bangkok.

Thailand still has its charming features to attract tourist. However, how to recover from the continuous disasters might be the priority to restore its tourism industry to life.

References:
Salguero, C. Pierce, Traditional Thai Medicine: Buddhism, Animism, Ayurveda, Hohm Press, 2007
Wikipedia-Thai massage
Thai Spa Association-http://thaispaassociation.com/
All about-Japan magazine-http://allabout.co.jp/gm/gc/20545/
Amazing THAILAND-Tourism Authority of Thailand-http://www.thailandtravel.or.jp/activity/massage.html
Youtube-Thai Spa, Asian Downunder -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-p76UMaQBQ&feature=player_embedded
All Images are taken from Google image search

Before landing to Bangkok, I would like to share history of Thailand and background of Bangkok. 

Thailand Overview

Named as Siam until 1939, the Kingdom of Thailand was officially established in the mid-14th century.  Thailand is situated in the centre of Southeast Asia. Thailand shares borders with the Laos People’s Democratic Republic and the Union of Myanmar to the North, the Kingdom of Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand to the East, the Union of Myanmar and the Indian Ocean to the West, and Malaysia to the south.

The total land area in Thailand is approximately 513,120 square kilometres, which is considered the world’s 51^th largest country. The number of Thai population is about 67 million people, updated as of July 2011, the world’s 20^th largest country in terms of population.

The population of Thailand consists of 75 percent Thais, 14 percent Chinese, 3 percent Malays and 8 percent of minority groups, such as the Mons, Khmers and other hill tribes. The official language is Thai but English is widely spoken. The primary religion of the Thai population is Buddhism, approximately 94.6 percent. Muslims, the second largest religious group at about 4.6 percent, are mostly concentrated in the southern part of Thailand such as Narathivas, Pattani and Yani provinces.  Only 0.7 percent of the total Thai population are Christian.

Thailand is divided into 77 provinces and subsequently into districts. The capital of Thailand, Bangkok, and Pattaya are considered special governed districts. Thailand has distinctive geological features.

In the Northern part, almost 70 percent of the area is mountainous with the highest point at Doi Inthanon , rising 2,565 metres above sea level. The major city is Chiang Mai, the economic, cultural and educational centre in the North. During November until the end of February, the temperature of the northern part is normally lower than other regions in Thailand.

In the Northeast, the areas are mostly high plateau and cover one third of the whole area of the country. The Mekong River is on the east which is considered as the border between Thailand and Laos. The major cities of this region are Nakhon Ratchasima, the center for land transportation in this region. Ubon Ratchathani and Nong Khai are the gateway to Laos.

In The Central region, the areas are dominantly flat plain with the Chao Phraya River running through the Gulf of Thailand. Hence, the main agricultural areas in this region are the three large basins of the Chao Phraya, Pasak, and Bang Pakong rivers. The location of Metropolitan Bangkok, the capital city, is also located at the Central region. Suphan Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan, and Ayutthaya are the industrial cities in response to the expansion of Bangkok.

In the southern part, it consists of the narrow Kra Isthmus in Ranong and Chumphon. This region is connecting with the Malay Peninsula and Malaysia in the south. It also separates the narrow coastal plains along the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. The major cities are Phuket, Songkra, and Nakhon Si Thammarat. Industries include Para rubber plantations, oil palm plantations, fishing and fish processing. The weather in this region is mostly rainy, tropical and high humidity.

HISTORY OF BANGKOK OVERVIEW

Thailand was firstly established by the Sukhothai Kingdom in 1238. During the Sukhothai period, it prospered in art, culture, and trade. The Thai alphabet was firstly developed. Sukhothai was governed in the style of “the Father of the Town,” or paternal kingship, and was ruled by nine consecutive kings. The Sukhothai Kingdom lasted approximately two centuries until it was merged with the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1438.

The Ayutthaya Kingdom was established from 1350 to 1767. During this time, the Ayutthaya kingdom was expanding its power over nearby territories. Ayutthaya completely defeated the Khmer and merged with the Sukhothai Kingdom. Unlike Sukhothai, Ayutthaya was governed in the divinity of the monarchy. The Portugal was the first country to establish a relationship and to trade with Ayutthaya. There was also trade with China, Holland, Japan, and England. The wealth gained from trade with foreign countries resulted in progress with the help of new technology in architecture, medicine, astronomy, and military affairs. Throughout 417 years, the Ayutthaya Kingdom collapsed because of internal conflict and finally the Burmese invasion in 1767. After the fall of Ayutthaya, the kingdom was still in turmoil and Ayutthaya was beyond renovation. Hence, the city was moved from Ayutthaya to Thonburi in 1767.  Only after 15 years, Thonburi was collapsed because of disorder.

In 1782, King Rama I, founder of the Chakri Dynasty, began Rattanakosin Period by moving the capital from Thonburi  to the new capital, named Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok), or the City of Angels.

King Rama I modeled Bangkok after the former capital of Ayutthaya, with the Grand Palace, Front Palace and royal temples by the river, next to the royal field. Continuing outwards were the royal court of justice, royal stables and military prison. Government offices were located within the Grand Palace, while residences of nobles and then commoners spread outwards from the city centre.

Since then much of Bangkok’s history has been dominated by the constant renovation of the old temples, palaces, and monuments in the city, as in Thailand it is the divine responsibility of the king to maintain Buddhism. 

In the 19^th century, the British conquered Burma whereas the French took Siam’s formal vassal states, Laos and Cambodia. Due to the diplomacy of King Rama IV and V, who conceded territorial claims in exchange for independence, the two western powers accepted Siam as a buffer state between them. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power.

In the reign of King Rama IV and V, there were much development and modernization in Bangkok and Thailand. The city’s first paved street was completed and proceeded to construct new city roads, developing a railway line connect to the north of Bangkok as well creating a tramway. In addition, there was gradual increase of foreigners into Bangkok, missionaries and traders who came from many Europe and North America countries. By 1860 many traders had formed economic alliances and treaties with Bangkok.

By 1900, rural market zones in Bangkok began developing into residential districts. The Memorial Bridge was constructed in 1932 to connect Thonburi to Bangkok which was believed to promote economic growth in a period when infrastructure was developing considerably.

On 24 June 1932, Phibul Songgram, an ambitious junior army officer, and Pridi Phanomyang, a French-educated civilian and leader of the secret People’s Party, staged a bloodless coup d’etat. Since then, Thailand changed from an absolute monarchy system to a democratic power system with the king as a leader of the country. The present king is King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty.

The renovation of the old temples and building of new ones have been the characteristic tradition of the Kingdom up to the present day. The history of Bangkok is depicted in all important palaces, temples, building, and monuments.

Its just 7 days for the Master class and I know that all of us are super excited.. It’ll be great to be back together as a class again…. I personally plan to be in Bangkok by Saturday and am keen to take a short trip to someplace close to the city..

Having Eddie as my internship buddy proved to be super-beneficial… as not only was he awesome to work with but I also got some really great tips about Bangkok!

If you have some time either before or after the master class here is a list of few places that would be worth visiting closer to Bangkok; (listed by the approx travelling time from Bangkok)

Ayutthaya – 42 mins     Amphawa – 1.5 hrs     Pattaya – 2hrs    Ratchaburi – 2 hrs     Rayong –2 hrs

Ayutthaya – Ancient capital city of Thailand and is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Great place to visit if you like old temples and biking.. The city was destroyed by Burmese invaders and the ruins are relatively close to each other.. the city holds a lot of history in it!

Most blogs and websites pitch it as a great alternative to Sukhothai; which is 7 hours away and is also famous for it ruins..

Amphawa – the famous floating market of Thailand… Apart from eating awesome food and bargain hunting for souvenirs and artsy-crafty stuff you can also look forward to enjoy the museum of Thai desserts, take a long-tail boat tour and visit the Wat Bang Kung (mysterious-looking chapel covered by giant Bhodi trees)

Pattaya – probably the most popular destination outside Bangkok.. Notorious for its night-time attractions! However the city is trying hard to slowly move away from its “image” and reinventing itself as a family-oriented destination. The “Walking Street” is quite famous as are its beaches that offer water activities to keep one busy.. Also you can visit the Ripley’s museum if you have time to kill!!

Ratchaburi – a must visit destination for first time visitors’ to Thailand, a much more touristy equivalent to Amphawa; Ratchaburi is famous for its floating market (am sure you saw that coming!)

Although besides Damnoen Saduak (the floating market), a trip to Ratchaburi means going back to nature. Ridden with bat caves, mountain ranges, waterfalls and natural hot springs, the city offers a host of opportunities for exploration and sightseeing. Suan Pheung, a sleepy border town with a beautiful mountainscape and a handful of Mediterranean-inspired destination resorts, has sprung up on the tourist map as a place in which to get away from it all.

Rayong –  Think of picture perfect beaches, breathtaking panoramas of pristine forests and awesome seafood… Well that’s what Rayong has instore for you and more. Apart from 5 awesome beaches the inland is peppered with fruit orchards, forest temples, scenic waterfalls and the lush forest of Khao Chamao National Park.

In the next blog on the same topic Swati will cover some more cities..

Hua Hin – 3 hours

Lopburi – 3 hrs

Suan Phung – 3 hour

Kanchanaburi – 5 hours

Ko Chang – 6 hrs

If any of these places interest you – let me know and I can help you with more details.. (ofcourse my main sources of information will still be Donn, Lali, Eddie and the Lonely Planet!!)

I have been eating my way through Bangkok since I first moved here in 2002.  Despite the staggering amount of time my girlfriend and I have spent navigating sois, malls, and hotels in search of the next great meal, I can honestly say that we’ve only scratched the surface of what the city has to offer.  Bangkok’s food scene is characterized by abundance and variety.  Whether you enjoy sweating it out on a greasy metal table at the side of a noisy street or desire white gloved pampering at a fine dining venue with a great view, Bangkok has something for everyone and at every price point.  In general, meals in Bangkok cost only a fraction of what it costs to dine in the other great food cities of the world.  This allows residents and visitors alike to enjoy eating out regularly and to try new things.    

With so many options, new visitors may find it difficult deciding where to focus their attention.  In this blog, I will introduce the influences of Bangkok’s food scene and discuss the latest developments and trends.  In between, I’ll suggest some of my favorite places (in bold). 

Influences

Several factors help to make Bangkok’s food scene so amazing. Together they allow the city of angels to firmly hold its place as one of the world’s greatest food destinations. 

First, Bangkok is blessed with an abundance of fresh, high quality ingredients, most of which are sourced from nearby provinces allowing chefs to have easy access to hydroponic or organic vegetables, tropical fruits, jungle produce, herbs and spices, meats, poultry, freshwater creatures, and seafood from both the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. 

Second, Bangkok is a major hub for international trade in Southeast Asia.  What isn’t available locally is easily imported from anywhere in the world. Daily shipments of delicacies such as Parma ham, French foie gras, Australian Wagyu beef, sashimi-grade fish from Japan’s Tsukiji fish market, Maine lobsters, Normandy butter, and exotic cheeses arrive in Bangkok destined to be served at the city’s finest restaurants.  Rising levels of wealth have raised demand for these foods along with the expectations of Bangkok’s diners.  Thus fine dining menus continue to grow more sophisticated to cater to Thais’ evolving tastes.  While prices at these restaurants have also risen accordingly, they are still generally less than comparable meals in other large international destinations.

Third, Bangkok is Thailand’s largest city.  This makes it the natural gathering place for Thais from all parts of the country that come to find work and experience a more cosmopolitan lifestyle.  As a result of the influx of millions of migrant workers, Bangkok’s food scene is heavily influenced by the regional tastes of the urban laboring class.  In Bangkok, diners can enjoy all of Thailand’s regional cuisines including the most popular ones: Esarn (Northeastern), Lanna (Northern), and the Malay Muslim-influenced flavors of the Deep South.   Particularly worth mentioning is the influence if Esarn cuisine.  Its specialties include som tum (papaya salad), larb (a minced meat salad with crushed rice powder), sticky rice, charcoal grilled chicken, and Esarn sausage.  Esarn dishes are commonly sold on Bangkok’s streets (because they provide cheap nourishment to laborers) but are also found in Bangkok’s trendiest eateries.  Esarn cuisine is often the first taste of Thailand that visitors fall in love with.  Consequently Esarn dishes have made their way onto the menus of Thai restaurants worldwide. 

Lastly, the influence of foreigners who have settled in Thailand is worth mentioning.  The original immigrants were the Chinese and Indian merchants who arrived centuries ago.  Many Bangkokians have some Chinese ancestry (particularly Southern Chinese- Teochew, and to a lesser extent Hakka, Cantonese, Hokkien, and Hainanese).  Thus the city’s culinary landscape includes a lot of outstanding Chinese restaurants, particularly in the Yaowaraj district (Bangkok’s Chinatown) and Bangkok’s top hotels.  A lot of Bangkok’s “Thai” foods borrow ingredients (such as rice noodles and oyster sauce) and culinary techniques (such as wok frying) from Chinese cuisine.  The influence of the Indians on the food culture is also profound.  The most obvious manifestation is in Thai curries.  Today authentic Indian food can still be found by exploring the back alleys of the Pahurat district.

More recent foreigners who have had a major impact on Bangkok’s food scene are the Europeans and the North Asians.  Recent waves of new residents from Europe have brought a renaissance for European flavors in the city.  A decade ago, the predominant European cuisine was generic Italian, possibly followed by classic French.  Today, diners can experience regional Italian cuisines focused on places such as Tuscany, Sardinia, Capri, and Piemonte.  French food has evolved into the cuisine nouvelle style which is lighter in textures, less dominated by heavy sauces, and incorporates more global flavors.  Additionally there are German-style beer halls (the most famous is Tawandang German Brewery), Swiss fondue eateries, Spanish Tapas bars, Lebanese restaurants, and Irish pubs. 

The North Asian influence is the latest story in Bangkok’s culinary scene.  While Japanese cuisine has always been popular with Bangkokians due to decades of Japanese expats and their families being stationed in Bangkok, recently the Japanese offerings have gone in two different directions.  On the high end, new restaurants such as Honmono Grand (Soi Pipat North Sathorn) are becoming more lavish mixing elegant minimalist design, elaborate food presentation, and high quality imported ingredients.  On the mid to lower end, ramen bars, curry shops (such as Coco Ichibanya) and Japanese confectionary shops (such as Beard Papa and Hokkaido Soft) have flourished.  The best place to try Japanese food is in luxury hotels, high end shopping malls such as Siam Paragon and Central World Plaza, or in the Japanese enclaves of Sukhumvit Soi 24, and Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thonglor).  Korean food has also exploded onto the culinary scene in the last decade thanks to a growing number of Korean immigrants as well as Thai’s love of Korean TV dramas.  In addition to Korea town which is situated at Sukhumvit Soi 12, excellent yakiniku, bibimbap, and chiges can be sampled at Korean restaurants throughout the city. 

Trends and Developments 

The arrival of the high end mall and lifestyle mall

Ever since Siam Paragon opened its doors in late 2005, followed shortly thereafter by Central World Plaza, Bangkok has been on a retail building boom.  Together Paragon and Central World ushered in a new era of retail in Bangkok, completing the shopping superblock spanning the stretch from National Stadium BTS station all the way to the Chitlom BTS station.  At one time these two malls made the list for top ten largest malls in the world.  But for adventurous diners, the main significance is that these two malls marked the arrival of numerous international restaurant concepts including lesser known western fast food and regional chains (the big ones like McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, and Subway have been long established in Bangkok).  It also celebrated the coming of age for many mom and pop operations and homegrown restaurant chains like MK Suki and Fuji Japanese that graduated to the big leagues when they won bids to set up shop in these malls.  The bottom floor of Siam Paragon and the top two floors of Central World continue to be some of the most prolific when it comes to introducing trend setting eateries in Bangkok.  Bangkokians love their malls.  Probably because outside is so hot and traffic is so bad that they like to be in places where they can get their food, shopping, and entertainment all under one roof.  Most recently, Krispy Kreme Donuts famously opened at Paragon in 2010 to hour-long queues. The lines no longer wrap around the block but you can still expect a fair amount of waiting.

With the success of the dining venues at Paragon and Central World, other existing malls were forced to revamp and upgrade their culinary offerings to stay competitive.  Today the mall-based eatery trend continues into new developments such as Terminal 21 at Asoke and Central Rama 9.  It can also be seen in the development and success of neighborhood “lifestyle malls” such as J-Avenue (Thonglor Soi 15) and K-Village (Sukhumvit Soi 26) which feature chic and trendy dining concepts that resemble boutique-styled off-shoots of the mall-based chains.

The Buffet Wars

Anyone who has ever spent a significant amount of time in Bangkok will realize that Bangkokians love their hotel buffets.  In particular, they love weekend buffets at 5-star hotels where they can lazily eat for hours with their families to forget about a week spent slaving away in an office or a nodding off in a Bangkok traffic jam.  In recent years, the buffets have been getting more and more lavish to meet the increasingly sophisticated tastes of Thai customers.  It is almost an arms race of sorts as hotels try to outdo each other as to who will have the best buffet in town.  Common items seen on Bangkok’s luxury super buffets include Fine de Claire Oysters, Wagyu Beef, Caviar, Foie Gras, Spiny Lobsters, River Prawns, Australian Lamb, Prime Rib, Roast Duck, Sushi and Sashimi bars, Tempura stations, Alaskan King Crab, etc…  This is on top of numerous salads, appetizers, Asian and Western entrees, pasta stations, dim sum, noodle stations, cheese boards, and exquisite dessert spreads complete with exotic fruits, ice creams, and chocolate fountains.  Amazingly for this level of quality, a brunch or dinner buffet will set you back anywhere between 1,500 to 3,000 baht per person.  I’ve sampled my way through most of the top buffets in town and can honestly say that the following are worth every baht you spend and calorie you swallow:  Lord Jim (Mandarin Oriental), Dining Room (Grand Hyatt Erawan), Marriott Café (JW Marriott), Rain Tree Café (Plaza Athenee), and Espresso (Intercontinental).

 

An Advertisement for Espresso's weekend buffet (Intercontinental Bangkok)

Coffee or Tea?

Bangkok did not traditionally have a coffee or tea drinking culture.  Thais like their drinks sweet; not bland or bitter.  That’s why Thai Iced coffee and Thai Iced Tea are the way they are.  That’s also why the working class pick-me-up of choice is the syrupy energy drink known as Kratingdaeng (Red Bull) and its legion of imitators… Yes, Red Bull was invented in Thailand!  The drinking of gourmet coffee and tea did not take hold until the most recent decade with the arrival of Starbucks and Au Bon Pain.   Around the same time, Illy and Lavazza were introduced from Italy and the lifestyle café concept quickly took hold.  Today working professionals fuel up on their “tall nonfat soy caramel something or other” as they rush to work and university students have figured out that MacCafe is a good place to do some homework while waiting for friends at the mall.  The most recent arrival is high end New York-based coffee shop Dean and Deluca, which just opened its second Bangkok location. 

While a lot of the developments in coffee and tea culture here have focused on busy office workers, on the opposite end of the spectrum there is renewed interest in the art of afternoon tea.  My two favorite places for afternoon tea are the Author’s Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental and the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Erawan.  They feature imported coffees and teas served with delicate finger sandwiches and pastries.  If you’ve ever tried to have tea at the Peninsula in Hong Kong, an afternoon at one of these places might convince you never to go back to Tsim Tsa Tsui.  At the Oriental or Erawan, you’ll get all the glam and tradition but zero of the waiting!  Also it costs about half the price of the Peninsula in Hong Kong.  If you don’t make it down to these hotels, the Mandarin Oriental and Peninsula Bangkok both have cafes located in the Siam Paragon Mall for you to enjoy afternoon tea.

Street Food and Soi Food:  Emergence of the Anti-Mall Dining Scene

While I pointed out that the majority of culinary developments have been concentrated in the city’s posh new malls, at the same time there has been renewed interest amongst foodies in rediscovering Bangkok’s great food streets.  Despite the lure of air condition and the designer dining rooms of mall based restaurants, many foodies take to the streets in search of a more authentic experience.  The truth is that dining in malls is a bit dull.  If you’ve lived in any big city in Asia, you’d recognize that many malls have the same restaurant chains.  Once you’ve seen one fancy mall, you’ve seen them all. The same goes for fancy hotels.  You pay higher prices for sanitized and dumbed down food, plus a 10% service charge and 7% vat.  Suddenly the appeal starts to wane and seeking out a cheaper and more exciting alternative becomes attractive.  The desire to find Bangkok’s gems is what drives many of the most adventurous diners to risk getting hit by cars, stepping on doggy doo, playing Russian roulette against West Nile Virus carrying mosquitoes, and all the while dodging food poisoning.  Your compensation for this risk?  Hard to say.  I guess only true foodies know the feeling.  That’s why Antony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern take you on adventures through Bangkok’s streets rather than its malls.

At the street and soi level you can either dine at a street side stall or in a traditional shophouse where the owners live upstairs and run their casual eatery downstairs.  Additionally many old colonial era Thai style houses have been restored and converted into trendy Thai and International eateries.  These converted houses offer a relaxed homelike ambiance and a sense of dining in a bygone era that cannot be replicated by a mall or hotel eatery.

The best place to experience street level food is along Sukhumvit Road and its labyrinth of sois that are ideal for exploring by foot.  Bear in mind that most of these places tend to specialize in just one or two dishes.  So when you’re exploring Bangkok’s street food scene it is best to adopt a grazing strategy where you go on a food crawl and try many things.

 I’ve already pointed out the Japan and Korean towns along Sukhumvit road.  Other sois known for great food in the Sukhumvit area are Sukhumvit Soi 3 (aka Nana North or Soi Arab…not the same as Nana South which is the prostitute Soi) and at the mouth of Sukhumvit Soi 38 (Thonglor BTS Station) which has some of the best pad thai, satay, and mango sticky rice in the city.

Soi 38 street food scene as seen from Thonglor BTS station

Outside of the Sukhumvit Area, the following are also great places to check out if you are fans of street food: 1) Kaosarn Road (the backpackers haven) 2.) Chatuchak Weekend Market 3.) Silom road especially in the evenings around Saladang BTS station 4.) Siam, especially in the evenings around Siam BTS station 5.) Victory Monument, especially in the evenings.  6.) Yaowaraj Road  (Chinatown).

Yaowaraj road deserves special mention.  This street probably has some of the best seafood and Chinese food available in the city.  If you’re interested in delicacies like Shark Fin (not condoned but just don’ t tell me), Fish Maw Soup, Birds Nest Soup, Suckling Pig, Goose Webs, Grilled River Prawns, Curry Crabs, and Dim Sum you will be very happy spending an evening here.  Hua Seng Hong and Scala are particularly famous eateries in Yaowaraj.  Additionally Lek and Rut and T&K Seafood, the dueling grilled seafood vendors at the mouth of Soi Texas (a small lane on the right side of Yaowaraj road) are so famous I originally discovered them by reading Gourmet Magazine back in America.  Both are good.  You must try the grilled river prawns, crab fried rice, river prawn tom yum soup, garlic fried fish, grilled cockles, curry crab, and steamed mussels. 

T&K Seafood, Soi Texas @ Yaowaraj Road

Rooftop Bars

One trend that has really taken hold in Bangkok is roof top dining.  However this is more geared for rich tourists and people celebrating special events.  In 2003 the Lebua hotel opened Sirocco, the Mediterranean restaurant at the top of State Tower.  Since then it has been the premiere rooftop F&B venue in Bangkok.  Taking sunset cocktails at its 63^rd floor glass sky-bar is a breathtaking but knee buckling experience. If you are a fan of Hangover 2, you’ll recognize the place as the helicopter scene.  Expect to pay about 400 baht per drink, which is ridiculous for Bangkok standards but still a lot cheaper than Singapore. 

Other popular sky bars include Blue Sky (Sofitel Centara Grand) and Red Sky (Centara Grand Central World). 

Skybar at the top of State Tower

Thai restaurants from Abroad? Homecomings? Oh my!

While Thai restaurants in Bangkok may be increasingly guilty of bastardizing their own cuisine with forays into “fusion” food (or “confusion” food), a number of Thai restaurants abroad have been focusing on perfecting the craft of royal Thai cuisine as part of the global slow food movement.  With modernization and the focus on fast cooking, many of Thailand’s classical foods have been disappearing from menus because they take a significant amount of culinary skill and time to prepare.  To stem the loss of this culinary knowledge, the Thai slow food movement seeks to rediscover and refine time honored techniques and preserve rare dishes, many of which originated in the royal courts of old and have been passed down through generations only to become lost in modern times.  Many Thais and foreigners have no idea what Pad Thai originally tasted like.  It took chefs like Australian David Thomson, the world’s premier culinary authority on Thai cuisine, to painstakingly search through old funeral pamphlets (traditionally they contained the favorite recipes of the deceased) to uncover Thailand’s lost culinary treasures. 

Europe has seen the growth of several world class Thai restaurants that focus on slow food and traditional Thai fine dining.  In 2002, Blue Elephant (Belgium) and Patara (London) were the first Thai restaurants of foreign origin to establish outposts on Thai soil.   In 2010, the only two Thai restaurants to hold Michelin stars opened branches in Bangkok:  David Thompson’s Namh (from London) at the Metropolitan hotel and Kiin Kiin (from Copenhagen) at the Siam Kempinski.    

Additionally, Thai chefs who have spent years mastering their skills abroad have begun to return.  Duangporn Songvisava and her husband Dylan Jones graduated from the kitchen of Nahm and returned to open Bo Lan (Sukhumvit Soi 26) their eatery devoted to ancient Thai slow food.  More recently, Chef Ian Chalermkittichai returned to open his gastropub Hyde and Seek (Soi Ruamrudee) and flagship Issaya Siamese Club (Chua Ploeng Road).  Chef Ian shattered stereotypes over a decade ago when he was promoted to become the first Thai executive chef of a 5-star hotel in Bangkok (Four Seasons).  He gained additional fame with his New York eatery Kittichai and was the first Thai chef to compete on Iron Chef America. 

Obviously, these places aren’t cheap.  But if you want to experience some of the most artfully and deftly prepared Thai cuisine in the city, they’re worth a try. 

Go out and have fun!

I hope that this will help prepare you for your trip to Bangkok.  Remember to bring your appetite, an open mind, and a pack of Imodium tablets.  While the food is safe, oftentimes your bodies may take time to get used to the spiciness.  I have been careful not to recommend places that are difficult to reach by BTS, MRT, taxi, or by foot.  If the suggestions in this blog aren’t interesting enough, feel free to ask me for more specific restaurant recommendations!

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