The Old City insight Bangkok

    Insight Bangkok's Old City is embellished with yet more gilded temple stuctures and hitoric monuments that recall its chequered history. To the north is the area of wide boulevards and open space known as Dusit, the enclave of the Thai monarchy and government


     Dominated by the wide boulevard of Thanon Ratchadamnoen. this section of the "Old City" contains all the peripheral buildings and temples that lie just outside Ratanakosin island. The area once marked the outskirts of  the city, with the canals of Khlong Banglamphu and Khlong Ong Ang ferrying in supplies from the surrounding countryside. At the turn of the 20th century hardly any roads cut into the landscape, with the neighborhood occupied by traditional craftspeople and performing artisans. Devotional structure were the main protrusions on the skyline.

     Time has drastically altered the area's visual appeal, yet there is still a strong sense of the past, making this is one of the city's most pleasant areas to explore. Aside from tourist attractions, most foreigners head to the district of Banglamphu for cheap accommodation and entertainment in the well-known back- packers haven of Thanon Khao San.

       Thanon Bamrung Muang 

     Thanon Bamrung Muang was once an old elephant trail and was one of the city's first paved tracks. A one-stop shop for all your Buddhist accessories, the stores may be drab in design, but the scores of gold and amber cloth-shrouded Buddha images, candles, alms bowls and other religious paraphernalia make for excellent photography.

        Thanon Giant Swing

        Thanon Bamrung Muang intersects a large square with the City Hall at is northern end and Wat Suthat and the Giant Swing opposite. In former days, the Giant Swing (Sao Ching Cha) was the venue for an annual Brahman ceremony dedicated to the god Shiva. As crowds gath ered, four sturdy men would pump themselves back and forth th set the giant swing in motion, trying to grabbags of coins suspended on a 15 metre (49-Ft) tall pole with their teeth Not surprisingly, many plummeted to the ground, either in juring or killing themsleves, and the festuval was halted in the 1930s during the reign of Rama VII. with the swing itself now removed, the tall red painted timber frame has become little more than a curious street marker.

        

Wat Suthat

        Standing tall behind the Giant Swing. Wat Suthat is considered one of the country's six pricipal temples (daily 8.30 am - 9 pm; admission charge). Begun by Rama I in 1807, it took three reigns to compete. The temple is noted for its enormous bot, or ordination hall, said to be the tallest in Bangkok, and for its equally large viharn (sermon hall), both of them surrounded by cloisters of gilded Buddha images

        The 8 me-re (26-Ft) tall Phra Sri Sakyamuni Buddha is one of the largest surviving bronze images from Sukhothai, and was transported by boat all the way from the nortern kingdom. The base of the image contains the ashes of King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII), older brother of the present king. The wall murals date from the reign of King Rama III; most intriguing are the depictions of sea monsters and foreign ships on the columns.