Visit the Chao Praya Khlong River in Thailand - Bangkok Travel Guide

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• published: 03 Jul 2013
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World Travel https://www.youtube.com/user/World1Tube Bangkok, Thailand - Travel Guide http://bit.ly/13Qx5NI Shepherd Entertainment gives you the history of the Chao Praya-khlong River, which is the most important river of Thailand. The Chao Phraya, the mother of waters originates in the northern mountains and runs through Bangkok into the Gulf of Siam. This is the most important river of Thailand. When Ayutthaya was destroyed, General Chakri who later became King Rama I marked the location of the new capital in the lower bend of the river, Thonburi. The word bang means a settlement on water. Two thirds of Bangkok's population used to live in houses built on stilts in the water or marshes. The canal served as streets with thousands of boats gliding on them so the name Venice of the East is not undeserved. This situation changed only in the past century due to the chaotic expansion of the city. It's still an exotic experience to get on a typical long boat on the Chao Phraya and pass by the slow barges, rice carrying boats and waterbuses. Behind the impressive monasteries and simple wooden huts, skyscrapers, office and bank buildings, shopping centers and luxury hotels rise on the horizon. But if you veer off the river onto a smaller klong, which is an artificial channel, you can still see the image that amazed the travelers of Victorian times. The father of sailor stories, Joseph Conrad also wrote several short stories about this exotic water world. Such a boat trip is a must for every tourists who visits Bangkok. However, it's best not to look for a floating market here. The few boatmen selling cheap souvenirs are just a colorless imitation of the bustling floating market about 100 km north of here. Passing by the stilt houses on the canals, is like peeking into other people's homes. Locals live their everyday life unbothered by tourists in their houses that more often than not do not even have doors. Although they've started to drink bottled water, they still wash their clothes and dishes in the water of the canal where also sewer water is released but that doesn't keep them from going for a swim in it on hot days. The neighbors often sit in their boats and converse with the lord of the house who's resting in a hammock on the shady terrace. There are not many signs of the new century but there are two remarkable anachronisms here, satellite dishes and cell phones. Many temples and monasteries were built in a way that one of the backyards look over a canal, while along the wide avenues, the modern metropolis is visible, the river and the klongs reveal the life of the poorer classes. There are many immigrants among the residents of the canals. The most beautiful and most typical site of the river's Bangkok section is Wat Arun, the Dawn Temple. The 140 meter high prang built on three terraces was named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna. The prang is none other than a square chedi built in the ancient Khmer style. The chedi is a simpler and more frequent form of stupas but both basically contained Buddha relics and the ashes of holy monks or dignitaries. Prangs can be primarily seen in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya, in cities built on the model of the Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Wat Arun is an amazing sight at dawn. Allegedly, General Taksin arrived here from the besieged Ayutthaya at this early hour and that's why the temple was given this name but people are also drawn back to the river at sunset or when the evening lights come out. The Royal Barges are kept near Wat Arun. These richly carved high nosed barges swim out to the river on major holidays. The 43 meter long Suppanahong is the personal barge of the king. It has a gilded swan in the bough and the king sits on a canopied throne in the middle of the boat. The 54 purple clad rowers are directed by a stroke who sets the rhythm. Every year on the day of the Katin Festival, a parade of 35 boats celebrates the end of the monsoon season. At this time of year, the believers buy new clothes for the monks and the king shows a good example. But they also have boat races, fireworks, a candle festival, flower carnival and royal plowing ceremony and if that isn't enough, there's a plethora of spectacular religious holidays but the Chao Phraya reveals a kaleidoscope of exciting attractions on regular weekdays as well. Tags: Visit the Chao Praya-khlong River in Thailand,Chao Praya-khlong River in Thailand,shepherd entertainment,Thailand Travel Attractions,thailand travel guide,Thailand travel information,thailand travel tips,shepherdfilm,The Chao Praya-klong River in Thailand,world travel, Bangkok Travel Guide