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"Old Bangkok sits on the east bank of the Chao Phya River."
Bangkok has been called a city of villages and its various districts range from near-primitive squalor to high-tech gleam. The one constant is the infamous traffic, which all pundits predict will get worse before it gets better. Sixty years ago, when Bangkok still had hundreds of canals (Klongs), it was called the Venice of the East. Today, most of the canals have been filled in and paved over, providing for yet more congested roads.
Old Bangkok sits on the east bank of the Chao Phya River. It encompasses Parliament and several ministries, important landmarks such as the Grand palace, the Democracy Monument, the temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), and the Temple of The Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) and commercial areas such as Banglampoo Market. Government House which contains the office of the prime minister and Jitlada Royal Palace, home of the king and queen, are just northeast of old Bangkok.
Across the river is Thonburi, the former capital of Thailand and now a part of Greater Bangkok. Most businesses and hotels are located in Center City, east/southeast of old Bangkok in the Silom/Sukhumvit areas. The infamous red-light district, Pat Pong Road, is also located in Center City. North of the city is the Din Daeng/Lat Phrao area, a busy commercial district; farther north is Don Muang, where the airport is located.
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