City of Angels

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and the country’s largest and most important port. The Thai people call the city Krung Thep,rift gold which means “city of angels.” Bangkok spreads across both sides of the Chao hraya River. From the river a network of canals spreads through the city.

The Grand Palace, where the kings of Thailand once lived, stands on the river’s east bank. The palace is surrounded by walls. Also within these walls is Wat Phra Kaeo, a temple full of Thai art treasures. It holds the Emerald Buddha, the holiest statue of the Buddha in all of Thailand.

There are many other Buddhist temples, or wats, along the banks of the Chao Phraya River. A wat usually has living quarters for monks, shrines for meditation, towers, and a meeting place. Some of the wats are decorated with beautiful carvings. The Temple of Dawn, or Wat Arun, is one of these.

Wat Pho is the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok. It has the largest reclining Buddha and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand. People call Wat Pho the first university in Thailand. An early king had texts carved in stone and set around the temple so that people could read and learn from them. In Bangkok’s famous floating markets,rift gold merchants sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other items from boats in the canals. Shoppers step from boat to boat as they look at all the things to buy.