A completely revised guide to this exquisite complex of buildings.

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Using a patchwork of words and images from Bangkok's residents and visitors of yesteryear, this book shares the often untold past of this busy city while shedding light on Thai culture.

In this vibrant cultural history, Maryvelma O'Neil takes us on an engaging tour of Bangkok, revealing the rich ancient heritage of this fascinating city. The capital of the Kingdom of Thailand, Bangkok stands out as a place of extraordinary allure. Beginning as a floating city in a lush tropical setting, known to foreigners as the "Venice of the East," its majestic Grand Palace and glittering Buddhist temples today compete with chimneystacks and a jungle of skyscrapers. O'Neil illuminates a city rich in art, history, royal ceremony, and tradition and she uncovers fascinating pockets of traditional indigenous life and places of intense beauty hidden in Bangkok's labyrinthine lanes and alleys.

A PASSIONATE, AFFECTIONATE RECORD OF ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES IN THE WORLD'S HOTTEST METROPOLIS Tourists come to Bangkok for many reasons—a sex change operation, a night with two prostitutes dressed as nuns, a stay in a luxury hotel. Lawrence Osborne comes for the cheap dentistry. Broke (but no longer in pain), he finds that he can live in Bangkok on a few dollars a day. And so the restless exile stays. Osborne's is a visceral experience of Bangkok, whether he's wandering the canals that fill the old city; dining at the No Hands Restaurant, where his waitress feeds him like a baby; or launching his own notably unsuccessful career as a gigolo. A guide without inhibitions, Osborne takes us to a feverish place where a strange blend of ancient Buddhist practice and new sexual mores has created a version of modernity only superficially indebted to the West. Bangkok Days is a love letter to the city that revived Osborne's faith in adventure and the world.

Bangkok is one of Asia's most interesting, varied, controversial and challenging cities. It is a city of contradictions, both in its present and past. This unique book examines the development of the city from its earliest days as the seat of the Thai monarchy to its current position as an infamous contemporary metropolis. Adopting insights from anthropology, urban studies and human geography, this is a powerful account of the city and its dynamic spaces. Marc Askew examines the city's variety from the inner-city slums to the rural-urban fringe, and gives us a keen insight into the daily life of the city's inhabitants, be they middle-class suburbanites or sex workers.

The Rough Guide to Bangkok is the ultimate travel guide to the Thai capital, one of Asia's most fascinating and energetic cities. Discover Bangkok's highlights with clear maps, stunning photography and detailed coverage on everything from the iconic Wat Arun and legendary Thanon Khao San, to the intricate waterways of Thonburi and the further flung ancient capital of Ayutthaya. Comprehensive listings sections are packed with insider tips on the best places to eat, drink, shop and party in Bangkok, from 63rd-floor sky bars, indulgent spa retreats, and Downtown's swanky shopping plazas, to electrifying Thai boxing venues, Banglamphu's backpacker haunts and Chatuchak Weekend Market's glut of over eight thousand stalls. Make the most of your holiday with The Rough Guide to Bangkok.