Exciting Thailand. Andrew Forbes

many religions are practised in Thailand, Theravada Buddhism—the “Way of the Elders”—is the bond that has held the nation together and identified the nature of “Thai-ness”.

      Gilded figures of the Lord Buddha abound throughout the kingdom.

      Buddhist monks on their early morning alms round.

      Detail of a gilded stupa at Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai.

      Monks at a temple near Bangkok during Makha Bucha celebrations.

      Portrait of a venerated monk at a Thai temple.

      aBOUT 90 PER CENT of Thais are Buddhists, most of them devout in their belief. Until King Bhumibol Adulyadej ascended the throne in 1946, Buddhism was perceived as the religion of the kingdom—indeed, the definition of being Thai was to be Buddhist, a monarchist, and to speak the Thai language, phasaa tai. In practice, this still holds true today. But under the wise guidance of King Bhumibol, and in line with the rapid growth of democracy in the kingdom, recognition is now fully given to the minority religions—Christianity, animism amongst the hill tribes of the north, Hindu ism, and above all Islam, Thailand’s second religion, dominant in the southern provinces.

      bangkok

      “To Bangkok! Magic name, blessed name!” from Joseph Conrad, Youth.

      Bangkok at dawn.

      A tuk-tuk, Thailand’s unique contribution to personal urban transport.

      Heavy traffic is characteristic of the “City of Angels”.

      Condominiums and palaces of business loom over the Chao Phraya, the“River of Kings”.

      The Silom Road area, Bangkok’s financial centre. Modern building in down -town Bangkok.

      bANGKOK WAS ESTABLISHED as the capital of Thailand by King Rama I, founder of the Chakri Dynasty, in 1782. Once known as the “Venice of the East” because of its extensive network of canals, it has today grown into a bustling megalopolis, one of the largest cities in the Far East. Yet despite its size, Bangkok is a city of great charm and many different faces. Behind the glass and concrete towers of Silom Road, the city’s Wall Street, and beneath the sleek, new elevated skytrain and gleaming shopping malls lie many oases of peace and calm where traditional, Thai-style wooden houses are reflected in tranquil, lotus-filled ponds. It’s a city that takes a while to get to know, but which very soon finds a permanent place in the visitor’s heart. King Rama I built Bangkok on the east bank of the great Chao Phraya River as a protection against Burmese attack and to facilitate maritime trade with Europe and the Far East.

      Today much of Bangkok is comprised of modern, high-rise buildings served by a network of raised expressways, but the heart of Rama I’s city, known as Rattanakosin Island, retains many original 18th- and early 19th-century temples and palaces, and is still served by a network of canals.

      Serene features of the Golden Buddha at Wat Traimit, Bangkok.

      Elaborate gilded decoration at the Royal Palace, Bangkok.

      Thai nuns outside the Marble Temple, Bangkok.

      Wat Arun illuminated at dusk.

      Slender chedis at Wat Pho.

      Head of the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho.

      Interior of the late 18th-century Wat Buddhaisawan.