The Bangkok river has long been the constant companion of the people of Bangkok and has been for centuries. It is the reason that people flocked to the original settlement that grew into the city it is today.
Mother, Water
The river is named Mae Nam Chao Phraya which roughly translates to Grand Mother Water; quite an apt name for the river that has been the source of life for Bangkok. The village was founded in circa the 15th century as a small village under the original capital of Siam. The river made the land fertile and was teeming with fish.
The Origins of Bangkok
After the fall of Ayutthaya, King Taksin relocated to Bangkok and made it the capital. It was already a bustling customs outpost by then. People travelled using the waterways and floating markets had popped up everywhere.
The Changing Landscape
Today the landscape of Bangkok has changed drastically, spreading out over a wider reach of land on either side of the river and bedecked in high rise condominiums and luxury Bangkok resorts.
The Constant River
But like all rivers that flow through major cities, despite the drastic changes that occur on its banks, the river remains constant. It has impacted the lives of the people of Bangkok for centuries. Witness these historical waters by staying in a resort on the water’s edge like Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+
