Although we only traveled to Bangkok to renew our Vietnamese business visas, we made it a point to enjoy our time in old Siam. As many of you know, Bangkok is truly a city that never sleeps. Chadi and I chose to stay right in the heart of town, near the triple-plex mall complex (MBK, Siam Discovery Centre, and the amazing Paragon). I’ve traveled extensively throughout the world, but I must admit, I have never seen such posh, glamorous shopping malls like the ones in Bangkok. The theatre in the Paragon Complex is absolutely spectacular and far exceeds anything you would find in Hollywood or even Beverly Hills. The theatre boasts a pleasant and cozy (yet incredibly spacious) lounge where folks meet, sit and chat, and just pass the time while they wait for their film to begin. There’s also an IMAX screen in the same theatre and a private club screen that is reserved for members only. In this “club” screening room, you find modern and very comfortable lounge sofas, coffee tables, and of course, a bar and bar man to refresh your drinks during the film screening. It’s absolutely one of the most impressive places I have ever visited.
Sure, Bangkok is much more than shopping malls, of course. We also took some time to leave the busy Thai capital and visit the Royal Summer Palace which is just gorgeous. The Bang Pa-in Palace is one of the country’s most famous attractions, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Ayutthaya Province. The most striking feature of the palace is Phra Thinang Aisawan Thipha-at, a Thai pavilion in the middle of a lake, regarded as one of the finest examples of Thai architecture. Buildings scattered throughout the compound were constructed in a variety of contrasting modes, dominated by Chinese, Italian and Victorian architectural styles. The one building open to visitors is the Chinese-style Phra Thinang Wehat Chamrun, which houses the court.
On our day tour, we also visited one of Siam’s former capital cities. Founded in 1350 AD, Ayutthaya, Thailand’s former capital for 417 years, was home to 33 kings before being left in ruins following a Burmese invasion in 1767. The city boasted three palace complexes, and 400 temples along a 60-km stretch of canal. Art and architecture of the ancient city of Ayutthaya portrays a continuation of older Sukhothai Buddhist styles, blended with present-day Khmer-Hindu styles as revealed through several outstanding archeological sites, temples and museums.
All in all, our 4-day jaunt through Bangkok and outskirts was absolutely pleasant. We will be returning in early March for a Health Manager’s Conference…and can’t wait!
