Bangkok

Bangkok, the capital city of Siam, situated on both banks of the Menam, about 20 miles from its mouth, in 14° N. lat., and 100° 20' E. long. The population is about 400,000, nearly half of whom are Chinese, the others including Burmese, Annamese, Cambodians, Malays, Eurasians, and Europeans. The foreign trade of Siam (q.v.) centres in Bangkok, and is mainly in the hands of the Europeans and Chinese. The approach to Bangkok by the Menam, which can be navigated by ships of 350 tons burden (large sea-going ships anchor at Paknam, below the bar at the mouth of the river), is exceedingly beautiful. As the town is neared, numerous temples present themselves, and floating-houses become common; and finally, the whole city, with its rich gardens, and shining temples and palaces, bursts full upon the view. Stone buildings are used only for the royal palaces, some noblemen's houses, monasteries, and the dwellings of Europeans. A large number of the houses float on rafts, fastened by ropes to poles; most of the trade of the city is carried on upon the river. The internal traffic of Bangkok is chiefly carried on by means of canals, there being only a few passable streets in the whole city. Horses and carriages are rarely seen except in the neighbourhood of the palaces. The native houses on land—of bamboo or other wood, like the floating-houses—are raised upon piles, 6 or 8 feet from the ground, and are reached by ladders. The circumference of the walls of Bangkok, which are 15 to 30 feet high and 12 broad, is about 6 miles. Bangkok is the constant residence of the king. The palace is surrounded by high walls, and is nearly a mile in circumference. It includes temples, public offices, accommodation for officials and for some thousands of soldiers, with their necessary equipments, a theatre, apartments for a crowd of female attendants, and several Buddhist temples or chapels. Several of the famous white elephants are kept in the courtyard of the palace. Throughout the interior are distributed the most costly articles in gold, silver, and precious stones. The temples of Bangkok are innumerable, and decorated in the most gorgeous style, the Siamese taking a pride in lavishing their wealth on them. In the neighbourhood of Bangkok are iron-mines and forests of teak-wood. The chief exports are rice, sugar, pepper, cardamoms, sesame, hides, fine woods, ivory, feathers, and edible birds'-nests. The imports are tea, manufactured silks and piece-goods, opium, hardware, machinery, and glass wares. Among recent evidences of progress may be mentioned the erection of steam-mills, the introduction of gas into the royal palaces and many noblemen's houses, and the establishment of a regular mail to Bangkok in 1884. Siam joined the International Postal Union in 1885, and in 1890 a parcel post service (with Singapore and Europe) was established. Bangkok is now connected with Burma and Cambodia by telegraph, and is the centre of a local system of (in 1893) 1780 miles. A short railway at Paknam (on the coast) was opened in 1893; another line of 165 miles was being made; and others to the northern provinces have been surveyed and sanctioned. In 1893 a treaty was concluded at Bangkok, by which Siam made large cessions to France, two French gun-boats having forced their way to the capital after an ineffective defence. See SIAM, and most of the works there quoted.