BANGKOK' ('City of wild fruit-trees'). '[he capital of Siam and the chief commercial city of the country, situated on both banks of the Me nam, about 20 miles above its mouth (Map: Siam, D 4). It lies in a very low region, and covers an area of over 15 square miles. it is divided into numerous islands by the arms of the Menam, and a large portion of the popula tion live in floating houses. With the exception of the royal buildings and the residences of the wealthier classes, the houses are built of wood and raised upon poles as a precaution against inundations, which are of common occurrence, owing to the low surface of the region. The por tion of the city on the left bank of the river is surrounded by a high wall, about six miles in circumference. The part of the city adjoining the royal palace is beautifully laid out, with a number of parks and fine residences. The palace grounds are surrounded by a wall, inelosing the royal palace, the royal library, temples, theatre, harem, and the residences of the vast retinue of servants and attendants. The temples of Bangkok are numerous and gorgeous in the ex treme. They are built of several stories, rising terrace-like one above another, the whole form ing a pyramidal-shaped building, the several roofs being of glazed tiles of the most brilliant eolorings,while resplendent pillars are riehlydeeo rated with gold. The interior is invariably pro fusely decorated with precious stones, porcelain vases, and numerous statues of Buddha. In one of the royal temples there is a gigantic image of the saint in a reclining position, about 140 feet long, and richly inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gems. Among the temples, or wats, the most magnificent are Wat Sekket, Wat Nun, and Wat Sutat.
As the chief port of Siam, Bangkok has an ex tensive commerce, which is chiefly in the hands of Chinese and Europeans. The former have succeeded in monopolizing the retail trade as well as many of the industries of the city. The chief exports are rice, teak, and other woods, fish, cattle, and animal products. The native industries are now almost entirely extinct, and the porcelain-ware, for which Siam was once famous, has now been replaced by the Chinese article. The shipping of Bangkok amounts to about 1,50,000 tons per annum, and is largely in British hands. There is regular steam communi cation with Singapore, Saigon, and Hong Kong.
The transportation in the city was formerly effected chiefly by boats, but at present Bangkok is provided with a line of omnibuses, a horse car railway, and all electric line. A portion of the city is lighted with electricity. Bangkok is the seat of foreign embassies as well as of many consular representatives, including one from the United States. It is connected by rail with Km-at and Paknam. The population is variously estimated at from 200,000 to 600, 000, of whom only a small portion are Siamese, and about one-half Chinese, the remainder con sisting of Burmese, natives of French Indo China, and :Malays. Bangkok was an insignifi cant village until 1766, when Ayuthia, the resi dence of the King, was destroyed by the Burmese, and Bangkok became the capital. Consult Mas sieu, •'Une visite a Bangkok," in Revue des deux Mondcs, Vol. II. (Paris, 1901).