Scott & Alycin's Wedding - Thailand Site

Bangkok (the capital city) represents nights one through three, and fourteen through sixteen of our honeymoon. With a population of over 8.5 million as of 1990, it's the city's largest. It also has a world-famous reputation for the worst traffic anywhere!.

Unlike 75 other provinces, Bangkok is one of two provinces where citizens elect their Governor. The current Governor, Apirak Kosayothin was elected in 2004.

History: Bangkok (originally Bang Makok) was a small village on the banks of the Chao Phraya river, until a new capital was founded on the west bank (present-day Thonburi) after the fall of Ayutthaya. In 1782, King Rama I built a palace on the east bank (now Rattanakosin) and renamed the city as Krung Thep, as it is now known to Thais -- the City of Angels. The original village has long since ceased to exist, but for some reason foreigners never caught on to the change.

Full Name: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit (The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.)

Transportation: An eleborate networks of canals gave the city the nickname "Venice of the East", although today most are filled in and converted to streets. Several elevated highways have been build to try and overcome traffic jams. In 1999, the Bangkok Skytrain opened. In July 2004, the first portion of the underground Bangkok Metro opened. Bangkok also serves as the country's major bus, air and train hubs. The current "Don Muang" airport serves domestic and international routes. It will serve only domestic once the Suvarnabhumi Airport airport opens in early 2006. It has been under construction since 2002, and constructions firms have recently sued the Bangkok Post over an alledgedly false and now retracted story that major potholes and cracks existed on the runway's surface.

Economic Drivers: Bangkok is the economic center of Thailand. The Chao Phraya River allows the city to function as a port. The Stock Exchange of Thailand is located in Bangkok. Tourism is a major source of revenue. Bangkok Chinatown is huge. Many Wats (Buddhist temples) draw tourists to the city including Wat Pho, Wat Suthat, Wat Ratchanadda and Wat Arun. Loy Krathong (festival of light) draws tourists.

Processed food, timber, and textiles are leading exports. Industrial plants include rice mills, cement factories, sawmills, oil refineries, and shipyards. The city is a famous jewelry center, buying and selling silver and bronzeware. Although technically illegal, prostitution is a major activity in Bangkok, making the city a popular destination for sex tourism.

Chiang Mai (also known as "Chiengmai") is Thailand's second largest city. We'll be hear on nights four through eight of the honeymoon. It's the largest and most culturally important city in Northern Thailand, and lies some 500 miles North of Bangkok. It stands on the Ping river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya River. It also serves as the capital of the Chiang Mai province. Chiang Mai has an estimated population of about 250,000, with 693,000 if you include the suburban area surrounding the city.

History: King Mengrai founded the city of Chiang Mai (meaning "new city") in 1296 and it succeeded Chiang Rai as capital of the Lannathai kingdom. Lannathai constructed a moat and a wall around the city to protect it against raids from Burma. After the decline of the Lannathai kingdom the city lost importance, and often suffered occupation by either the Burmese or by the Thais from Ayutthaya. After the fall of Ayutthaya in April 1767 the city emerged so much depopulated due to the wars that its citizens deserted it for fifteen years (1776 - 1791). Lampang functioned as the capital of the Lannathai for that time.

Chiang Mai formally became part of Siam only in 1774 when King Taksin captured the city from the Burmese. After this date Chiang Mai rose in both cultural, trading and economic terms to gradually adopt its current status as the capital of the north of Thailand, second only in national importance to Bangkok.

Religious Sites: Chiang Mai has over 300 Buddhist Wats. Some of the most famous include Doi Suthep with it's superb city views, Wat Chiang Man - the city's oldest Wat with two Buddha images, one of marble and one of crystal, Wat Phra Singh, dating to 1345, and Wat Chedi Luang, in the Lanna style, built in 1401 but partially destroyed in a 16th century earthquake.

Festivals: Home to many major Thai festivals, including Loi Kratong (held on a full-moon night in November), Songkran (in mid-April celebrating the Thai new year) and a three-day Flower Festival (held during the first weekend of February when flowers are in full bloom).

Hill Tribes: Chiang Mai is also famous for it's close proximity to many of the Hill Tribes, including the Akha, the Hmong, the Lisu and the Karen (which includes the amazing sub-group the Paduang).

Other Activities: Explore the old walled city, the famous Night Bazaar, visit a Hill Tribe or visit Chiang Dao National Park, covering 620 sq. miles of mountains, bamboo forests, caves, mountain streams and waterfalls. On Tuesdays, the town has a market with many hilltribe people coming down to trade.

Koh Samui is an island off the eastern coast of Thailand. We're staying here on nights nine through thirteen. It's the country's third largest island, and contains several beaches: Nathon, Mae Nam, Bophut, Bang Ruk, Chaweng, Lamai, Ban Hua Thanon, Na Khai, Laem Set, Bang Kao and Thong Krut.

Getting There: A ferry from Surat Thani is the closest competitive way to fly "near" Koh Samui. Or, use Bangkok Airways to fly directly onto the island. By far one of the most expensive domestic flights - it's one of the benefits of building and owning your own airport on a island that attracts scores of tourists. That said, like everything in Thailand - expensive is relative, in this case, just over $100 round trip to fly from Chiang Mai! That said, we'd found flights from city to city for as little as $7 each way on a Boeing 747!

Getting Around: Small motorbikes are cheap and common for rental. There are plenty of Taxis, although many resist using the meters. It's common to flag down a pickup truck, negotiate a rate, and hop in the truck bed too! The island has a reputation for not caring about licenses, helmets or alcohol consumption, which means it enjoys the highest vehicle accident rate in Thailand! Guess we'll use a cab!

What To Do: People come to Koh Samui for one reason primarily: beach R&R! Neighboring Ko Pha Ngan is home to the Full Moon Party - featuring 8,000 dancing, drinking (and in some cases drug using) partygoers every full moon. Sang som whiskey is served - more like rum, but sometimes to be laced with amphetamines, and frequently mixed with Coke, Red Bull, or even both. European drugs are also widely available, along with Thai native drugs such as Yaa Baa and opium.

Slightly more family-friendly recreation includes your regular assortment of shopping, bar hopping, karaoke, beach combing, spa services, and scuba-diving. Most scuba-diving is done in Angthong Marine National Park or Koh Tao - although Samui's beaches are legendary - the sandy beaches cause poor visibility for divers.