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Region in Thailand
Photo: (WT-en) Jpatokal at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Also known as the Central Plains, this flat region is the heartland of Thailand. The Chao Phraya meanders from north to south along the former capital Ayutthaya and the current capital Bangkok.
The "royal coast" with beach resorts that have been attended by the country's royal family since the early 19th century. The beaches here have beautiful white sand and are much quieter than those in the south.
A sparsely populated region with endless fields of rice paddies and shrimp farms. It gets mountainous as you go towards the east. Travellers come here for the floating markets, the natural scenery and the infamous Burma Death Railway.
A region comprises Bangkok and the five provinces surrounding it: Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom in the West and Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani and Samut Prakan in the Basin.
By car
The Central Plains has good road connections with the east, south, north and northeast of the country.
Because the Thai rail network is centred on Bangkok, this is the best region of Thailand to explore via train.
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Bangkok · International · DMK
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the ancient capital, left in a state of magnificent ruin by Burmese invasion in 1767
Thailand's largest city by far, a sprawling metropolis of wealth, squalor, culture, and sin
Thailand's oldest beach resort, a royal destination since the 19th century
the Bridge over the River Kwai, WWII museums and natural scenery
known for its Khmer temples and crab-eating macaques
Thailand's oldest city and site of the world's largest stupa
the second largest city of Thailand in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region
known for Khao Wang Mountain and access to national parks
interesting village with the Mae Khlong Market and nearby floating markets
lively floating market near Samut Songkhram
eccentric royal palace to the south of Ayutthaya
picture-perfect floating market on tourist steroids
the fifteen-tiered Pala-u falls make a steep jungle trek
the beautiful seven-tiered Erawan Falls
rustic little pottery island to the north of Bangkok
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