River Cruise Commentary from Sathorn Pier - download and use aboard one of Bangkok's river taxis.

For more videos about Bangkok visit associated website https://goingtobangkok.com

Transcript:

This river cruise commentary starts and Sathorn Pier, where there is a connection to Bangkok's sky train system, and finishes at Phra Arthit Pier Pier, the nearest pier to Khaosan Road. Download the video to use as you travel along the river.

There is a separate commentary available for anybody travelling in the opposite direction.

River Taxis are easy to use, inexpensive, scheduled to run at least every 20 minutes and are a good way to visit much of the city's historic centre.

Associated website https://www.goingtobangkok.com/ has videos about individual piers, associated maps, useful links and a complete copy of the transcript.

Transcript (truncated by You tube but available at web site goingtobangkok.com):

There's a lot to see along Bangkok's Chaophraya River between Sathorn Pier and Phra Arthit Pier. Use this video guide and board a Chaophraya Express Boat, some people call them river taxis, for a cheap, informative, self guided excursion lasting about half an hour.

Before boarding you may wish to visit nearby Wat Yannawa which is also known as The Boat Temple because it's chedi was built to resemble a Chinese junk. Head away from the pier to the main road and turn right.

Chao Phraya Express Boats are scheduled to run at least every 20 minutes. Board one flying an orange triangular flag at the back heading upstream beneath Taksin Bridge.

Immediately to the right The Shangri La Hotel is one of a number of top class hotels along this stretch of river.

Slightly inland beyond it, the golden domed State Tower has a sky bar on the 63rd floor with, of course, panoramic views.

Across the river, The Peninsular Hotel was considered among the top ten hotels in the world soon after opening. Though not ranked quite so highly these days, it is still special and one of several nearby hotels which runs a courtesy boat for the convenience of it's guests.

First stop scheduled along the route is at Oriental Pier, named after the nearby luxurious Mandarin Oriental Hotel. If there are no passengers waiting the boat will cruise slowly by without stopping. It then passes The French Embassy, more often than not flying it's national flag from a tall mast.

Next stop is at Iconsiam, a popular shopping complex where multilingual staff at the information counters are on hand to advise on promotions, tourist cards, VAT rebate and any specials. Free courtesy boats run throughout the day and late into the evening taking passengers to and from Sathorn Pier where this commentary began and where, of course, there is a convenient connection to Bangkok's rail network.

Opposite Iconsiam The Old Customs House contrasts sharply with the tall glassy CAT Tower, headquarters of a state owned telecommunications company, beside it.

As the boat returns across the river it passes The Portuguese Embassy, the oldest diplomatic mission in Thailand. Not surprising given the Portuguese arrived in the country about a hundred years before any other European nation.

Si Phraya Pier is situated beside The Royal Orchid Sheraton, a hotel which is classy enough to serve afternoon tea.

Alight here to visit River City, one of South East Asia's major arts and antiques centres which has a helipad on it's roof and a skybridge link to the Sheraton Hotel. Although upmarket, there is actually a reasonable selection of items for sale aimed at customers of more modest means.

A little further on, The Holy Rosary Church, architecturally European, was completed during 1897. The original structure was built by Portuguese settlers who fled from Ayutthaya after the Thais had been heavily defeated there by the Burmese in 1767.

Next door, The Siam Commercial Bank Building, the oldest working bank branch in Thailand, dates from 1908. Designed by an Italian and also European in style, it has an interior which still retains many early 20th century features.

The Marine Department Pier serves Talaat Noi, a genuine Thai neighborhood with few tourists and quite interesting to wander around for an hour or so. A couple of it's Chinese Shrines, one of which is beside the pier, are clearly visible from the river.

On the opposite bank, as the boat leaves modern high rise Bangkok behind, The Chee Chin Khor Temple which belongs to an organisation dedicated to charitable acts can be easily identified by the pagoda in it's grounds.

During the journey you will almost certainly see small boats hauling a line of much larger barges along the river. They are a very common feature and still an effective way to transport bulk goods.

Ratchawong, the next pier, serves Chinatown. Most tourists, however, will find that taking the train to Wat Mankhon MRT station is a better option as it's more centrally located.

Many of the warehouses along the river here date from................................