Take Bangkok as it comes. Thailand’s foremost tourist attraction is enough to keep you busy. It may be a cranky sort of metropolis clearly intent on rushing full-tilt towards the Western ideal of modernity, but it never really loses the romantic appeal of that peculiar Thai calm and detachment. So don’t get perplexed.

Bangkok is one of the most fascinating and perhaps the most charming of the cities in the Orient. Not just because it holds a magic spell, arousing a feeling of enchantment, but because of a peculiar charm in its contrasts and in its surprises that draws the tourists back to the city again and again.

You will notice this as soon as your taxi hits the road from the Don Muang International Airport. The airport links East to the West and as Bangkok is situated at a vital international air traffic juncture, it normally tends to be busy. So are the roads as you move out of the airport, sometimes packed bumper-to-bumper.

But that should not dampen your spirits. Nor has it hampered Bangkok’s economic growth and Thailand’s march towards NIC (Newly Industrialised Country). After Japan and the so-called ‘Little Dragons’, it has now been Thailand’s turn to ride the crest.

The number of cars on the road may be a case in point. But Bangkok also shows the growth in its highrises, restaurants, five-star hotels and shopping malls. These are aplenty, often hiding the traditional which you may have to try to discover for yourself. There is enough information on these in the tourist guides. It will often come as a wonder that Bangkok was just little more than a cluster of huts some 200 years ago, serving as a simple trading post for foreign vessels. Today, it is a sprawling, bustling metropolis with a distinct personality. As the Thais have a strong sense of tradition, the new structures that have come up in the city over the years have not in any way replaced those that have historic value. They have been erected alongside the old.

Grand Palace will perhaps be your first halt. The palace was once the residence of Thai kings and is now being used for ceremonial functions. It is part of the huge complex which houses the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. The temple has the most precious and venerated of the Buddha images in Thailand. The image is crafted from a single piece of jade. The temple is also the monarch’s personal chapel. The Grand Palace and its adjoining structures - about a square mile in area - have an impressive mix of architectural styles. Quite naturally. the palace buildings are the most photographed in the city.

Of course, you will first be heading to see the traditional architecture which is predominant in the 300-odd temples that dot the city. Although a visitor cannot see them all, mention should be made of the most significant. The Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun stands out among these. This high structure juts out on the banks of the Chao Phraya river, opposite the Grand Palace. An added attraction to this temple is the multicoloured array of Chinese porcelain and glass inlays on its towers which sparkle from the first rays of the morning sun. You can climb up the steps of the towers to obtain a panoramic view of Bangkok.

If Wat Arun is impressive, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha is colossal. It houses the brick-and-concrete image of Buddha. finished with gold. It is 150 feet in length and 40 feet high. The temple also has the largest number of Buddha images in the country.

While the temples continue to enchant the tourists to Bangkok, other attractions also tempt them, particularly those who are inclined to see Thailand as it used to be before modernism changed it. Life along the canals provides a world of its own. While some of the canals have given way to the roads, there is still a vast network of waterways radiating from the Chao Phraya river.

Perhaps the best way to taste the romance of Thailand would be to visit the famous Floating Market at Damnoen Saduak, about 80 kilometres southwest of Bangkok. Here, vendors in boats skillfully and carefully steer on the canal selling goods from fruits and vegetables to souvenirs. The market is best visited in the morning when a ride in the long-tailed speed boat gives an insight into the life along the canals.

Emerging from this world into the jostling activities of Bangkok can be staggering. But even then one finds captivating discoveries. The city offers the convenience of smart plazas, airconditioned malls, department stores as well as the thrill of discovering your skills at bargaining at street stalls. The most frequented shopping areas are in Silom and Suriwong in the heart of the city’s commercial district.

Apart from tailor-made clothing, which is very popular among the tourists here, the most celebrated of Thai goods is silk which comes in a huge variety, both for clothing and upholstery. Countless shops here offer plain and printed silks.

Antiques have a special value in Thailand. However, all antiques can be taken out only with a written permission of the Fine Arts Department. Carvings and sculptures from Buddhist monasteries are popular, so are Thai and Chinese porcelain, Burmese tapestry and lacquerware.

There are other points of interest in Bangkok, notably the Snake Farm where you can watch the snakes being milked of venom or the Rose Garden. Safari World, just on the edge of the city is a rich, natural landscape for giraffes, zebras, rhinoceros, lions and birds. Feeding shows are held here regularly along with performances by dolphins and sea-lions. Close to the Safari Park is another popular venue for both adults and children. Siam Park has rides, swimming pools and huge slides.