Bangkok Guide
Thonburi
Bangkok really began across the river from Ratanakosin in Thonburi, and though you won't find any portentous ruins on this side of the Chao Phraya you will get a glimpse of an age-old way of life that has all but disappeared from Bangkok proper. For Thonburi is still crisscrossed by canals, or khlongs, and life here continues to revolve around the waterways. The main arteries of Khlong Bangkok Noi and Khlong Bangkok Yai are particularly important: vendors of food and household goods paddle their boats along the subsidiary canals that weave through the residential areas, and canalside factories use them to transport their wares to the Chao Phraya River.
The architecture along the canals ranges from ramshackle, makeshift homes balanced just above the water – and prone to flooding during the monsoon season – to villa-style residences fronted by lawns and waterside verandas. Venture on to the Thonburi backroads just three or four kilometres west of the river and you find yourself surrounded by market gardens and rural homes, with no hint of the throbbing metropolis across on the other bank. Modern Thonburi, on the other hand, sprawling to each side of Thanon Phra Pinklao, consists of the prosaic line-up of malls and shophouses found all over urbanized Thailand.
The most popular way to explore Thonburi is by boat, but joining a bicycle tour of the older neighbourhoods is also very rewarding. Most boat trips also encompass Thonburi's imposing riverside Temple of the Dawn, Wat Arun, and often the Royal Barge Museum as well, though both are easily visited by yourself, as is the small but historic temple of Wat Rakhang.
Getting to Thonburi is simply a matter of crossing the river. Either use Phra Pinklao or Memorial/Phra Pokklao bridge, take a cross-river ferry, or hop on the express ferry, which makes several stops on the Thonburi bank. Wongwian Yai is also soon be served by the Thonburi extension of the BTS Skytrain, travelling west from Saphan Taksin (S6).
Exploring Thonburi by boat
The most popular way to explore the sights of Thonburi is by boat, taking in Wat Arun and the Royal Barge Museum, then continuing along Thonburi's network of small canals. The easiest option is to take a fixed-price trip from one of the piers on the Bangkok side of the Chao Phraya, most conveniently from Tha Phra Arthit in Banglamphu, Tha Chang near Wat Pho or the River City pier off Thanon Charoen Krung. You can also charter your own longtail from these piers and others such as Tha Sathorn, and from many five-star riverside hotels, but bear the listed prices in mind when negotiating and be specific about your itinerary.
Many of the fixed-price tours include visits to one of Thonburi's two main floating markets, both of which are heavily touristed and rather contrived. Wat Sai floating market happens daily from Monday to Friday but is very commercialized, and half of it is land-based anyway, while Taling Chan floating market is also fairly manufactured but more fun, though it only operates on Saturdays and Sundays (approx 9am–3pm). Taling Chan market is held on Khlong Chak Phra, in front of Taling Chan District Office, a couple of kilometres west of Thonburi train station, and can also be reached by taking bus #79 from Banglamphu.
Arguably more photogenic, and certainly a lot more genuine, are the individual floating vendors who continue to paddle from house-to-house in Thonburi, touting anything from hot food to plastic buckets. You've a good chance of seeing some of them in action on almost any longtail boat tour on any day of the week, particularly in the morning.