One Night in Bangkok Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

Thailand is surrounded by the countries of Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia and is located on Asia's Indochina Peninsula. The history of Bangkok, its capital city, stretches back to the beginning of the 15th century. By 2012, it had a population of twelve million people, although that figure can vary by several million depending on the area it includes.

The Thai name for Bangkok is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. This translates into English as "The city of Angels".

Answer: Chao Phraya

The Chao Phraya begins when the two rivers of Ping and Nan meet in the province of Nakhon Sawan. At 372 kilometres long, it completes its journey when it empties, as it passes through Bangkok, into the Gulf of Thailand. Much of the original forests that once grew along its banks have now given way to irrigated rice paddies and other forms of agriculture.

A huge controversy was at play in 2012 because of the pumping of seawater into this river to enable the breeding of large colonies of prawns.

Answer: Fifty

These are known as Khet in most parts of the city, but in other areas they also go by the name Amphoe. These fifty districts and broken down further into 169 smaller areas, known as Kwaeng or Tambon, to make the governance of same more manageable. Elections are held every four years for district chiefs to run these divisions of the city.

Answer: Elephant

This elephant-like creature, known as Erawan, is ridden by the god Indra. Indra, who is depicted holding a bolt of lightning, is the Lord of Heaven, God of War, Storms and Rainfall. His other main purpose is the defender and protector of Buddha. He also has a name for being somewhat amorous at times, and, when in the mood, can cause a lot of trouble. That's when he isn't busy holding up the sky of course.

Answer: Venice of the East

Many canals divide this large area into a series of water-locked sections of land. The canals were once part of Bangkok itself as well and helped separate the city into its various districts more easily. As the city grew larger over time, however, some of the canals began to disappear as they were filled in and turned into streets.

There are still more than enough of these within the city, however, to maintain its name as The Venice of the East.

Answer: It will have submerged beneath the sea

That's rather terrifying. It won't happen overnight obviously, but it certainly is expected to occur. As it is, because of the swampy area on which it began its history, Bangkok is said to be sinking at the alarming rate of two inches a year.

Answer: The Grand Palace

This complex is absolutely beautiful. The royal families of this nation, once known as Siam, have lived there since the late 1700s. Though it is the official residence of the kings of Thailand, the royal family actually resides in another palace close at hand.

This is known as the Chitralada Royal Villa. The official residence is used more today for official events, royal ceremonies and state functions.

Answer: He's reclining on his side

The Golden Buddha in the Wat Pho Temple looks downright comfortable in fact. Before this temple was built, there was a complex housing traditional Thai medical treatments on the site. It was there, for example, that tradition Thai massage was given birth. Wat Pho houses more than 1,000 smaller statues and images of Buddha, as well as the giant golden Buddha settled so comfortably on his side.

He actually is more than 160 feet long and approximately 48 feet high.

Answer: France

The design of this monument is western, but based on the ancient Egyptian style of the obelisk. The basic design is five bayonets sealed together, stretching upward to the heavens. These five bayonets represent the Thai "army, navy, air force, police and civilian bureaucracy", all of whom worked in a combined effort during the war against France.

It's an extremely impressive monument, but many Thais actively dislike it because of its representation of aggression and war. The sculptor himself didn't care for the final result of his work either - and referred to it as "the victory of embarrassment".

Answer: In a song

It's the only way they can remember it. As mentioned in the interesting information in question one, the Thai name for Bangkok is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. However that is the much abridged version. Its full name is "Krung-devamahanagara amararatanakosindra mahindrayudhya mahatilakabhava navaratanarajadhani puriramya uttamarajanivesana mahasthana amarvimana avatarasthitya shakrasdattiya vishnukarmaprasiddhi".

The translation of this into English is "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 Vishnukarma".

Imagine having to address envelopes with this! The spell check on my computer has just registered an official complaint.