We
travelled further to Bangkok by plane for 4 hours. We had a lot of trouble with
the connections with the planes. So we travelled 2 hours longer than planned.
We got to
know that Bangkok the economic centre of Thailand and the country’s principal
port. So this time, the blog is about the economy.
Thailand’s
basic unit of currency is the baht with the exchange rate at approximately
32,48 baht per U.S. $1, 53,84 Baht per £1 and 44,50 Baht per €1.
The main
export products are food processing, wood and textiles. Most of the companies
in Bangkok are rice mills, cement factories, saw mills, oil refineries and
shipyards. The city is a famous jeweller
centre where silver and bronze items are bought and sold. Tourism is also an important source of income for Bangkok.
Bangkok
has begun seeking foreign investments in an effort to increase its importance
internationally, though it is a major regional city. Also the country is or was
suffering a severe and lingering recession. The Thai economy virtually
collapsed in the mid-1990s with exports drying up and many banks hurt by bad
loans and uncollected debt. In August 1997, the Thai government applied
for IMF loans and received them. The country agreed to a series of banking and
market reforms in exchange for $14 billion of assistance.
But now
the anti-government protest in Thailand have has a devastating effect on the
nation’s economy. The Central Bank cut interest rated by a quarter of a
percentage point to two per cent. The country’s economy grew at 0.6 per cent in
the last three months of last year, which was the lowest pace in two years. They
hope the situation will improve now that the protest have started to subside
Delphine
Sources
In Bangkok you also have a wonderful culture, when you are in Thailand you certainly have to travel through Bangkok. It is not for nothing the most popular destination in Thailand. If you visit Bangkok you can do this as well with your friends or your family because there is something to do for everyone.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI spend most of my time writing about culture and monuments because I believe it is important that you have knowledge about certain cultures and religions. These aspects form the world how it is today.
During our stay in Bangkok we discovered Bangkok Chinatown and Thonbury riverside by bike, an experience that we certainly must not forget to mention. We made several stops to admire the little markets and shops owned by locals. We stopped at ‘Wat Kalayanamit’ a large temple that is entirely filled by a huge Buddha image covered in gold. We made a lot of fun during this tour for example Ulrike was telling us more about the history of the temple while she was riding her bike and suddenly her bike chain fell off. She tried to explain the situation to a local which was not easy because they did not understand English, while she was trying to explain herself we were laughing out loud. Those moments with your friends you have to cherish forever.
Naomi
http://www.bangkok.com/magazine/chinatown-bicycle-tour.htm