Much of Bangkok's history has evolved along the banks of the Chao Phraya river. Wending its way through the heart of Bangkok, it continues to play an important part in daily life. Every day you'll see commuters, saffron robed monks and school children speeding by on fast river taxis, overtaking the heavily laden rice barges making their sedate journey upriver. For the visitor, the riverside provides a contrast of the old and the new, with some of Bangkok's most revered temples standing alongside warehouses, old wooden houses, new residential blocks and prestigious five star hotels. On the Thonburi side of the river (the original site of the Thailand's capital) a network of canals (klongs) still remain connecting the city to the suburbs which remain largely unaffected by modern development. A trip around these klongs offers a fascinating insight into local Thai life and a refreshing diversion from modern Bangkok