Few cities fire the traveler's imagination in the same way as Bangkok. Golden temples, palm-shaded canals and classical dancers are just some of the evocative images that appear on postcards and in picture books. Yet Bangkok is more than just a treat for the eyes. It is a sensual feast that envelops the visitor from the very first moment: tiny temple chimes tinkling in the breeze, an April sky filled with brightly-colored kites, the aroma of chicken roasting at a roadside stall, fragrant garland, incense smoke spiraling from a Chinese shrine, saffron-robed monks chanting ancient sutras n the morning light and, above all, the Thai smile and gracious manner.

But not all the sights that greet the first-time visitor are likely to prove so enchanting. Ribbons of concrete plunge like daggers through the city's heart, huge buildings dwarf the Buddhist chedis, the sounds of a gentle people are lost in the roar of traffic. In fact, it is in many ways like any other modern city.

If Thailand is shaped like an elephant's head, then Bangkok is the beast's golden tooth. It is figuratively and literally the epicenter of the nation. With a population some 50 times greater than the country's second largest city, it dominates all political, commercial, religious and social activity. It is an island in a sea of green rice fields. Understanding it will help little in understanding the rest of the country.

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