Bangkok
2 of the 6 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Bangkok. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)
the capital city of Siam, ✓situated on both banks of the Menam, about 20 miles from its mouth, and in 14° N. lat., and 100° 20′ E. long. The 27-Vol. I-Cvc population is about 550,000, nearly half of whom are Chinese, the others including Burmese, Annamese, Cambodians, Europeans. The Malays, Eurasians, and and foreign trade of Siam centers in in Bangkok, and is mainly in the hands of the Europeans and Chin Chinese . The approach to Bangkok by the Menam, which can be navigated by ships of 350 tons bur- Paknam, below the bar at the mouth of Stone buildings are used only for the royal palaces, some noblemen's houses, monasteries, and the dwellings of Europeans. A large number of the houses float on rafts, fastened by ropes to poles; most of the trade of the city is carried on upon the river. Much of the internal traffic of Bangkok is carried on by means of canals, but in recent years numerous streets and roads have been built; there are now also electric street railways, electric lights, and four railway stations. The native houses on land of bamboo or other wood, like the floating houses are raised upon piles, six or eight feet from the ground, and are reached by ladders. The circumference of the walls of Bangkok, which are 15 to 30 feet high, and 12 broad, is about 6 miles. Bangkok is the constant residence of the King and the seat of foreign legations and consulates. The palace is surrounded by high walls, and is nearly a mile in circumference. It includes temples, public offices, accommodation for officials and for some thousands of soldiers, with their necessary equipments, a theater, apartments for a crowd of female attendants, and several Buddhist temples, or chapels. Throughout the interior are distributed the most costly articles in gold, silver, and precious stones. The temples of Bangkok are innumerable and decorated in the most gorgeous style, the Siamese taking a pride in lavishing their wealth on them. In the neighborhood of Bangkok are iron mines and forests of teak-wood. The chief exports are rice, sugar, pepper, cardamoms, sesame, hides, fine woods, ivory, feathers, and edible birds' nests. There is regular steamship service with Singapore, Saigon, and Hong Kong. See SIAM.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
the capital city of Siam. It is situated on the Menam River, about twenty miles above its mouth. A central portion of the city lying on the east bank is surrounded by a wall twelve feet thick and surmounted by towers. The rest of the city stretches along on both sides of the river for miles. The ordinary buildings are constructed of bamboo. The streets are intersected in every direction with canals. Many of the houses are built on piles. A very considerable part of the population lives in house boats. Seen from the river the appearance of the city is striking. There are over a hundred Buddhist temples, including one in which a jasper statue of Buddha may be seen. The Great Pagoda is one of the wonderful buildings of the East. The king's palace and grounds include a private temple, offices, the royal seraglio, stables for the sacred white elephant, etc. There are (1909) twenty-six rice mills in the city. The city trades with Singapore, Hong Kong , and European ports. Silk and cotton goods, kerosene, sugar, opium, cutlery, and machinery are the chief imports. Rice, teak and other woods, pepper, hides, lac, birds' nests, and many forest products are exported to the value of $25,000,000 a year. The city has a large trade up and down the river. There are two railways. Telegraphic communication has been established with outlying parts of the kingdom. The business portion of the city has postal delivery and a system of gas lighting. The population is estimated at from 400,000 to 600,000-a third Chinese.
What Has Changed in the Last Century
When Collier's counted "about 550,000" inhabitants in 1921 and described a city where "a large number of the houses float on rafts," Bangkok was still a river town with four railway stations and walls six miles round. The country ceased to be Siam in 1939, the absolute monarchy Collier's described ended with the revolution of 1932, and the Grand Palace is now a museum and ceremonial site rather than "the constant residence of the King." The metropolitan population has passed ten million, most of the canals that carried "most of the trade of the city" have been filled in for roads, and the Skytrain (1999) and Suvarnabhumi Airport (2006) serve a city that has repeatedly topped global rankings of the most-visited destinations on earth.
Written for this edition, 2026.