Dusit is Bangkok's regal quarter, laid out by King Rama V in the early twentieth century after his travels in Europe. Its wide tree-lined avenues, roundabouts, and formal vistas feel deliberately Parisian, a calm contrast to the chaos elsewhere in the city.
The district centres on the Dusit Palace grounds and the gleaming white Italian-marble Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, fronted by the equestrian statue of Rama V. Nearby stand the Royal Plaza and the Vimanmek teak mansion, while the small riverside market at Thewet supplies the neighbourhood with flowers and produce.
Government ministries and the former Bangkok zoo occupy much of the area, giving Dusit an orderly, official atmosphere best enjoyed on a slow morning walk.