Bangkok’s river has always been and will always be the bloodline of Bangkokians. For hundreds of years, it has provided all that is required for locals to live and driven the original settlement to prosper into present day Bangkok. Aptly named Mae Nam Chao Phraya, the river is the original nurturer of Bangkokians. In Thai, Mae Nam is a generic term for river with Mae signifying mother and Nam water. The Thai royal and noble title Chao Phraya may be translated as Grand Duke. The two terms together truly reflects the reverence Thais have for this river.