After the end of World War ll, Thailand was badly in need of economic restoration and modernization, and construction of a modern port was seen as a sure way to meet this challenge head on. At its establishment in 1951,the Port Authority of Thailand operated nine berths at the west Quay of Bangkok Port, Providing services for both conventional and bulk cargoes.By 1981,when this picture was taken,Bangkok Port was in need of new facilities to handle Thailand's rapidly expanding maritime trade, which had seen steady growth in the previous decades. Today,Bangkok Port remains a vital component in Thailand's increasingly important role in regional and global trade networks.