A khlong (also commonly but less correctly called a klong) is a canal in the central plain of Thailand. The capital Bangkok was crisscrossed by them and so gained the name Venice of the East. The khlongs were used for transportation and for floating markets, but also for sewage. For health reasons now most of the khlongs of Bangkok have been filled in and converted to streets, although the Thonburi district of Bangkok still retains several of its larger khlongs. The traditional floating markets now exist mainly as tourist attractions.