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Krung Thep Maha Nakhon

Bangkok
กรุงเทพมหานคร
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
Special administrative area
A composite image, consisting of the following, in clockwise fashion: a skyline with several skyscrapers; a tall gate-like structure, painted in red; a monument featuring bronze figures standing around the base of an obelisk, surrounded by a large traffic circle; a cable-stayed bridge with a single pylon on one side of the river it spans; a temple with a large stupa surrounded by four smaller ones on a river bank; and a stately building with a Thai-style roof with three spires
Clockwise from top: Si LomSathon business district, the Giant Swing, Victory Monument, Rama VIII Bridge, Wat Arun, and the Grand Palace
A green rectangular flag with the seal of Bangkok in the centre
Flag
A round seal bearing the image of Indra riding Airavata among clouds, with the words "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon" (in Thai) across the top
Seal
Map of Thailand, with a small highlighted area near the centre of the country, near the coast of the Gulf of Thailand
Location within Thailand
Coordinates: 13°45′N 100°28′E / 13.750°N 100.467°E / 13.750; 100.467Coordinates: 13°45′N 100°28′E / 13.750°N 100.467°E / 13.750; 100.467
Country  Thailand
Region Central Thailand
Settled c 15th century
Founded as capital 21 April 1782
Re-incorporated 13 December 1972
Founded by King Rama I
Governing body Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
Government
 • Type Special administrative area
 • Governor Aswin Kwanmuang
Area
 • City 1,568.737 km2 (605.693 sq mi)
 • Metro 7,761.6 km2 (2,996.8 sq mi)
Elevation 1.5 m (4.9 ft)
Population (2010 census)
 • City 8,280,925
 • Density 5,300/km2 (14,000/sq mi)
 • Metro 14,565,547
 • Metro density 1,900/km2 (4,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Bangkokian
Time zone ICT (UTC+7)
Postal code 10###
Area code(s) 02
ISO 3166 code TH-10
Website www.bangkok.go.th

Bangkok (English pronunciation: /ˈbæŋkɒk/) is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร, pronounced  [krūŋ tʰêːp mahǎː nákʰɔ̄ːn]) or simply Krung Thep (About this sound listen ). The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in Central Thailand, and has a population of over 8 million, or 12.6 percent of the country's population. Over 14 million people (22.2 percent) live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region, making Bangkok an extreme primate city, significantly dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in terms of importance.

Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew and became the site of two capital cities: Thonburi in 1768 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam—later renamed Thailand—during the late 19th century, as the country faced pressures from the West. The city was at the centre of Thailand's political struggles throughout the 20th century, as the country abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule and underwent numerous coups and several uprisings. The city grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society.


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