Information of Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and, with a population of over eleven million inhabitants, by far its largest city. Its high-rise buildings, heavy traffic congestion, intense heat and naughty nightlife do not immediately give you a warm welcome — but don't let your first impression mislead you. It is one of Asia's most cosmopolitan cities with magnificent temples and palaces, authentic canals, busy markets and a vibrant nightlife that has something for everyone.

For years, it was only a small trading post at the banks of the Chao Phraya River, until King Rama I, the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty, turned it into the capital of Siam in 1782, after the burning of Ayutthaya by Burmese invaders. Since then, Bangkok has turned into a national treasure house and functions as Thailand's spiritual, cultural, political, commercial, educational and diplomatic centre.

History of Bangkok

Before the 1780s, Bangkok originally was a small village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River. In 1782, King Rama I moved the capital to the eastern bank of the river at Rattanakosin, originally the site of a Chinese community, who were moved outside of the new city walls to Yaowarat. King Rama named the city Krung Thep, as it is now known to Thais and which in English is translates as the "City of Angels".

After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese Kingdom in 1767, the newly declared king taksin established a new capital in the area of then-Bangkok, which became known as Thonburi. When Taksin's reign ended in 1782, King Buddha yodfa chulaloke reconstructed the capital on the east bank of the river and gave the city a ceremonial name which became shortened to its current official name. On April 21, 1782 Bangkok became the capital of Thailand and the seat of the Thai government.