What is the Capital of Thailand? If you answered Los Angeles, you were not far off. The largest City in Thailand is known to Westerners as Bangkok, but to Thais, the city is known as Krung Thep, which translates into the “City of Angels”, the same name as the city in Southern California. Bangkok is the only major city in the world that is known to foreigners by one name and known to locals with a completely different name.
Actually, Krung Thep is the short name for the Capital City. It’s full name is much longer, in fact it is the longest city name in the world. The full name of the City is KRUNGTHEP MAHANAKHON BOVORN RATANAKOSIN MAHINTHARAYUTTHAYA MAHADILOKPOP
NOPARATRATCHATHANI BURIROM UDOMRATCHANIVETMAHASATHAN AMORNPIMAN AVATARNS ATHIT
SAKKATHATTIYAVISNUKARMPRASIT.
กรุงเทพมหานครอมรรัตนโกสินทร์มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลกภพน พรัตน์ราชธานีบุรรมย์อุดมราชนิเวศมหาสถานอมรพิมานอวต ารสถิตสักกะทัตติยวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์
This full name for the City translates to: “The land of angels, the great city (of)
immortality, various of divine gems, the great angelic land unconquerable,
land of nine noble gems, the royal city, the pleasant capital, place of the grand
royal palace, forever land of angels and reincarnated spirits, predestined and created
by the highest Deva(s).”
All Thai kids are obligated to memorize the full name for the Capital City early in their schooling.
The name Bangkok is in fact Thai, meaning ‘Village of Olives’ บางกอก. In the past, before the name was changed to Krungthep , Bangkok referred to the eastern side of the Chao Phraya River and Thonburi on the west. Foreigners didn’t like the word Krungthep and stuck to saying Bangkok.
Please consider making a small donation to our Kids Project. Every dollar will help. Please check out our “Happy Toilets” Project Here.
From 1548-1578 the city fell under siege from the Burmese and in 1767 both the City and Empire collapsed. What we see today at the World Heritage Park at Ayutthaya are the ruins in brick, stone and stccuo of that event. Ayutthaya did not rise again, and eventually the capital of Siam moved to Bangkok leaving a ruined and plundered landscape. As a result, all that really remains of the greatness of historical Ayutthaya are the Chedi, Prang and defaced statues of the temples; all of the timber buildings, the palaces and the houses from the period are gone. The city of Ayutthaya, once synonymous with Siam the Kingdom in the 18th Century, was never again to have a king sit upon her throne. After the 2nd World War, on May 11 1949, Siam was renamed Prathet Thai, or Thailand as it is known to the world today.
Thanks for the info. However, I believe the name change from Siam to Thailand was done in 1939 by Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, who had become prime minister the year before as a result of a coup. I actually have a post on these historical events here: http://americanexpatchiangmai.com/the-fascist-leader-that-shaped-modern-thailand-field-marshal-plaek-phibunsongkhram/
I am always interested in more Thai historical information, and different interpretations of history in the Kingdom. Your input is very welcome.