Bangkok isn’t the capital of Thailand
I live in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. I have worked here as a journalist for the last 8 years. If you visit, it is likely that the city you will arrive in is called Bangkok. Except, technically, the capital of Thailand is actually called something else.
Let me explain…
A very brief history of Thailand’s capital
For around 400 years, the capital of Thailand, then known as Siam, was a place called Ayuttaya. The city of Ayuttaya still exists and is about an hour north of the current capital. It’s is well worth a visit if you like beautiful temples and annoying monkeys.
Ayuttaya was attacked on a fairly regular basis by the Burmese Empire and in 1767, it fell and was occupied. This was actually the second time this had happened and that was two times too many for the newly crowned King Taksin. So the king decided to move the capital to a more defensive area to the south.
This more strategically advantageous locale was previously a customs area with two forts on either side of the Chao Phraya river. Unfortunately, it too was under the rule of the invading Burmese. Undeterred, the King retook the town on the west side of the river and declared it to be the new capital. The town was officially called Thonburi Si Mahasamut. But its unofficial name, the one the locals used, was Bangkok.
Thonburi is now a district of Bangkok on the west side of the river. King Taksin’s successor, King Rama I, decided to move the capital to the east side of the river. It was here that he drove the ‘City Pillar’ into the soil, officially founding the city in 1782. He then changed the name. More on that in a second.
What was the origin of the name Bangkok?
The origin of the name “Bangkok” debated. I would say hotly debated but actually, the Thais are pretty chill about the whole thing. ‘Bang’ means ‘village or settlement’. It’s the er… ‘kok’ that is debated.
The first, less popular version, is that ‘kok’ is a version of ‘koh’. ‘Koh’ which anyone who has visited Thailand will probably know, means island. Koh Samui, Koh Chang, Koh Phi Phi, for example. In those days that part of the city was watery and had a few little islands. So it is feasible.
However, the most commonly held and popular belief is that it is the shortened form of ‘makok’ – which is the Thai word for olive. The area at the time was full of a plant that apparently bore an olive-like fruit. This second theory is bolstered by the fact that the famous Wat Arun, the ‘Temple of the Dawn’ in the same area and used to be called Wat Makok.
So why is it now still known as Bangkok?
Good question. Bangkok was only ever the colloquial term when it was on the other side of the river. One it was relocated by Rama I, he renamed the place with Ayuttaya’s full ceremonial name. Which is a colossal mouthful that I will get to in a minute.
The newly named capital soon started to prosper. Trade began with the Chinese but by the early 1800s increasing numbers of Western traders were arriving and found the official name, even the shortened version, too hard to pronounce. Which is fair enough. So the pesky foreigners stuck with the colloquial term for the place and referred to the city as Bangkok. And they still do to this day. So what is the official name?
The official name for the capital of Thailand
The sign you can see clearly says Bangkok. In English. If you can read Thai, you can see it says Krungthep. Although if you can read Thai, you probably know all this. This is also what a lot of Thais would say when referring to the capital. But that is not the full name.
In official documents, it is usually more formally known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. A bit more of a mouthful but nowhere near the final version. The full and proper name is so long in fact it holds the Guinness world record for the longest place name. Ready? The capital of Thailand is:
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit
Got that? It means, roughly:
The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.
Pretty grand huh?
So what should you call the capital?
Outside of Thailand – Bangkok. You can be pedantic and tell people it isn’t the official name like I do but even if you say Krungthep no one will know what the hell you’re talking about. God help you if you try and say something longer. And it isn’t like people in Thailand won’t know what you are talking about, Bangkok is also a known name.
When you land, the captain will welcome you to Bangkok. Even in Thailand, absolutely everyone knows the city as Bangkok as well as Krungthep and there are lots of signs referring to the capital by that name (see above). Even the local government administrative body is called the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. So don’t feel bad if that is what you called it throughout your visit.
Essentially, Bangkok is the non-Thai name for the capital. The proper name is what the Thais call it – Krung Thep or Krung Thep Mahanakhon if being formal. If like me, you are a foreigner who speaks Thai, locals will call it either and everyone knows where you mean and won’t care in the slightest.
So if you are planning a visit, you should start brushing up now so you can tell the taxi driver where to go. It should be good for a laugh. Or just say Bangkok, he’ll know where you mean.
