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Bangkok

geography Maturity 11-13 Vital Level 3 Next article →

Bangkok is the capital and largest city of Thailand.

Bangkok satellite city-area
Bangkok satellite city-area

It sits in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand. The city is located near the mouth of the river.

Many people live in this busy place. About 11.4 million people live in the city itself. As of 2024, this is 15.9% of all people in Thailand.

Bangkok population pyramid
Bangkok population pyramid

If you include the surrounding metropolitan region, over 17.4 million people live there. This makes Bangkok a huge megacity that is very important to the country.

View from Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Bangkok (7053110333) cropped
View from Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Bangkok (7053110333) cropped

Life in the city is very active and full of different things to see. You can visit grand landmarks like the Grand Palace.

Grand Palace Bangkok (173279731)
Grand Palace Bangkok (173279731)

There are also beautiful Buddhist temples like Wat Arun and Wat Pho. For a different feeling, people visit the nightlife of Khaosan Road.

2016 Bangkok, Dystrykt Phra Nakhon, Ulica Khaosan (08)
2016 Bangkok, Dystrykt Phra Nakhon, Ulica Khaosan (08)

The city is a major center for fashion, arts, and entertainment. It is also a global hub for business, finance, and health care.

Many travelers visit because it is one of the most visited cities in the world.

The history of the city goes back to the 15th century. It began as a small trading post during the Ayutthaya era.

Map of Bangkok in 1691 La Loubere
Map of Bangkok in 1691 La Loubere

Over time, it grew and became the site of two different capitals. Thonburi was a capital in 1767. Later, in 1782, the capital moved to the Rattanakosin side of the river.

View of Bangkok by John Heaviside Clark 1828 Colored
View of Bangkok by John Heaviside Clark 1828 Colored

The city was also the center for modernizing the country in the late 1800s. During this time, new things like steam engines and printing presses arrived.

Ratchadamnoen King80 arch
Ratchadamnoen King80 arch

Bangkok has many interesting facts and records. Its official ceremonial name is the longest place name in the world.

Full name of Bangkok
Full name of Bangkok

It has 168 letters! Many people call the city the "City of Angels."

Phahonyothin Road, north of Ha Yaek Lat Phrao station
Phahonyothin Road, north of Ha Yaek Lat Phrao station

The city is divided into fifty different districts. It also has a special government called the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Khet Bangkok
Khet Bangkok

This government looks after things like schools, hospitals, and city planning. Even the city seal is special, showing the god Indra riding a white elephant.

บรรยากาศงาน อุ่นไอรัก คลายความหนาว ครั้งที่ 2 (38)
บรรยากาศงาน อุ่นไอรัก คลายความหนาว ครั้งที่ 2 (38)

Because the city grew so fast, it faces some hard jobs today. There is often heavy traffic on the roads.

Highway interchange at night (35517755855) (cropped)
Highway interchange at night (35517755855) (cropped)

This can cause air pollution and make moving around difficult. To help solve this, the city uses public transport.

EMU A1 of BTS Skytrain
EMU A1 of BTS Skytrain

There are now 10 urban rail lines to help people travel.

MRT Pink Line at Samakkhi Station
MRT Pink Line at Samakkhi Station

You can also see busy street life with many food vendors.

Puy the Roti Lady Benjawan Kaewsaen and her sister Pang in Sala Dang Bangkok Thailand by Don Ramey Logan
Puy the Roti Lady Benjawan Kaewsaen and her sister Pang in Sala Dang Bangkok Thailand by Don Ramey Logan

The city continues to change and grow every day.

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🖼️ Images & Media (36)
File:Map of Bangkok in 1691 La Loubere.png
Map of Bangkok in 1691 La Loubere.png
File:View of Bangkok by John Heaviside Clark 1828 Colored.jpg
View of Bangkok by John Heaviside Clark...
File:Full name of Bangkok.JPG
Full name of Bangkok.JPG
File:Bangkok satellite city-area.jpg
Bangkok satellite city-area.jpg
File:Chaophrayashortcut.jpg
Chaophrayashortcut.jpg
File:Bangkok, Thailand Population Density and Low Elevation Coastal Zones (5457306973).jpg
Bangkok, Thailand Population Density and...
File:Khet_Bangkok.svg
Khet_Bangkok.svg
File:Chao Phraya River view from the State Tower, Bangkok 2017.jpg
Chao Phraya River view from the State...
File:บรรยากาศงาน อุ่นไอรัก คลายความหนาว ครั้งที่ 2 (38).jpg
บรรยากาศงาน อุ่นไอรัก คลายความหนาว...
File:View from Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Bangkok (7053110333) cropped.jpg
View from Baiyoke Sky Hotel, Bangkok...
File:(2022) อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ เขตราชเทวี กรุงเทพมหานคร (1).jpg
(2022) อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ เขตราชเทวี...
File:Panorama_of_Lumphini_Park_and_Thai-Belgium_Bridge.jpg
Panorama_of_Lumphini_Park_and_Thai-Belgium...

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