Krung Thep is the Thai name for Bangkok. The Thais never call their beloved capital Bangkok. In fact, it is said that people living in some remote areas of Thailand may not have heard of Bangkok at all. Krung Thep, the capital of Thailand, is located on the east bank of the river Chao Phraya, which is forty kilometers from Gulf of Thailand. The population of the city is around 10,068,000.

Ayutthaya was the old capital of Thailand. After a period of 417 years, the capital was shifted to Bangkok or Krung Thep by King Rama I in 1782. The old capital was the main target of the invading countries and it fought several wars trying to defend its boundaries. King Rama I decided to move the capital city to a more secure place and he decided that nothing could be safer and more secure than Krung Thep. So, the capital was moved to the city of Krung Thep. The King felt that this place would be difficult to penetrate as the enemy armies would have to cross a river to enter the city and this would be difficult for them to do so.

Krung Thep is the short form of the actual name of Bangkok. The real length name of the city is so long that it was recorded in the Guinness book of records as the world’s longest place name. The full name is;

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.

The meaning of the name is roughly translated as:

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.

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