42 Facts About Bangkok

Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand.

Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam, later renamed Thailand, during the late-19th century, as the country faced pressures from the West.

Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations, and has been named the world's most visited city consistently in several international rankings.

Bangkok'story of Bangkok dates at least back to the early 15th century, to when it was a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, under the rule of Ayutthaya.

Bangkok initially served as a customs outpost with forts on both sides of the river, and was the site of a siege in 1688 in which the French were expelled from Siam.

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Bangkok became the centre stage for power struggles between the military and political elite as the country abolished absolute monarchy in 1932.

Bangkok was likely a colloquial name, albeit one widely adopted by foreign visitors, who continued to use it to refer to the city even after the new capital's establishment.

City of Bangkok is locally governed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Bangkok is divided into fifty districts, which are further subdivided into 180 sub-districts (khwaeng, equivalent to tambon).

Bangkok is the site of the Grand Palace and Dusit Palace, respectively the official and de facto residence of the king.

Bangkok is situated in the Chao Phraya River delta in Thailand's central plain.

The course of the river as it flows through Bangkok has been modified by the construction of several shortcut canals.

Geology of the Bangkok area is characterized by a top layer of soft marine clay, known as "Bangkok clay", averaging 15 metres in thickness, which overlies an aquifer system consisting of eight known units.

Subsidence has resulted in increased flood risk, as Bangkok is already prone to flooding due to its low elevation and an inadequate drainage infrastructure, often compounded by blockage from rubbish pollution.

Bangkok was ranked as the world's eighth tallest city in 2016.

Bangkok has several parks, although these amount to a per capita total park area of only 1.

City of Bangkok has a population of 8, 305, 218 according to the 2010 census, or 12.

Bangkok is a cosmopolitan city; the census showed that it is home to 567, 120 expatriates from Asian countries, 88, 177 from Europe, 32, 241 from the Americas, 5, 856 from Oceania and 5, 758 from Africa.

In 1980, Bangkok's population was fifty-one times that of Hat Yai and Songkhla, the second-largest urban centre, making it the world's most prominent primate city.

Majority of Bangkok's population identify as Thai, although details on the city's ethnic make-up are unavailable, as the national census does not document race.

Bangkok is still nevertheless home to a large Chinese community, with the greatest concentration in Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown.

Bangkok is the economic centre of Thailand, and the heart of the country's investment and development.

Bangkok's economy ranked as the sixth among Asian cities in terms of per-capita GDP, after Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka–Kobe and Seoul, as of 2010.

Bangkok is home to the headquarters of all of Thailand's major commercial banks and financial institutions, as well as the country's largest companies.

Bangkok was named "World's Best City" by Travel + Leisure magazine's survey of its readers for four consecutive years, from 2010 to 2013.

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Bangkok topped the list as the world's most popular tourist destinations in 2017 rankings.

Culture of Bangkok reflects its position as Thailand's centre of wealth and modernisation.

Distinct feature of Bangkok is the ubiquity of street vendors selling goods ranging from food items to clothing and accessories.

Bangkok was designated as the World Book Capital for the year 2013 by UNESCO.

Bangkok was home to 40 of Thailand's 311 FM radio stations and 38 of its 212 AM stations in 2002.

Likewise, Bangkok has dominated the Thai film industry since its inception.

Traditional Thai art, long developed within religious and royal contexts, continues to be sponsored by various government agencies in Bangkok, including the Department of Fine Arts' Office of Traditional Arts.

Muangthong United, Bangkok United, BG Pathum United, Port and Police Tero are major Thai League clubs based in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, while the Rajadamnern and Lumpini stadiums are the main kickboxing venues.

Bangkok had hosted the games in 1966, 1970 and 1978; the most of any city.

Bangkok is connected to the rest of the country through the national highway and rail networks, as well as by domestic flights to and from the city's two international airports.

Bangkok has an extensive bus network providing local transit services within the Greater Bangkok area.

Bangkok is the location of Hua Lamphong Railway Station, the main terminus of the national rail network operated by the State Railway of Thailand.

Bangkok is served by four rapid transit systems: the BTS Skytrain, the MRT, the SRT Red Lines, and the elevated Airport Rail Link.

Bangkok has long been the centre of modern education in Thailand.

Bangkok became not only a place where immigrants and provincial Thais go for job opportunities, but for a chance to receive a university degree.

Bangkok has a relatively moderate crime rate when compared to urban counterparts around the world.

Bangkok is faced with multiple problems—including congestion, and especially subsidence and flooding—which have raised the issue of moving the nation's capital elsewhere.