Which capital city is known in Thai as Krung Thep?

Bangkok is the capital city known in Thai as Krung Thep, a short form of its official Thai name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. It is Thailand’s political, economic, and cultural centre.

The modern city grew from settlements on the Chao Phraya River. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Thonburi became the capital briefly. In 1782, King Rama I established the capital on the river’s eastern bank, creating the Rattanakosin centre that developed into present-day Bangkok.

“Bangkok” remains the familiar English name, while Thai speakers commonly say Krung Thep. The full ceremonial name is extraordinarily long and is listed by Guinness World Records as the world’s longest place name. Krung means “capital” or “city,” and the name’s Pali and Sanskrit elements invoke deities, royal grandeur, and the city’s sacred status.