Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (the rough translation of Krung Thep is “City of Angles”) is the capital and primate city of Thailand. It is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand, and is the 22nd most populous city in the world. Bangkok has a recorded population of about 6 million, but the actual number is thought to be much higher.

The city is a major economic and financial center of Southeast Asia. Bangkok has one of the fastest rates in the world for construction of high rise buildings. The city's wealth of cultural sites makes it one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.

Bangkok became the capital around 1782 when “King Rama 1” decided to move across the river from Thonburi, as he thought it was a better place to defend the city from invaders.