[29] Many of these canals have since been filled in or paved over, but others still criss-cross the city, serving as major drainage channels and transport routes. Backlinks from other websites and blogs are the lifeblood of our site and are our primary source of new traffic. [60] It is the site of the Grand Palace and the City Pillar Shrine, primary symbols of the city's founding, as well as important Buddhist temples. Bangkok has a reputation overseas as a major destination in the sex industry. [89] Due to the large amount of foreign representation, Thailand has for several years been a mainstay of the Southeast Asian economy and a centre of Asian business. Private galleries gradually emerged to provide exposure for new artists, including the Patravadi Theatre and H Gallery. [62] There are 581 skyscrapers over 90 metres (300 feet) tall in the city. Baker & Pongpaichit 2005, pp. [127] However, increasing vehicle numbers and a lack of continued pollution-control efforts threatens a reversal of the past success. All six national terrestrial channels, Channels 3, 5 and 7, Modernine, NBT and Thai PBS, have headquarters and main studios in the capital. [l], Bangkok is faced with multiple problemsincluding congestion, and especially subsidence and floodingwhich have raised the issue of moving the nation's capital elsewhere. If you use our chart images on your site or blog, we ask that you provide attribution via a link back to this page. Royal palaces and temples as well as several museums constitute its major historical and cultural tourist attractions. The BTS consists of two lines, Sukhumvit and Silom, with 59 stations along 68.25 kilometres (42.41mi). (eds) 2006, p.24. The area is the site of the country's seat of power as well as the city's most popular tourist landmarks.[60]. Although its boundaries are at the provincial (changwat) level, unlike the other 76 provinces Bangkok is a special administrative area whose governor is directly elected to serve a four-year term. The Chinese New Year (JanuaryFebruary) and Vegetarian Festival (SeptemberOctober) are celebrated widely by the Chinese community, especially in Yaowarat. As of August2012[update], there are 106,050 cars, 58,276 motorcycles and 8,996 tuk-tuk motorized tricycles cumulatively registered for use as taxis. As of December 2009, " 2 ..2562", "Global report on human settlements 2003 City report: Bangkok", " .. Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger.
The Airport Rail Link, opened in August 2010, connects the city centre to Suvarnabhumi Airport to the east. 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.
Traffic and Transportation Department, p.154. Traffic and Transportation Department, pp. A study by the OECD has estimated that 5.138million people in Bangkok may be exposed to coastal flooding by 2070, the seventh highest figure among the world's port cities. Thailand had long since become highly centralized around the capital. [14] The Romanization "Bangkok" comes from French. [119] There are also many other art galleries and museums, including the privately owned Museum of Contemporary Art. [118] The large majority of Thailand's more than 200 magazines are published in the capital, and include news magazines as well as lifestyle, entertainment, gossip and fashion-related publications.
In 2017, the military government assigned NESDC to study the possibility of moving government offices from Bangkok to Chachoengsao province in the east. Traffic and Transportation Department, p.112. [61] The Victory Monument in Ratchathewi District is among its most important road junctions, serving over 100 bus lines as well as an elevated train station. Bangkok is divided into fifty districts (khet, equivalent to amphoe in the other provinces), which are further subdivided into 180 sub-districts (khwaeng, equivalent to tambon). [64] Some settlements are squatted such as the large slums in Khlong Toei District. [49], The Climate Impact Group at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies projected severe weather impacts on Bangkok caused by climate change. Bangkok is still nevertheless home to a large Chinese community, with the greatest concentration in Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown. We have provided a few examples below that you can copy and paste to your site: Your data export is now complete. [169][170][171], The city's formal international relations are managed by the International Affairs Division of the BMA. [150], Bangkok has long been the centre of modern education in Thailand. Bangkok has acquired the nickname "Sin City of Asia" for its level of sex tourism. In his hand Indra holds his weapon, the vajra. [63] As a result of persistent economic disparity, many slums have emerged in the city. Each district is managed by a district director appointed by the governor. The fifty districts, arranged by district code, are:[56], Bangkok's districts often do not accurately represent the functional divisions of its neighbourhoods or land usage. 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. The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7sqmi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 10.539million as of 2020, 15.3 percent of the country's population. Khon and other traditional dances are regularly performed at the National Theatre and Salachalermkrung Royal Theatre, while the Thailand Cultural Centre is a newer multi-purpose venue which also hosts musicals, orchestras and other events. [64], Bangkok has several parks, although these amount to a per capita total park area of only 1.82 square metres (19.6sqft) in the city proper. The tree symbol of Bangkok is Ficus benjamina. Wreaths are laid at King Chulalongkorn's equestrian statue in the Royal Plaza on 23 October, which is King Chulalongkorn Memorial Day. Only in the 1990s have Bangkok's population growth rates decreased, following the national rate. It is followed by manufacturing (14.3 percent); real estate, renting and business activities (12.4 percent); transport and communications (11.6 percent); and financial intermediation (11.1 percent). It is the site of many of the country's major corporate headquarters, but also of some of the city's red-light districts. [10] Most prominent were the Chinese, who played major roles in the city's trade and became the majority of Bangkok's populationestimates include up to three-fourths in 1828 and almost half in the 1950s. [118] Broadcast media reform stipulated by the 1997 Constitution has been progressing slowly, although many community radio stations have emerged in the city. The first schools in the country were established here in the later 19th century, and there are now 1,351 schools in the city. Although the Portuguese who settled during the Thonburi period have ceased to exist as a distinct community, their past is reflected in Santa Cruz Church, on the west bank of the river. Bangkok has dozens of cinemas and multiplexes, and the city hosts two major film festivals annually, the Bangkok International Film Festival and the World Film Festival of Bangkok. 
The residents of Bangkok celebrate many of Thailand's annual festivals. The extent of the problem is such that the Thai Traffic Police has a unit of officers trained in basic midwifery in order to assist deliveries which do not reach hospital in time. The historic uprisings of 1973, 1976 and 1992 are infamously known for the deaths from military suppression. [74] In 2018, numbers show that there are 370,000 international migrants registered with the Department of Employment, more than half of them migrants from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Stock Exchange of Thailand 2012, pp. Thai ethnicity is rather a question of cultural identity than of genetic origin. Many traditional neighbourhoods and markets are found here, including the Chinese settlement of Sampheng. The city, incorporated as a special administrative area under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in 1972, grew rapidly during the 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society. For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period. Although the crime threat in Bangkok is relatively low, non-confrontational crimes of opportunity such as pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, and credit card fraud occur with frequency. The city is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts. The police have long been preoccupied with street crimes ranging from housebreaking to assault and murder. But efforts to improve air quality by improving fuel quality and enforcing emission standards, among others, had visibly ameliorated the problem by the 2000s. Numerous venues regularly feature a variety of performances throughout the city. Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated. In separate elections, each district elects one or more city councillors, who form the Bangkok Metropolitan Council. Political demonstrations and protests are common in Bangkok. Traffic and Transportation Department, pp. This was due to both a lack of secondary schools in the provinces and perceived higher standards of education in the capital. However, this centralised model is weakening with the rise of cable television, which has many local providers. Bangkok,[a] officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon[b] and colloquially as Krung Thep,[c] is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The Bangkok Metropolitan Region had a combined output of 4.773trillion baht ($149.39billion), or 44.2 percent of GDP. Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations, and has been named the world's most visited city consistently in several international rankings. By one recent estimate, at least 60 percent of the city's residents are of Chinese descent. [149] Suvarnabhumi is undergoing expansion to increase its capacity to 60million passengers by 2019 and 90million by 2021. Ramkhamhaeng University emerged in 1971 as Thailand's first open university; it now has the highest enrolment in the country. However, the rate of fatal accidents is much lower than in the rest of Thailand. Newer expatriate communities exist along Sukhumvit Road, including the Japanese community near Soi Phrom Phong and Soi Thong Lo, and the Arab and North African neighbourhood along Soi Nana. While the BMA has authorised the practice in 287 sites, the majority of activity in another 407 sites takes place illegally. Bangkok alone accounts for 48.4 percent of Thailand's service sector, which in turn constitutes 49 percent of GDP. It found that Bangkok in 1960 had 193 days at or above 32C. Bangkok is served by four rapid transit systems: the BTS Skytrain, the MRT, the SRT Red Lines, and the elevated Airport Rail Link. 25312553 (Poverty rates by expenses, sorted by region and area, 19882010)", "Big Cities, Big Business: Bangkok, London and Paris Lead the Way in Mastercard's 2018 Global Destination Cities Index", "Bangkok Claims Title as World's Most Visited City: 2016 Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index", "Defining What Makes a City a Destination (2017 Destination Index)", "Bangkok Named Most Popular City For International Tourists in 2017", "The overwhelming majority of popular tourist destinations are in Asia", "10 most popular cities for international travelers in 2017", "Bangkok's street food under threat from gentrification", "Vanishing Bangkok: What is the Capital Being Remade Into, And For Whom? Although family planning and birth control were introduced in the 1960s, the lowered birth rate was more than offset by increased migration from the provinces as economic expansion accelerated. Lodgings were made by 15,031,244 guests, who occupied 49.9 percent of the city's 86,687 hotel rooms. TrueVisions is the major subscription television provider in Bangkok and Thailand, and it also carries international programming. [1] The BMA's City Planning Department (CPD) is responsible for planning and shaping further development. As the main gateway through which visitors arrive in Thailand, Bangkok is visited by the majority of international tourists to the country. Much of Thailand's medical resources are disproportionately concentrated in the capital. Many famous market neighbourhoods were affected, including Khlong Thom, Saphan Lek, and the flower market at Pak Khlong Talat. [108] Ownership of electronics and consumer products such as mobile phones is ubiquitous. The hot season is generally dry, but also sees occasional summer storms. [69] Bang Kachao, a 20-square-kilometre (7.7sqmi) conservation area on an oxbow of the Chao Phraya, lies just across the southern riverbank districts, in Samut Prakan province. [35] Severe flooding affecting much of the city occurred in 1995 and 2011. Krung, is a Thai word of MonKhmer origin, meaning 'capital, king',[21][verification needed] while thep, is from Pali/Sanskrit, meaning 'deity' or 'god' and corresponding to deva. 26, 3940, 4849, 6263, 218219. It published master plan updates in 1999 and 2006, and a third revision is undergoing public hearings in 2012. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality. 138144. [106], Issues often encountered by foreign tourists include scams, overcharging and dual pricing. Don Mueang reopened for domestic flights in 2007,[148] and resumed international service focusing on low-cost carriers in October 2012. Estimating Flood Impacts and Vulnerabilities in Coastal Cities", "New elevation data triple estimates of global vulnerability to sea-level rise and coastal flooding", "Climate change: Sea level rise to affect 'three times more people', "Tracking the rapid loss of tidal wetlands in the Yellow Sea", Old photo (around 1900) of dilapidated prang from the collection of Cornell University Library, "Extreme minimum temperature during winter season in Thailand 60-year period (19512010)", "How Much Hotter Is Your Hometown Than When You Were Born? Although they take up pavement space and block pedestrian traffic, many of the city's residents depend on these vendors for their meals, and the BMA's efforts to curb their numbers have largely been unsuccessful. Terrorist incidents have also occurred in Bangkok, most notably the bombing in 2015 at the Erawan shrine, which killed 20, and also a series of bombings on the 200607 New Year's Eve. The Population of Thailand (1950 - 2019) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2019. Bangkok's rapid growth coupled with little urban planning has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure. Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated. [57], The city has grown from its original centre along the river into a sprawling metropolis surrounded by swaths of suburban residential development extending north and south into neighbouring provinces. The BMA has the authority to implement local ordinances, although civil law enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police Bureau. The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong.
Phu Khao Thong, the only hill in the metropolitan area, originated with a very large chedi that King Rama III (17871851) built at Wat Saket. An estimated 200,000 medical tourists visited Thailand in 2011, making Bangkok the most popular global destination for medical tourism.[157]. The river meanders through the city in a southerly direction, emptying into the Gulf of Thailand approximately 25 kilometres (16mi) south of city centre. Please check your download folder. [45], Like most of Thailand, Bangkok has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Kppen climate classification and is under the influence of the South Asian monsoon system. Among Bangkok's well-known sights are the Grand Palace and major Buddhist temples, including Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. The city is also famous for its dynamic nightlife. The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) operates a monopoly on bus services, with substantial concessions granted to private operators. [97][98] Euromonitor International ranked Bangkok fourth in its Top City Destinations Ranking for 2016. Yearly % Change: For 2019: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). Due to the city's organic development, its streets do not follow an organized grid structure. [87] Tourism is also a significant contributor to Bangkok's economy, generating 427.5billion baht ($13.38billion) in revenue in 2010. Their prominence subsequently declined as younger generations of Thai Chinese integrated and adopted a Thai identity. The city's overall traffic conditions, however, remain poor. Various communities throughout the city still practice their traditional crafts, including the production of khon masks, alms bowls, and classical musical instruments. [114], Bangkok's first Thai International Gay Pride Festival took place on October 31, 1999. Its 21 national newspapers had a combined daily circulation of about two million in 2002. Chulalongkorn and Mahidol are the only Thai universities to appear in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings. In 2010, the city had an economic output of 3.142trillion baht (US$98.34billion), contributing 29.1 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). [172], With its location at the heart of mainland Southeast Asia and as one of Asia's hubs of transportation, Bangkok is home to many international and regional organizations. As a result, the city grew organically throughout the period of its rapid expansion, both horizontally as ribbon developments extended along newly built roads, and vertically, with increasing numbers of high rises and skyscrapers being built in commercial areas. Thailand's universal healthcare system is implemented through public hospitals and health centres as well as participating private providers. [citation needed]. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as a centre for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. [50], Bangkok's fifty districts serve as administrative subdivisions under the authority of the BMA. As the capital, Bangkok was the centre of Siam's modernization as it faced pressure from Western powers in the late-19th century. [172], Bangkok is a member of several international organizations and regional city government networks, including the Asian Network of Major Cities 21, the Japan-led Asian-Pacific City Summit, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the ESCAP-sponsored Regional Network of Local Authorities for Management of Human Settlements in Asia and Pacific (CITYNET), Japan's Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, the World Association of the Major Metropolises and Local Governments for Sustainability, among others. Bangkok is situated in the Chao Phraya River delta in Thailand's central plain. Although prostitution is technically illegal and is rarely openly discussed in Thailand, it commonly takes place among massage parlours, saunas and hourly hotels, serving foreign tourists as well as locals. Known simply as the BRT, the system currently consists of a single line running from the business district at Sathon to Ratchaphruek on the western side of the city. There were 37,985 accidents in the city in 2010, resulting in 16,602 injuries and 456 deaths as well as 426.42million baht in damages. [d] This is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok. Several water buses serve commuters daily. However, many separate government agencies are also in charge of the individual systems, and much of transport-related policy planning and funding is contributed to by the national government. Although initial passenger numbers were low and their service area was limited to the inner city until the 2016 opening of the Purple Line, which serves the Nonthaburi area, these systems have become indispensable to many commuters. While this ceremonial name is generally believed, based on writings by the Somdet Phra Wannarat (Kaeo), to have originally been given by King Rama I and later modified by King Mongkut, it did not come into use until the latter reign. Vimanmek Mansion in Dusit Palace is famous as the world's largest teak building, while the Jim Thompson House provides an example of traditional Thai architecture. (includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.). [86] The automotive industry based around Greater Bangkok is the largest production hub in Southeast Asia.
[65] More recent numbers claim that there is 3.3 square metres (36sqft) of green space per person,[66] compared to an average of 39 square metres (420sqft) in other cities across Asia. [84] Bangkok's economy ranked as the sixth among Asian cities in terms of per-capita GDP, after Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, OsakaKobe and Seoul, as of 2010. Bangkok is the location of Hua Lamphong Railway Station, the main terminus of the national rail network operated by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). A distinct feature of Bangkok is the ubiquity of street vendors selling goods ranging from food items to clothing and accessories. Khao San Road has long been famous as a destination for backpacker tourism, with its budget accommodation, shops and bars attracting visitors from all over the world. In the 2000s, the Thaksin Shinawatra administration assigned the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) to formulate a plan to move the capital to Nakhon Nayok province. In addition to long-distance services, the SRT also operates a few daily commuter trains running from and to the outskirts of the city during the rush hour. In a survey of 616 tourists visiting Thailand, 7.79 percent reported encountering a scam, the most common of which was the gem scam, in which tourists are tricked into buying overpriced jewellery.[107]. The demand for higher education has led to the founding of many other universities and colleges, both public and private. This was followed by 5,504 cases of motorcycle thefts, 3,694 cases of assault and 2,836 cases of embezzlement. The course of the river as it flows through Bangkok has been modified by the construction of several shortcut canals. [99] Bangkok was also named "World's Best City" by Travel + Leisure magazine's survey of its readers for four consecutive years, from 2010 to 2013. GMM Grammy is Thailand's largest mass-media conglomerate is also headquartered in Bangkok as well. Despite their popularity, taxis have gained a bad reputation for often refusing passengers when the requested route is not to the driver's convenience. [120] Muangthong United, Bangkok United, BG Pathum United, Port and Police Tero are major Thai League clubs based in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region,[121][122] while the Rajadamnern and Lumpini stadiums are the main kickboxing venues. Although absolute poverty rates are lowonly 0.64 percent of Bangkok's registered residents were living under the poverty line in 2010, compared to a national average of 7.75 percenteconomic disparity is still substantial. Thavisin et al. [18], The name is listed in Guinness World Records as the world's longest place name, at 168 letters. As is the national trend, association football and Muay Thai dominate Bangkok's spectator sport scene. Two commercial airports serve the city, the older Don Mueang International Airport and the newer Suvarnabhumi Airport. The rainy season lasts until October, when the dry and cool northeast monsoon takes over until February. Its eight stations span a distance of 28.6 kilometres (17.8mi). By then, many public and social issues had emerged, among them the strain on infrastructure reflected in the city's notorious traffic jams. The two main centres are the National Stadium complex, which dates to 1938, and the newer Hua Mak Sports Complex, which was built for the 1998 Asian Games. Rabies is prevalent among the dog population, and treatment for bites pose a heavy public burden. Although rail transport was introduced in 1893 and trams served the city from 1888 to 1968, it was only in 1999 that Bangkok's first rapid transit system began operation. Density (P/Km): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km). Bangkok was home to 40 of Thailand's 311 FM radio stations and 38 of its 212 AM stations in 2002. [17], Today, the city is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon () or simply Krung Thep (), a shortening of the ceremonial name which came into use during the reign of King Mongkut. Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. The reigns of Kings Mongkut (Rama IV, r. 185168) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, r. 18681910) saw the introduction of the steam engine, printing press, rail transport and utilities infrastructure in the city, as well as formal education and healthcare.
[95], Bangkok is one of the world's top tourist destinations. Bangkok's role as the nation's political stage continues to be seen in strings of popular protests, from the student uprisings in 1973 and 1976, anti-military demonstrations in 1992, and frequent street protests since 2006, including those by groups opposing and supporting former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from 2006 to 2013, and a renewed student-led movement in 2020. Forty-eight major roads link the different areas of the city, branching into smaller streets and lanes (soi) which serve local neighbourhoods. The seal of the city shows Hindu god Indra riding in the clouds on Airavata, a divine white elephant known in Thai as Erawan. NESDB 2012, pp. 3741, 45, 5271, 149150, 162, 199204. The Department of Tourism recorded 26,861,095 Thai and 11,361,808 foreign visitors to Bangkok in 2010. Ground water management and mitigation measures have since lessened the severity of the situation, and the rate of subsidence decreased to 10 to 30 millimetres (0.39 to 1.18in) per year in the early 2000s, though parts of the city are now 1 metre (3ft 3in) below sea level.[31]. This ceremonial name uses two ancient Indian languages, In contrast to the 169-letter-long transcription provided above in this article, the form recorded in the Guinness World Records is missing the first letter "h" in. With the exception of local news segments broadcast by the NBT, all programming is done in Bangkok and repeated throughout the provinces. District councils, elected to four-year terms, serve as advisory bodies to their respective district directors. [1] It is ranked 73rd in the world in terms of land area. [75] As a result of Western medicine brought by missionaries as well as increased immigration from both within Siam and overseas, Bangkok's population gradually increased as the city modernized in the late 19th century.