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If you have ever been one of the millions of people who visit Bangkok, Thailand, each year, you likely love this incredible capital city.
It boasts some amazing restaurants, beautiful architecture, elaborate temples, and much more. On top of that, it is very accessible, affordable, and very welcoming, which is likely why it is so popular.
One thing about this city that most people don’t know is that it holds an interesting and unexpected Guinness World Record.
Bangkok is the location with the longest name in the world. Yup, you read that right.
Bangkok is only seven letters, but that is because it is just the English version of the name of the city. In the native language, the city is known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (or กรุงเทพฯ in their script). This translates to, “great city of angels.”
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Still, that isn’t that many letters, and certainly not the most of any place in the world.
The Royal Society’s full ceremonial name for the city is (in their native script):
กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยามหาดิลก ภพนพรัตน์ ราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์ มหาสถาน อมรพิมาน อวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะ วิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์
That’s a mouthful in any language. When translated into the Latin alphabet, it looks like this:
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
But what does it mean? Well, a rough translation to English is as follows:
“City of angles, the city of immortality, the great city of the world, the city of the golden age, the city of the golden age, the city of the golden palace, the great city, the city of the golden palace, the city of the golden age.”
Whoever named this city really seemed to think highly of it. If you’ve ever been there, you will likely agree. It is a wonderful place with amazing people, and now you know that it also has a pretty impressive name.
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