The name 'Krung Thep Maha Nakhon' will soon be 240 years old

King Rama I erected the first city pillar on April 21, 1782, when he moved the capital from Thonburi and gave it a new name.

Krung Thep Maha Nakhon is an abbreviated version of the ceremonial full name, which is
Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit.

The name is listed in Guinness World Records as the world’s longest place name.

Meanwhile, Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang said on Wednesday that the name Krung Thep Maha Nakhon could be difficult for foreigners to pronounce so they can just call the capital “Bangkok” or “Krung Thep” instead.

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved in principle a Prime Minister Office’s draft announcement on updated names of countries, territories, administrative districts and capitals as proposed by the Office of the Royal Society of Thailand, with one of the key changes being that Bangkok can also be called “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon”.

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However, the Royal Society said that people could use both “Krung Thep Maha Nakhon” or “Bangkok”, clarifying on its Facebook page that both names are acceptable when referring to the Thai capital.