In Thai, Bangkok is called Krung Thep (กรุงเทพฯ), pronounced roughly "grung tayp." Its official Thai name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร), which is itself a shortened form of a ceremonial name so long that Guinness World Records lists it as the world's longest place name. Thai speakers rarely say "Bangkok" at all, although taxi drivers and hotel staff will understand you if you do.
Here is how to pronounce the Thai name, what it means, the full ceremonial version and where the word "Bangkok" came from.
How to pronounce Krung Thep
Thai is a tonal language, so the pitch of each syllable matters. The pronunciation given in Wikipedia's phonetic transcription breaks down like this:
| Syllable | Thai | Sounds roughly like | Tone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krung | กรุง | "grung," with a soft, unaspirated k | mid |
| Thep | เทพ | "tayp," with a long vowel and a clipped final p | falling |
| Maha | มหา | "ma-haa" | mid, then rising |
| Nakhon | นคร | "na-khon" | high, then mid |
Two points trip English speakers up. The "th" in Thep is not the English "th" of "the": it is simply an aspirated t, a t with a small puff of air. And the final p is closed off without being released, so it sounds short. Written in Thai, the everyday form is กรุงเทพฯ, where the small mark ฯ shows the name has been abbreviated. You will also see กทม. (Ko Tho Mo), an initialism used on official signs and in the news.
What does Krung Thep mean?
Krung is a Thai word of Khmer origin meaning capital, and thep comes from the Pali and Sanskrit deva, meaning deity. Together they are usually translated as "City of Angels," the sense the Tourism Authority of Thailand uses when it explains the name. Maha Nakhon means great city, so the official short name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, reads as the great city of angels.
The angels theme runs through the city's identity. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's seal shows the god Indra riding his elephant Airavata among clouds, and the 2026 Bangkok Art Biennale, which opens on October 29, takes its theme, Angels & Mara, from the name.
Bangkok's full ceremonial name
The full name, which came into use during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV), is written in Thai as:
กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยา มหาดิลกภพ นพรัตนราชธานีบูรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์
In the Royal Thai General System of romanization, that is: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
Built from Pali and Sanskrit roots, it describes the city as a capital of angels and immortals, adorned with the nine gems, seat of the king and his royal palaces, a home for gods incarnate, and a city built by Vishvakarman, the divine architect, at the command of the god Indra. Guinness World Records counts it at 168 letters in its romanized form. The name is displayed in front of Bangkok City Hall on Dinso Road, and many Thais learned it from a 1989 song by the rock duo Asanee and Wasan that is built entirely around it.
Several words in the name point to places you can still visit. Rattanakosin is the name of the historic royal island where the Grand Palace and Wat Pho stand, and Ayutthaya, echoed in Mahintharayutthaya, was the old royal capital whose name Bangkok inherited in its ceremonial form.
Where does the name "Bangkok" come from?
The origin of "Bangkok" (บางกอก) is not certain. Bang is a Thai word for a village on a stream, and the name may come from Bang Ko, ko meaning island, after the area's watery landscape. Another theory traces it to Bang Makok, after the makok, a plant with olive-like fruit. That theory is supported by the old name of Wat Arun, which was once called Wat Makok. Bangkok was probably a colloquial name for the settlement that foreign visitors picked up, and it stuck in English long after Thai speakers adopted Krung Thep.
Using the name on your trip
- Say "Krung Thep" to Thai speakers; they will understand "Bangkok" too.
- Look for กรุงเทพฯ or กทม. on road signs, bus boards and official notices.
- For a deeper look at Thai identity and language, Museum Siam near Wat Pho runs a permanent exhibition called Decoding Thainess.
More sights in the old royal city are in our guide to Bangkok attractions.
Sources: Wikipedia: Bangkok (citing the Royal Institute and Guinness World Records), Tourism Authority of Thailand, The Grand Palace, Museum Siam. Checked September 26, 2026.
Krung Thep (กรุงเทพฯ), pronounced roughly "grung tayp," with a mid tone on Krung and a falling tone on Thep. The official name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร).
Krung means capital and thep means deity, so the name is usually translated as "City of Angels." Maha Nakhon means great city.
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
Guinness World Records lists it as the world's longest place name, at 168 letters in romanized form.
Rarely. In Thai the city is Krung Thep, and on official signs you will often see the initialism กทม. (Ko Tho Mo). Most people working in tourism understand "Bangkok" as well.
Its origin is uncertain. Bang means a village on a stream; the name may come from Bang Ko (island) or Bang Makok, after the makok fruit tree. Wat Arun was once called Wat Makok.
