What continent is Bangkok in? Bangkok is in Asia. More precisely, it is in Southeast Asia: it is the capital of Thailand, which the United Nations statistics division places in its "South-eastern Asia" region, alongside neighbors such as Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Viet Nam.
The city sits on the Chao Phraya River in the middle of Thailand, a little north of the Gulf of Thailand, at roughly 13.75 degrees north and 100.5 degrees east. Here is what that position means, and why it matters when you plan a trip.
Asia, and specifically Southeast Asia
Geographers split Asia into regions, and the most widely used scheme is the UN's M49 standard. Under it, Asia has five regions: Central, Eastern, Southern, Western and South-eastern Asia. Thailand belongs to South-eastern Asia, a group of eleven countries:
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos)
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Viet Nam
Within that region, Thailand is on the mainland rather than among the island nations, which is why so many overland trips start in Bangkok. Our guides cover traveling from Bangkok to Cambodia, as well as routes into Laos and Vietnam.
Where Bangkok sits within Thailand
Bangkok lies in the delta of the Chao Phraya River, on Thailand's central plain. The river winds south through the city and reaches the Gulf of Thailand about 25 kilometers south of the center. The land is flat and low, averaging about 1.5 meters above sea level, and much of it was once swamp that was drained over centuries by a network of canals, the khlong.
The city covers about 1,568.7 square kilometers and is governed as its own special administrative area rather than as part of a province. It borders six provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom. That matters to visitors more than you might expect: Suvarnabhumi Airport, for example, is in Samut Prakan, just outside the city line. Our explainers on what province Bangkok is in and how big Bangkok is go further.
The river is the best way to understand the city's shape. The historic core, with the Grand Palace, is on the east bank, and Wat Arun faces it from the Thonburi side.
Hemisphere, latitude and the tropics
Bangkok's coordinates, about 13 degrees 45 minutes north and 100 degrees 29 minutes east, put it in both the Northern and the Eastern Hemisphere. At that latitude it is roughly 1,500 kilometers north of the equator and well south of the Tropic of Cancer, so the whole city is inside the tropics.
For more detail, see our page on which hemisphere Bangkok is in.
What Bangkok's location means for your trip
Climate
Being tropical and low-lying, Bangkok is warm all year. It has a tropical savanna climate, with a relatively cool, dry season from about November to February, a hot season from about March to May, and a rainy season from roughly June to October. Our guide to Bangkok's rainy season helps you choose when to go and what to pack.
Time zone
Thailand uses Indochina Time, seven hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC+7), and the whole country is on the same clock. That is the same time as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, and one hour behind Singapore and Malaysia.
A regional hub
Because Bangkok sits in the middle of mainland Southeast Asia, it is a common starting point for trips across the region, both by air and overland. It is also the gateway to Thailand's own coast and north: see how far Bangkok is from the beach for the coast nearest the city.
Common mix-ups
- Bangkok is not a country. It is Thailand's capital and largest city. Its Thai name is Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, usually shortened to Krung Thep.
- Bangkok is not on an island. Thailand's well-known islands, such as Phuket and Ko Samui, are hundreds of kilometers to the south; Bangkok is on the mainland near the top of the Gulf of Thailand.
- Bangkok is not in the Middle East or in Oceania. It is in Asia, in the Southeast Asian region described above.
Sources: United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49), Bangkok (Wikipedia: geography, coordinates, area and climate). Checked September 26, 2026.
Asia. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand, which the United Nations classifies in the South-eastern Asia region of Asia.
Southeast Asia. Under the UN's M49 standard, Eastern Asia covers countries such as China, Japan and the Koreas, while Thailand is in South-eastern Asia with Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam and others.
About 13 degrees 45 minutes north and 100 degrees 29 minutes east (13.75 N, 100.49 E), which places the city in the Northern and Eastern Hemispheres, inside the tropics.
No. Bangkok is a city, the capital of Thailand. In Thai it is called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, or Krung Thep for short.
Not quite. The city is on the Chao Phraya River, which reaches the Gulf of Thailand about 25 kilometers south of the city center. There are no swimming beaches in central Bangkok.
Indochina Time, UTC+7. Thailand has a single time zone.
