What province is Bangkok in? None. Bangkok is not part of any province: it is a special administrative area that sits at the same level as Thailand's 76 provinces, so the country has 77 top-level divisions in all. Instead of a provincial government, it is run by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), headed by a governor whom Bangkok residents elect directly. In everyday use, Bangkok is often counted as if it were a province, and it borders six of them.
Why Bangkok is not a province
Thailand's 76 provinces (changwat) are part of the central government's provincial administration. Each is led by a governor appointed by the Ministry of Interior. Bangkok is different. It is a local self-governing body that combines the jobs of a province and a city, and its governor is chosen in a citywide election for a four-year term, one of only two directly elected executive offices in the country.
The arrangement dates from 1972, when the old provinces of Phra Nakhon, on the east bank of the Chao Phraya, and Thonburi, on the west bank, were merged. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was founded on December 13, 1972, and the current framework is set by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Act of 1985.
How Bangkok is divided
Bangkok's 50 districts are called khet, and its 180 sub-districts are called khwaeng. Elsewhere in Thailand, the equivalent units are the amphoe (district) and tambon (sub-district). That is a handy clue when you read an address:
- An address with Khet and Khwaeng, ending in Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, is inside Bangkok. The Grand Palace, for example, is in Phra Nakhon district.
- An address with Amphoe, Tambon and Chang Wat (province) is outside the city. Suvarnabhumi Airport's address, for instance, reads Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province.
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon is the city's official Thai name, usually shortened to Krung Thep. Our article on what Bangkok means explains the full ceremonial name, and how to say Bangkok in Thai helps with pronunciation.
The six provinces that border Bangkok
Bangkok covers about 1,569 square kilometers in the Chao Phraya River delta, in central Thailand. Its built-up area has spread well beyond the city line, into six neighboring provinces. Clockwise from the northwest, they are:
- Nonthaburi
- Pathum Thani
- Chachoengsao
- Samut Prakan
- Samut Sakhon
- Nakhon Pathom
Together with Bangkok, all of these except Chachoengsao make up the Bangkok Metropolitan Region. For scale, see how big Bangkok is and how many people live in Bangkok.
Why the difference matters to visitors
Airports
Don Mueang International Airport is inside Bangkok, in Don Mueang district. Suvarnabhumi Airport, the main international gateway, is in Samut Prakan province, just beyond the city boundary, as are many hotels near it. Our comparison of which Bangkok airport is better covers the practical differences.
Taxis and transport rules
Some rules change at the city line. Airports of Thailand, quoting the Department of Land Transport, notes that Bangkok-registered taxis may charge an agreed fare, rather than only the meter, for trips that run out of Bangkok into Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Chachoengsao, Samut Sakhon or Nakhon Pathom. Our guide to how much taxis cost in Bangkok explains the meter.
Holidays and local events
Because Bangkok is its own administrative area, it can have holidays that the rest of the country does not. The Bank of Thailand's 2026 calendar, for example, lists Friday, October 16, 2026 as an additional special holiday in Bangkok only.
Sources: Provinces of Thailand, Bangkok, Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Airports of Thailand, Suvarnabhumi public taxi, Bank of Thailand holiday calendar. Checked September 26, 2026.
Not formally. Bangkok is a special administrative area governed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. It sits at the same level as Thailand's 76 provinces and is often counted alongside them, giving 77 top-level divisions.
Central Thailand. The city lies in the Chao Phraya River delta, and the river runs through it on its way to the Gulf of Thailand.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, led by the Governor of Bangkok. The governor is directly elected by Bangkok residents for a four-year term, while governors of the other provinces are appointed by the Ministry of Interior.
Fifty districts (khet), divided into 180 sub-districts (khwaeng).
Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom.
No. Suvarnabhumi Airport is in Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province, just outside the city. Don Mueang International Airport is inside Bangkok.
In 1972, when Phra Nakhon and Thonburi provinces were merged and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was founded on December 13, 1972.
