City history
From its roots as a 15th-century Chao Phraya riverside village to its 1920 adoption of Indochina Time (UTC+7), Bangkok evolved into Thailand's administrative and temporal heart.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"Village of wild olive plums"
Before becoming Siam's capital in 1782, the settlement on the Chao Phraya River was documented as Bang Makok, referencing indigenous wild plum trees. Pre-Ayutthaya indigenous documentation is unavailable, making this the earliest verified historical name.
Village of wild olive plums
An Ayutthaya-era river village whose name was adapted by early European merchants into the international moniker Bangkok.
City of Treasures Supporting the Sea
Capital established on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River by King Taksin after the fall of Ayutthaya.
City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnificent City of Nine Gems
Established by King Rama I on the east bank of the river; holds the Guinness World Record for the longest ceremonial place name.
Great City of Angels
The formal short Thai name adopted when the administrative areas of Phra Nakhon and Thonburi merged; internationally known as Bangkok.
Chapter two
King Rama IV (Mongkut) established astronomical time calculations at the Grand Palace, creating a local solar time reference for Siam ahead of international standardizations.
Bangkok Mean Time was standardized at UTC+06:42:04 based on the astronomical longitude of the royal observatory at the Grand Palace.
King Rama VI decreed the adoption of standard time based on the 105th meridian east, advancing clocks by approximately 18 minutes to UTC+07:00.
The Cabinet of Thailand officially designated the Royal Thai Navy Hydrographic Department as the official timekeeper responsible for maintaining standard time.
A proposal to shift Thailand's standard time to UTC+08:00 to match Singapore and Malaysia was withdrawn following widespread public opposition.
Chapter three
King Rama I founded Bangkok as the new royal capital, building the Grand Palace and setting the administrative foundation for modern Thailand.
King Rama IV used astronomical calculations to precisely predict the August 18, 1868 total solar eclipse, demonstrating Siamese astronomical advancement.
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) reformed official timekeeping by adopting a solar calendar modeled on the Gregorian system while counting years in the Buddhist Era.
Prime Minister Phibunsongkhram aligned the official Thai civil year with January 1, while maintaining traditional Songkran as a cultural national holiday.