Bangkok, Thai Krung Thep, City (pop., 2000: metro. area, 6,355,144), capital of Thailand. Lying 25 mi (40 km) above the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, it is the country’s major port and also its cultural, financial, and educational centre. It was established as the capital of Siam (Thailand) in 1782 by King Rama I. Seized by the Japanese in World War II, it subsequently suffered heavy Allied bombing. In 1971–72 it incorporated several outlying districts to form a single province-level metropolis and has since experienced phenomenal growth. Throughout the city, walled Buddhist temples and monasteries serve as focal points for its religious life.
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