Bangkok ( Krungthep Mahanakhon ) - [ Great City of Angels ]

The capital of Thailand was established at Bangkok in 1782 by the first king of the Chakri dynasty, Rama I. The name Bangkok comes from Bang Makok, meaning "Place of Live Plums', and refers to the original site, which is only a very small part of what is today called Bangkok by foreigners. The official Thai name for the city is quite a tongue twister:

Krungthep Mahanakhon Amonratanakosin Mahintara Ayutthaya Mahadilok Popnopparat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amonpiman Avatansathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukamprasit

The 1989 album Fak Thong (Pumpkin) by rock duo Asanee-Wasan contained the hit 'Krung Thep Mahanakhon', a big-sound raver consisting of Bangkok's full name chanted over a hypnotic rhythm. Roughly translated, the name means 'Great City of Angels, Repository of Divine Gems, Great Land Unconquerable, Grand and Prominent Realm, Royal and Delightful Capital City Full of Nine Noble Gems, Highest Royal Dwellling and Grand Palace, Divine Shelter and Living Place of Reincarnated Spirits'

Fortunately, this is shortened to Krung Thep (City of Angels) in everyday usage. Metropolitan Krung Thep includes Thonburi, the older part of the city (and predecessor to Bangkok as the capital)