The History of Bangkok

We all know that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and the same can be said for Bangkok. Thailand was once divided into three kingdoms, each with its own capital. In the 13th century, several Thai principalities in the Mekong Valley merged into one territory, with Sukhothai as its capital. This was Thailand’s first real kingdom. In 1350, the Thais declared independence from the Khmers—the ancestors of Cambodian people. They established Thailand’s second kingdom, and Ayutthaya became their capital. However, during the 18th century, a major Burmese invasion shook the region. They destroyed the land, its temples, and captured the capital in 1767. That same year, the Thai king Taksin the Great drove out the Burmese and founded a new kingdom, declaring Thonburi the capital. However, this didn’t last long. In 1782, Taksin died, and his son was executed by one of his so-called friends. This friend was Rama I, founder of the Chakri dynasty that reigns over Thailand to this day. He established the new capital, Bangkok, on the left riverbank. The name comes from the former fishing village that once stood here, Ban Kok, meaning “village of olives”. That is how Bangkok came to be today’s capital!