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108-566: In 1997, Material ConneXion was launched by George Beylerian, former vice president of marketing and creative director of Steelcase Furniture. At Steelcase, Beylerian created a small exhibition of new materials, and recognized the need for a materials library service. Material ConneXion was acquired by SANDOW in 2011. In addition to its New York office, the company has locations in Bangkok , Daegu , Milan , and Skövde , and also maintains an online materials database . Material ConneXion maintains

216-472: A megacity and an extreme primate city , dwarfing Thailand's other urban centres in both size and importance to the national economy. Bangkok traces its roots to a small trading post during the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 15th century, which eventually grew and became the site of two capital cities, Thonburi in 1767 and Rattanakosin in 1782. Bangkok was at the heart of the modernization of Siam during

324-412: A centre for the arts, fashion, and entertainment. The city is known for its street life and cultural landmarks, as well as its red-light districts . The Grand Palace and Buddhist temples including Wat Arun and Wat Pho stand in contrast with other tourist attractions such as the nightlife scenes of Khaosan Road and Patpong . Bangkok is among the world's top tourist destinations, and has been named

432-503: A direct result of action by organized military units backed by one government or another over the course of the century. Most likely a comparable number of civilians died of war-induced disease and other indirect effects." It is estimated that approximately 70 million Europeans died through war, violence and famine between 1914 and 1945. The invention of music recording technologies such as the phonograph record , and dissemination technologies such as radio broadcasting , massively expanded

540-559: A national subdivision. In 1915, the monthon was split into several provinces, the administrative boundaries of which have since further changed. The city in its current form was created in 1972 with the formation of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), following the merger of Phra Nakhon province on the eastern bank of the Chao Phraya and Thonburi province on the west during the previous year. The origin of

648-735: A natural feature. In the 1940s, enclosing concrete walls were added to stop the hill from eroding. Like most of Thailand, Bangkok has a tropical savanna climate (Aw) under the Köppen climate classification and is under the influence of the Asian monsoon system. The city experiences three seasons: hot, rainy, and cool, although temperatures are fairly hot year-round, ranging from an average low of 23.2 °C (73.8 °F) in December to an average high of 35.7 °C (96.3 °F) in April. The annual average temperature

756-702: A physical library of over 10,000 materials and processes categorized based on their chemical composition: Polymers , Naturals, Metals , Glass , Processes, Ceramics , Cement -based, Carbon -based. In 2016, the American Society of Interior Designers ( ASID ) opened a Material ConneXion Library at its corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C., in partnership with the American Chemistry Council ( ACC ). The library features samples of innovative materials and products with an emphasis on health and wellness in

864-523: A rise by 2100 to, on average, 297 to 344 days at or above 32 °C. Bangkok's fifty districts serve as administrative subdivisions under the authority of the BMA. Thirty-five of these districts lie to the east of the Chao Phraya, while fifteen are on the western bank, known as the Thonburi side of the city. The fifty districts, arranged by district code, are: Bangkok's districts often do not accurately represent

972-444: A sex tourism destination. Disproportionate urban development led to increasing income inequalities and migration from rural areas into Bangkok; its population surged from 1.8 million to 3 million in the 1960s. Following the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973, Japanese businesses took over as leaders in investment, and the expansion of export-oriented manufacturing led to growth of

1080-859: A surprise attack which drew the US into World War II. After some years of dramatic military success, Germany was defeated in 1945, having been invaded by the Soviet Union and Poland from the East and by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and France from the West . After the victory of the Allies in Europe, the war in Asia ended with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria and

1188-497: A sustainable, low-cost, post-industrial polypropylene packaging material for Aveda ’s Ukuru line of cosmetics. In 2004, Material ConneXion helped Nike source a monofilament sleeving normally used to protect PVC pipes from bursting for use in its Air Jordan XIX . Through its partnership with McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) and the Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA), Material ConneXion

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1296-653: A third revision is undergoing public hearings in 2012. Bangkok's historic centre remains the Rattanakosin Island in Phra Nakhon District. It is the site of the Grand Palace and the City Pillar Shrine, primary symbols of the city's founding, as well as important Buddhist temples. Phra Nakhon, along with the neighbouring Pom Prap Sattru Phai and Samphanthawong Districts, formed what was the city proper in

1404-399: Is Ficus benjamina . Giant barb ( Catlocarpio siamensis ) has been chosen as the aquatic animal of Bangkok. The official city slogan, adopted in 2012, reads: As built by deities, the administrative centre, dazzling palaces and temples, the capital of Thailand กรุงเทพฯ ดุจเทพสร้าง เมืองศูนย์กลางการปกครอง วัดวังงามเรืองรอง เมืองหลวงของประเทศไทย As the capital of Thailand, Bangkok is

1512-498: Is 28.9 °C (84.0 °F). The rainy season begins with the arrival of the southwest monsoon around mid-May. September is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of 335.9 millimetres (13.22 in). The rainy season lasts until October, when the dry and cool northeast monsoon takes over until February. The hot season is generally dry, but also sees occasional summer storms. The surface magnitude of Bangkok's urban heat island has been measured at 2.5 °C (4.5 °F) during

1620-423: Is 3.3 square metres (36 sq ft) of green space per person, compared to an average of 39 square metres (420 sq ft) in other cities across Asia. In Europe, London has 33.4 m of green space per head. Bangkokians thus have 10 times less green space than is standard in the region's urban areas. Green belt areas include about 700 square kilometres (270 sq mi) of rice paddies and orchards on

1728-532: Is among its most important road junctions, serving over 100 bus lines as well as an elevated train station. From the monument, Phahonyothin and Ratchawithi  / Din Daeng Roads respectively run north and east linking to major residential areas. Most of the high-density development areas are within the 113-square-kilometre (44 sq mi) area encircled by the Ratchadaphisek inner ring road. Ratchadaphisek

1836-523: Is an issue in the gulf coastal area, a small length of which lies within Bangkok's Bang Khun Thian District . Tidal flat ecosystems existed on the coast; however, many have been reclaimed for agriculture, aquaculture, and salt works. There are no mountains in Bangkok. The closest mountain range is the Khao Khiao Massif , about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of the city. Phu Khao Thong, the only hill in

1944-502: Is characterised by a top layer of soft marine clay , known as "Bangkok clay", averaging 15 metres (49 ft) in thickness, which overlies an aquifer system consisting of eight known units. This feature has contributed to the effects of subsidence caused by extensive groundwater pumping. First discovered in the 1970s, subsidence soon became a critical issue, reaching a rate of 120 millimetres (4.7 in) per year in 1981. Ground water management and mitigation measures have since lessened

2052-582: Is found in many of its soi s ('alley' or 'lane'). Bangkok lacks a single distinct central business district . Instead, the areas of Siam and Ratchaprasong serve as a "central shopping district" containing many of the bigger malls and commercial areas in the city, as well as Siam Station , formerly the only transfer point between the city's then-two elevated train lines (the Sukhumvit and Silom BTS lines). The Victory Monument in Ratchathewi District

2160-426: Is found within the city limits: 3,887 rai (6.2 km ; 2.4 sq mi), amounting to 0.4 per cent of city area. Land use in the city consists of 23 per cent residential use, 24 per cent agriculture, and 30 per cent used for commerce, industry, and government. The BMA's City Planning Department (CPD) is responsible for planning and shaping further development. It published master plan updates in 1999 and 2006, and

2268-662: Is lined with businesses and retail outlets, and office buildings also cluster around Ratchayothin Intersection in Chatuchak District to the north. Farther from the city centre, most areas are primarily mid- or low-density residential. The Thonburi side of the city is less developed, with fewer high rises. With the exception of a few secondary urban centres, Thonburi, in the same manner as the outlying eastern districts, consists mostly of residential and rural areas. While most of Bangkok's streets are fronted by vernacular shophouses ,

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2376-561: Is located. Ban Khrua on Saen Saep Canal is home to descendants of the Cham who settled in the late 18th century. Although the Portuguese who settled during the Thonburi period have ceased to exist as a distinct community, their past is reflected in Santa Cruz Church , on the west bank of the river. Likewise, Assumption Cathedral on Charoen Krung Road is among many European-style buildings in

2484-603: Is managed by a district director appointed by the governor. District councils, elected to four-year terms, serve as advisory bodies to their respective district directors. The BMA is divided into sixteen departments, each overseeing different aspects of the administration's responsibilities. Most of these responsibilities concern the city's infrastructure, and include city planning, building control, transportation, drainage, waste management and city beautification, as well as education, medical and rescue services. Many of these services are provided jointly with other agencies. The BMA has

2592-524: Is more commonly translated as 'City of Angels', which is also used to draw comparisons with Los Angeles in the United States, a comparably sized city with similar traffic issues. Another nickname sometimes used to refer to the city is The Big Mango, a tongue-in-cheek comparison to The Big Apple for New York City . The city of Bangkok is locally governed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). Although its boundaries are at

2700-567: Is popularly known as Korea Town. Bangkok is the economic centre of Thailand , and the heart of the country's investment and development. In 2022, the city had an economic output of 5.747 trillion baht (US$ 164 billion). This amounted to a per-capita GDP value of 634,109 baht ($ 18,100), more than twice the national average. The Bangkok Metropolitan Region had a combined output of 8.096 trillion baht ($ 232 billion). 20th century The 20th century began on 1 January 1901 (MCMI), and ended on 31 December 2000 (MM). It

2808-490: Is that of global warming occurring due to human-caused emission of greenhouse gases , particularly carbon dioxide produced by the burning of fossil fuels . This prompted many nations to negotiate and sign the Kyoto treaty , which set mandatory limits on carbon dioxide emissions. World population increased from about 1.6 billion people in 1901 to 6.1 billion at the century's end. The number of people killed during

2916-460: Is the capital and most populous city of Thailand . The city occupies 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi) in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated population of 9.0 million as of 2021, 13% of the country's population. Over 17.4 million people (25%) live within the surrounding Bangkok Metropolitan Region as of the 2021 estimate, making Bangkok

3024-520: Is the centrally located Lumphini Park near the Silom–Sathon business district with an area of 57.6 hectares (142 acres). It is connected by a 1.3 km elevated pedestrian and bicycle walkway to the Benjakitti Park, which includes a recently completed expansion including wetlands, skywalks and rare plants. Other parks include the 80-hectare (200-acre) Suanluang Rama IX in the east of the city, and

3132-634: Is the only Materials Library in the world to feature Cradle to Cradle assessed and certified materials and the only materials consultancy to offer Cradle to Cradle Certification and Cradle to Cradle product development. In 2007, Material ConneXion was named a “Top Eco-Innovator” by The New York Times for its efforts to make information on sustainable materials and sustainable design practices more readily available to designers and corporations. Bangkok Bangkok , officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep ,

3240-591: Is the site of many of the country's major corporate headquarters, but also of some of the city's red-light districts . The Siam and Ratchaprasong areas in Pathum Wan are home to some of the largest shopping malls in Southeast Asia . Numerous retail outlets and hotels also stretch along Sukhumvit Road leading southeast through Watthana and Khlong Toei Districts. More office towers line the streets branching off Sukhumvit, especially Asok Montri , while upmarket housing

3348-536: The Chatuchak – Queen Sirikit – Wachirabenchathat park complex in northern Bangkok, which has a combined area of 92 hectares (230 acres). More parks are expected to be created through the Green Bangkok 2030 project, which aims to leave the city with 10 square metres (110 sq ft) of green space per person, including 30% of the city having tree cover. The city of Bangkok has a population of 8,305,218 according to

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3456-631: The Warsaw Pact ) which engaged in a decades-long standoff known as the Cold War . The period was marked by a new arms race as the USSR became the second nation to develop nuclear weapons, which were produced by both sides in sufficient numbers to end most human life on the planet had a large-scale nuclear exchange ever occurred. Mutually assured destruction is credited by many historians as having prevented such an exchange, each side being unable to strike first at

3564-651: The automobile . The Earth's sixth mass extinction event, the Holocene extinction , continued, and human conservation efforts increased. Major themes of the century include decolonization , nationalism , globalization and new forms of intergovernmental organizations . Democracy spread, and women earned the right to vote in many countries in the world. Cultural homogenization began through developments in emerging transportation and information and communications technology , with popular music and other influences of Western culture , international corporations , and what

3672-539: The dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan by the US, the first nation to develop nuclear weapons and the only one to use them in warfare. In total, World War II left some 60 million people dead. Following World War II, the United Nations , successor to the League of Nations , was established as an international forum in which the world's nations could discuss issues diplomatically. It enacted resolutions on such topics as

3780-498: The environment . Humans started to explore space , taking their first footsteps on the Moon . Great advances in electricity generation and telecommunications allowed for near-instantaneous worldwide communication, ultimately leading to the Internet . Meanwhile, advances in medical technology resulted in the near-eradication and eradication of many infectious diseases , as well as opening

3888-473: The nine gems , seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra 's behest. The name is listed in Guinness World Records as the world's longest place name , at 168 letters. Many Thais who recall the full name do so because of its use in the 1989 song "Krung Thep Maha Nakhon" by Thai rock band Asanee–Wasan , the lyrics of which consist entirely of

3996-472: The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Attitudes towards homosexuality also began to change in the later part of the century. Trauma brought on by events like World War I and World War II, with their military death tolls alone at bare minimum being 29,697,963, and the Spanish Flu , whose death count alone exceeded that, helped make society in many countries more egalitarian and less neglectful of

4104-476: The telephone in the late 19th century, followed by supertankers ; airliners ; motorways ; radio communication and broadcasting ; television ; digital computers ; air conditioning ; antibiotics ; nuclear power ; frozen food ; microcomputers ; the Internet and the World Wide Web ; and mobile telephones affected people's quality of life across the developed world. The quantity of goods consumed by

4212-632: The 1920s and 1930s, culminating in World War II , sparked by Nazi Germany 's aggressive expansion at the expense of its neighbors. Meanwhile, Japan had rapidly transformed itself into a technologically advanced industrial power and, along with Germany and Italy, formed the Axis powers . Japan's military expansionism in East Asia and the Pacific Ocean brought it into conflict with the United States, culminating in

4320-420: The 1960s through the 1980s and now exerts a significant impact on Thailand's politics, economy, education, media and modern society. The Asian investment boom in the 1980s and 1990s led many multinational corporations to locate their regional headquarters in Bangkok. The city is now a regional force in finance, business and pop culture. It is an international hub for transport and health care, and has emerged as

4428-675: The 1980s, with the first full-length CGI-animated film Toy Story released in 1995. Video games—due to the great technological steps forward in computing since the second post-war period—are one of the new forms of entertainment that emerged in the 20th century alongside films. Multiple new fields of mathematics were developed in the 20th century. In the first part of the 20th century, measure theory , functional analysis , and topology were established, and significant developments were made in fields such as abstract algebra and probability . The development of set theory and formal logic led to Gödel's incompleteness theorems . Later in

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4536-419: The 1990s. The city has since turned to public transport in an attempt to solve the problem, operating 10 urban rail lines and building other public transit; however, congestion remains a prevalent issue. The history of Bangkok dates at least back to the early 15th century, to when it was a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River , under the rule of Ayutthaya . Because of its strategic location near

4644-488: The 2010 census, or 12.6 per cent of the national population, while 2020 estimates place the figure at 10.539 million (15.3 per cent). Roughly half are internal migrants from other Thai provinces; population registry statistics recorded 5,676,648 residents belonging to 2,959,524 households in 2018. Much of Bangkok's daytime population commutes from surrounding provinces in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region,

4752-585: The Bangkok Metropolitan Council. The council is the BMA's legislative body, and has power over municipal ordinances and the city's budget. The latest gubernatorial election took place on 22 May 2022 after an extended lapse following the 2014 Thai coup d'état , and was won by Chadchart Sittipunt . Bangkok is divided into fifty districts ( khet , equivalent to amphoe in the other provinces), which are further subdivided into 180 sub-districts ( khwaeng , equivalent to tambon ). Each district

4860-595: The Department of Employment, more than half of them migrants from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Following its establishment as capital city in 1782, Bangkok grew only slightly throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries. British diplomat John Crawfurd , visiting in 1822, estimated its population at no more than 50,000. As a result of Western medicine brought by missionaries as well as increased immigration from both within Siam and overseas, Bangkok's population gradually increased as

4968-538: The Grand Palace, reflect the heavy influence of European architecture at the time. Major government offices line the avenue, as does the Democracy Monument . The area is the site of the country's seat of power as well as the city's most popular tourist landmarks. In contrast with the low-rise historic areas, the business district on Si Lom and Sathon Roads in Bang Rak and Sathon Districts teems with skyscrapers. It

5076-627: The Old Farang Quarter, where European diplomats and merchants lived in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Nearby, the Haroon Mosque is the centre of a Muslim community. Newer expatriate communities exist along Sukhumvit Road, including the Japanese community near Soi Phrom Phong and Soi Thong Lo , and the Arab and North African neighbourhood along Soi Nana. Sukhumvit Plaza, a mall on Soi Sukhumvit 12,

5184-507: The US was in a dominant position, a major part of the process was Americanization . The influence of China and India was also rising, as the world's largest populations were rapidly integrating with the world economy. Terrorism , dictatorship, and the spread of nuclear weapons were pressing global issues . The world was still blighted by small-scale wars and other violent conflicts, fueled by competition over resources and by ethnic conflicts. Disease threatened to destabilize many regions of

5292-657: The United States. With the Axis defeated and Britain and France rebuilding, the United States and the Soviet Union were left standing as the world's only superpowers. Allies during the war, they soon became hostile to one another as their competing ideologies of communism and democratic capitalism proliferated in Europe, which became divided by the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall . They formed competing military alliances ( NATO and

5400-481: The advent of the Hollywood motion picture industry and Broadway , jazz , rock music, and pop music, fast food and hippy counterculture, hip-hop , house music , and disco , as well as street style , all of which came to be identified with the concepts of popular culture and youth culture . After the Soviet Union collapsed under internal pressure in 1991, most of the communist governments it had supported around

5508-488: The area was originally swampland , which was gradually drained and irrigated for agriculture by the construction of canals ( khlong ) which took place from the 16th to 19th centuries. The course of the river as it flows through Bangkok has been modified by the construction of several shortcut canals . The city's waterway network served as the primary means of transport until the late 19th century, when modern roads began to be built. Up until then, most people lived near or on

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5616-490: The audience for music. Prior to the 20th century, music was generally only experienced in live performances . Many new genres of music were established during the 20th century. Film as an artistic medium was created in the 20th century. The first modern movie theatre was established in Pittsburgh in 1905. Hollywood developed as the center of American film production. While the first films were in black and white, technicolor

5724-527: The authority to implement local ordinances, although civil law enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Police Bureau . The seal of the city shows Hindu god Indra riding in the clouds on Airavata , a divine white elephant known in Thai as Erawan. In his hand Indra holds his weapon, the vajra . The seal is based on a painting done by Prince Naris . The tree symbol of Bangkok

5832-431: The avenue of biological genetic engineering . Scientific discoveries, such as the theory of relativity and quantum physics , profoundly changed the foundational models of physical science, forcing scientists to realize that the universe was more complex than previously believed, and dashing the hopes (or fears) at the end of the 19th century that the last few details of scientific knowledge were about to be filled in. At

5940-474: The average person expanded massively. Scientific research, engineering professionalization and technological development—much of it motivated by the Cold War arms race—drove changes in everyday life. Starting from the century, strong discrimination based on race and sex was significant in most societies. Although the Atlantic slave trade had ended in the 19th century, movements for equality for non-white people in

6048-569: The battlefield, such as space exploration and the Internet. In the latter half of the century, most of the European-colonized world in Africa and Asia gained independence in a process of decolonization . Meanwhile, globalization opened the door for several nations to exert a strong influence over many world affairs. The US's global military presence spread American culture around the world with

6156-537: The beginning of the period, the British Empire was the world's most powerful nation, having acted as the world's policeman for the past century. Technological advancements during World War I changed the way war was fought, as new inventions such as tanks , chemical weapons , and aircraft modified tactics and strategy. After more than four years of trench warfare in Western Europe, and up to 17 million dead,

6264-493: The built environment. Material ConneXion clients have included design and architecture firms, government agencies, and large corporations such as Adidas , Target Corporation , PUMA , and BMW . In 2001, designer Sandy Chilewich discovered a woven vinyl material in Material ConneXion's library that led to her Chilewich brand of household products and accessories. The company also worked with designer Harry Allen to find

6372-513: The capital to the eastern bank's Rattanakosin Island , thus founding the Rattanakosin Kingdom . The City Pillar was erected on 21 April 1782, which is regarded as the date of foundation of Bangkok as the capital. Bangkok's economy gradually expanded through international trade, first with China , then with Western merchants returning in the early-to-mid 19th century. As the capital, Bangkok

6480-532: The century by government actions was in the hundreds of millions. This includes deaths caused by wars, genocide, politicide and mass murders. The deaths from acts of war during the two world wars alone have been estimated at between 50 and 80 million. Political scientist Rudolph Rummel estimated 262,000,000 deaths caused by democide , which excludes those killed in war battles, civilians unintentionally killed in war and killings of rioting mobs. According to Charles Tilly , "Altogether, about 100 million people died as

6588-950: The city as envoy of the United States in 1833, noted that the city, since becoming capital, was known as Sia-Yut'hia , and this is the name used in international treaties of the period. The city's ceremonial name came into use during the reign of King Mongkut. The full name reads as follows: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุธยา มหาดิลกภพ นพรัตนราชธานีบูรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์ The name, composed of Pali and Sanskrit root words, translates as: City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of

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6696-411: The city modernized in the late 19th century. This growth became even more pronounced in the 1930s, following the discovery of antibiotics. Although family planning and birth control were introduced in the 1960s, the lowered birth rate was more than offset by increased migration from the provinces as economic expansion accelerated. Only in the 1990s have Bangkok's population growth rates decreased, following

6804-453: The city occurred in 1995 and 2011 . In 2011, most of Bangkok's northern, eastern and western districts were flooded, in some places for over two months. Bangkok's coastal location makes it particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels due to global warming and climate change. A study by the OECD has estimated that 5.138 million people in Bangkok may be exposed to coastal flooding by 2070,

6912-440: The city's full name, repeated throughout the song. Today, the city is officially known in Thai by a shortened form of the full ceremonial name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon ( กรุงเทพมหานคร ), which is colloquially further shortened to Krung Thep ( กรุงเทพฯ ). Krung กรุง is a Thai word of Khmer origin, meaning 'capital, king', while thep , เทพ is from Pali/Sanskrit deva , meaning 'deity' or 'god'. The name

7020-536: The city's population is Buddhist, according to the 2010 census. Other religions include Islam (4.6 per cent), Christianity (1.9 per cent), Hinduism (0.3 per cent), Sikhism (0.1 per cent) and Confucianism (0.1 per cent). Apart from Yaowarat, Bangkok also has several other distinct ethnic neighbourhoods. The Indian community is centred in Phahurat , where the Gurdwara Siri Guru Singh Sabha, founded in 1933,

7128-511: The conduct of warfare, environmental protection, international sovereignty , and human rights. Peacekeeping forces consisting of troops provided by various countries, with various United Nations and other aid agencies, helped to relieve famine, disease, and poverty, and to suppress some local armed conflicts. Europe slowly united, economically and, in some ways, politically, to form the European Union , which consisted of 15 European countries by

7236-581: The day and 8.0 °C (14 °F) at night. The highest recorded temperature of Bangkok metropolis was 41.0 °C (105.8 °F) on 7 May 2023, and the lowest recorded temperature was 9.9 °C (49.8 °F) in January 1955. The Climate Impact Group at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies projected severe weather impacts on Bangkok caused by climate change . It found that Bangkok in 1960 had 193 days at or above 32 °C. In 2018, Bangkok can expect 276 days at or above 32 °C. The group forecasts

7344-504: The early days of its founding: several ethnic communities were formed by immigrants and forced settlers including the Khmer , northern Thai , Lao , Vietnamese , Mon and Malay . Most prominent were the Chinese, who played major roles in the city's trade and became the majority of Bangkok's population—estimates include up to three-fourths in 1828 and almost half in the 1950s. Chinese immigration

7452-552: The eastern and western edges of the city, although their primary purpose is to serve as flood detention basins rather than to limit urban expansion. Bang Kachao , a 20-square-kilometre (7.7 sq mi) conservation area on an oxbow of the Chao Phraya, lies just across the southern riverbank districts, in Samut Prakan province . A master development plan has been proposed to increase total park area to 4 square metres (43 sq ft) per person. One of Bangkok's largest parks

7560-407: The end of the 20th century. After the war, Germany was occupied and divided between the Western powers and the Soviet Union. East Germany and the rest of Eastern Europe became Soviet puppet states under communist rule. Western Europe was rebuilt with the aid of the American Marshall Plan , resulting in a major post-war economic boom , and many of the affected nations became close allies of

7668-489: The exception of Chachoengsao, these provinces, together with Bangkok, form the greater Bangkok Metropolitan Region . Bangkok is situated in the Chao Phraya River delta in Thailand's central plain . The river meanders through the city in a southerly direction, emptying into the Gulf of Thailand approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of city centre. The area is flat and low-lying, with an average elevation of 1.5 metres (4 ft 11 in) above sea level . Most of

7776-407: The financial market in Bangkok. Rapid growth of the city continued through the 1980s and early 1990s, until it was stalled by the 1997 Asian financial crisis . By then, many public and social issues had emerged, among them the strain on infrastructure reflected in the city's notorious traffic jams. Bangkok's role as the nation's political stage continues to be seen in strings of popular protests, from

7884-629: The functional divisions of its neighbourhoods or land usage. Although urban planning policies date back to the commission of the "Litchfield Plan" in 1960, which set out strategies for land use, transportation and general infrastructure improvements, zoning regulations were not fully implemented until 1992. As a result, the city grew organically throughout the period of its rapid expansion, both horizontally as ribbon developments extended along newly built roads, and vertically, with increasing numbers of high rises and skyscrapers being built in commercial areas. The city has grown from its original centre along

7992-591: The large slums in Khlong Toei District . In total there were 125 squatted areas. Bangkok has several parks, although these amount to a per capita total park area of only 1.82 square metres (19.6 sq ft) in the city proper. Total green space for the entire city is moderate, at 11.8 square metres (127 sq ft) per person. In the more densely built-up areas of the city these numbers are as low as 1.73 and 0.72 square metres (18.6 and 7.8 sq ft) per person. More recent numbers claim that there

8100-515: The largely unrestricted building euphoria of the 1980s has transformed the city into an urban area of skyscrapers and high rises of contrasting and clashing styles. There are 581 skyscrapers over 90 metres (300 feet) tall in the city. Bangkok was ranked as the world's eighth tallest city in 2016. As a result of persistent economic disparity , many slums have emerged in the city. In 2000 there were over one million people living in about 800 informal settlements . Some settlements are squatted such as

8208-513: The late 19th century. Many traditional neighbourhoods and markets are found here, including the Chinese settlement of Sampheng . The city was expanded toward Dusit District in the early 19th century, following King Chulalongkorn's relocation of the royal household to the new Dusit Palace . The buildings of the palace, including the neoclassical Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall , as well as the Royal Plaza and Ratchadamnoen Avenue which leads to it from

8316-437: The late-19th century, as the country faced pressures from the West. The city was at the centre of the country's political struggles throughout the 20th century , as Siam—later renamed Thailand—abolished absolute monarchy, adopted constitutional rule, and underwent numerous coups and several uprisings. The city, incorporated as a special administrative area under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration in 1972, grew rapidly during

8424-399: The metropolitan area, originated with a very large chedi that King Rama III (1787–1851) built at Wat Saket . The chedi collapsed during construction because the soft soil could not support its weight. Over the next few decades, the abandoned mud-and-brick structure acquired the shape of a natural hill and became overgrown with weeds. The locals called it phu khao ( ภูเขา ), as if it were

8532-459: The military and political elite as the country abolished absolute monarchy in 1932 . As Thailand allied with Japan in World War II , Bangkok was subjected to Allied bombing , but rapidly grew in the post-war period as a result of US aid and government-sponsored investment. Bangkok's role as a US military R&R destination boosted its tourism industry as well as firmly establishing it as

8640-634: The mouth of the river, the town gradually increased in importance. Bangkok initially served as a customs outpost with forts on both sides of the river, and was the site of a siege in 1688 in which the French were expelled from Siam. After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese in 1767, the newly crowned King Taksin established his capital at the town, which became the base of the Thonburi Kingdom . In 1782, King Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I) succeeded Taksin, moved

8748-419: The name Bangkok ( บางกอก , pronounced in Thai as [bāːŋ kɔ̀ːk] ) is unclear. Bang บาง is a Thai word meaning 'a village on a stream', and the name might have been derived from Bang Ko ( บางเกาะ ), ko เกาะ meaning 'island', stemming from the city's watery landscape. Another theory suggests that it is shortened from Bang Makok ( บางมะกอก ), makok มะกอก being

8856-490: The name of Elaeocarpus hygrophilus , a plant bearing olive-like fruit. This is supported by the former name of Wat Arun , a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok . Officially, the town was known as Thonburi Si Mahasamut ( ธนบุรีศรีมหาสมุทร , from Pali and Sanskrit , literally 'city of treasures gracing the ocean') or Thonburi , according to the Ayutthaya Chronicles . Bangkok

8964-486: The national rate; Thailand had long since become highly centralized around the capital. In 1980, Bangkok's population was fifty-one times that of Hat Yai and Songkhla , the second-largest urban centre at the time, making it the world's most prominent primate city . The majority of Bangkok's population identify as Thai , although details on the city's ethnic make-up are unavailable, as the national census does not document race. Bangkok's cultural pluralism dates back to

9072-416: The other 76 provinces of Thailand. Of this, about 700 square kilometres (270 sq mi) form the built-up urban area. It is ranked 73rd in the world in terms of land area. The city's urban sprawl reaches into parts of the six other provinces that it borders, namely, in clockwise order from northwest: Nonthaburi , Pathum Thani , Chachoengsao , Samut Prakan , Samut Sakhon , and Nakhon Pathom . With

9180-541: The other without ensuring an equally devastating retaliatory strike . Unable to engage one another directly, the conflict played out in a series of proxy wars around the world—particularly in China , Korea , Cuba , Vietnam , and Afghanistan —as the USSR sought to export communism while the US attempted to contain it . The technological competition between the two sides led to substantial investment in research and development which produced innovations that reached far beyond

9288-451: The poor. Economic growth and technological progress had radically altered daily lives. Europe appeared to be at a sustainable peace for the first time in recorded history . The people of the Indian subcontinent , a sixth of the world population at the end of the 20th century, had attained an indigenous independence for the first time in centuries. China, an ancient nation comprising a fifth of

9396-767: The powers that had formed the Triple Entente ( France , Britain , and Russia , later replaced by the United States and joined by Italy and Romania ) emerged victorious over the Central Powers ( Germany , Austria-Hungary , the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria ). In addition to annexing many of the colonial possessions of the vanquished states, the Triple Entente exacted punitive restitution payments from them, plunging Germany in particular into economic depression . The Austro-Hungarian and Ottoman empires were dismantled at

9504-492: The provincial ( changwat ) level, unlike the other 76 provinces Bangkok is a special administrative area whose governor is directly elected to serve a four-year term. The governor, together with four appointed deputies, form the executive body, who implement policies through the BMA civil service headed by the Permanent Secretary for the BMA. In separate elections, each district elects one or more city councillors, who form

9612-426: The river into a sprawling metropolis surrounded by swaths of suburban residential development extending north and south into neighbouring provinces. The highly populated and growing cities of Nonthaburi , Pak Kret , Rangsit and Samut Prakan are effectively now suburbs of Bangkok. Nevertheless, large agricultural areas remain within the city proper at its eastern and western fringes, and a small number of forest area

9720-534: The seat of all branches of the national government . The Government House , Parliament House and Supreme , Administrative and Constitutional Courts are all in the city. Bangkok is the site of the Grand Palace and Dusit Palace , respectively the official and de facto residence of the king. Most government ministries also have headquarters and offices in the capital. Bangkok covers an area of 1,568.7 square kilometres (605.7 sq mi), ranking 69th among

9828-528: The seventh highest figure among the world's port cities. There are fears that the city may be submerged by 2030. A study published in October 2019 in Nature Communications corrected earlier models of coastal elevations and concluded that up to 12 million Thais—mostly in the greater Bangkok metropolitan area—face the prospect of annual flooding events. This is compounded by coastal erosion, which

9936-829: The severity of the situation, and the rate of subsidence decreased to 10 to 30 millimetres (0.39 to 1.18 in) per year in the early 2000s, though parts of the city are now 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) below sea level. Subsidence has resulted in increased flood risk, as Bangkok is already prone to flooding due to its low elevation and an inadequate drainage infrastructure, often compounded by blockage from rubbish pollution (especially plastic waste). The city now relies on flood barriers and augmenting drainage from canals by pumping and building drain tunnels, but parts of Bangkok and its suburbs are still regularly inundated. Heavy downpours resulting in urban runoff overwhelming drainage systems, and runoff discharge from upstream areas, are major triggering factors. Severe flooding affecting much of

10044-514: The student uprisings in 1973 and 1976 , anti-military demonstrations in 1992 , and frequent street protests since 2006 , including those by groups opposing and supporting former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra from 2006 to 2013 , and a renewed student-led movement in 2020 . Administration of the city was first formalized by King Chulalongkorn in 1906, with the establishment of Monthon Krung Thep Phra Maha Nakhon ( มณฑลกรุงเทพพระมหานคร ) as

10152-547: The total population of which is 14,626,225 (2010 census). Bangkok is a cosmopolitan city; the census showed that it is home to 567,120 expatriates from Asian countries (including 71,024 Chinese and 63,069 Japanese nationals), 88,177 from Europe, 32,241 from the Americas, 5,856 from Oceania and 5,758 from Africa. Migrants from neighbouring countries include 216,528 Burmese, 72,934 Cambodians and 52,498 Lao. In 2018, numbers show that there are 370,000 international migrants registered with

10260-649: The war's conclusion. The Russian Revolution resulted in the overthrow of the Tsarist regime of Nicholas II and the onset of the Russian Civil War . The victorious Bolsheviks then established the Soviet Union , the world's first communist state . Fascism , a movement which grew out of post-war angst and which accelerated during the Great Depression of the 1930s, gained momentum in Italy , Germany , and Spain in

10368-407: The water, leading the city to be known during the 19th century as the " Venice of the East". Many of these canals have since been filled in or paved over, but others still criss-cross the city, serving as major drainage channels and transport routes. Most canals are now badly polluted, although the BMA has committed to the treatment and cleaning up of several canals. The geology of the Bangkok area

10476-649: The white-dominated societies of North America , Europe, and South Africa continued. By the end of the 20th century, in many parts of the world, women had the same legal rights as men, and racism had come to be seen as unacceptable, a sentiment often backed up by legislation. When the Republic of India was constituted , the disadvantaged classes of the caste system in India became entitled to affirmative action benefits in education, employment and government. Attitudes toward pre-marital sex changed rapidly in many societies during

10584-422: The world were dismantled —with the notable exceptions of China, North Korea , Cuba , Vietnam , and Laos —followed by difficult transitions into market economies . Due to continuing industrialization and expanding trade, many significant changes of the century were, directly or indirectly, economic and technological in nature. Inventions such as the light bulb , the automobile , mechanical computers , and

10692-463: The world population, was finally open to the world , creating a new state after the near-complete destruction of the old cultural order. With the end of colonialism and the Cold War, nearly a billion people in Africa were left in new nation states. The world was undergoing its second major period of globalization ; the first, which started in the 18th century, having been terminated by World War I. Since

10800-405: The world's most visited city consistently in several international rankings. Bangkok's rapid growth coupled with little urban planning has resulted in a haphazard cityscape and inadequate infrastructure. Despite an extensive expressway network , an inadequate road network and substantial private car usage have led to chronic and crippling traffic congestion , which caused severe air pollution in

10908-480: The world. New viruses such as the West Nile virus continued to spread. Malaria and other diseases affected large populations. Millions were infected with HIV, the virus which causes AIDS. The virus was becoming an epidemic in southern Africa . Based on research done by climate scientists, the majority of the scientific community consider that in the long term environmental problems pose a serious threat. One argument

11016-553: Was arguably a truly global economy by the end of the 20th century. Poverty was reduced and the century saw rising standards of living, world population growth, awareness of environmental degradation and ecological extinction . Automobiles , airplanes , and home appliances became common, and video and audio recording saw mass adoption. These developments were made possible by the exploitation of fossil fuel resources, which offered energy in an easily portable form, but also caused concern about pollution and long-term impact on

11124-463: Was developed in the 1920s to allow for color films. Sound films were developed, with the first full-length feature film, The Jazz Singer , released in 1927. The Academy Awards were established in 1929. Animation was also developed in the 1920s, with the first full-length cel animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs , released in 1937. Computer-generated imagery was developed in

11232-523: Was dominated by significant geopolitical events that reshaped the political and social structure of the globe: World War I , the Spanish flu pandemic , World War II and the Cold War . Unprecedented advances in science and technology defined the modern era, including the advent of nuclear weapons and nuclear power , space exploration , the shift from analog to digital computing and the continuing advancement of transportation, including powered flight and

11340-509: Was likely a colloquial name, albeit one widely adopted by foreign visitors , who continued to use it to refer to the city even after the new capital's establishment. When King Rama I established his new capital on the river's eastern bank, the city inherited Ayutthaya's ceremonial name, of which there were many variants, including Krung Thep Thawarawadi Si Ayutthaya ( กรุงเทพทวารวดีศรีอยุธยา ) and Krung Thep Maha Nakhon Si Ayutthaya ( กรุงเทพมหานครศรีอยุธยา ). Edmund Roberts , visiting

11448-588: Was restricted from the 1930s and effectively ceased after the Chinese Communist Revolution in 1949. Their prominence subsequently declined as younger generations of Thai Chinese integrated and adopted a Thai identity . Bangkok is still nevertheless home to a large Chinese community, with the greatest concentration in Yaowarat , Bangkok's Chinatown . Religion in Bangkok The majority (93 per cent) of

11556-411: Was the 10th and last century of the 2nd millennium and was marked by new models of scientific understanding, unprecedented scopes of warfare, new modes of communication that would operate at nearly instant speeds, and new forms of art and entertainment. Population growth was also unprecedented, as the century started with around 1.6 billion people, and ended with around 6.2 billion. The 20th century

11664-427: Was the centre of Siam's modernization as it faced pressure from Western powers in the late-19th century. The reigns of Kings Mongkut (Rama IV, r. 1851–68) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, r. 1868–1910) saw the introduction of the steam engine, printing press, rail transport and utilities infrastructure in the city, as well as formal education and healthcare. Bangkok became the centre stage for power struggles between

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