Bangkok has officially changed its English name to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, which means 'City of Angels' in Thai.
Thailand’s Office of the Royal Society (ORST) announced the change of the capital city's official name from Bangkok to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon.
However, the name Bangkok will still be recognised. Although Krung Thep Maha Nakhon will become the official name of the capital, the name Bangkok will be put in parenthesis for the Thai capital, i.e. Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok).
The world's longest place name
Bangkok's full name in the Thai language, which has Pali and Sanskrit roots, is: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
The renaming of the Thai capital has drawn flak from the public, which prompted ORST to post a message on its Facebook page stating that both names, Bangkok and Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, can be used interchangeably.
Government deputy spokeswoman Ratchda Dhanadirek also explained that the Thai name Krung Thep Maha Nakhon would be used in official documents, but the name Bangkok would still be recognised and included in parenthesis.
Bangkok has all along been officially known as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in the Thai language, and colloquially among the locals as Krung Thep.