ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand. A very long time ago, before Bangkok existed, there were small villages along the Chao Phraya River, which is a big river in Thailand. People lived there and they used the river for many things like fishing and transportation.

In 1767, a big war happened and the city that was the capital of Thailand before was destroyed. After this war, a new king wanted to build a new city that would be the capital of Thailand. That’s when Bangkok was created.

The king at the time, King Rama I, chose the site of one of the small villages along the Chao Phraya River to build the new city of Bangkok. He called it “Krung Thep” which means “City of Angels”. The city grew and became very important for trade and commerce because it was located on a big river.

Over time, more kings ruled Bangkok and they built more important buildings like the Grand Palace and temples such as Wat Phra Kaew, which is a very famous temple with a special statue called the Emerald Buddha. Bangkok also became an important cultural center in Thailand, with lots of art, music, and dance.

Today, Bangkok is a very busy and modern city with lots of tall buildings and things to do. But it still has a long and important history dating back to those small villages that existed along the Chao Phraya River many years ago.