History of Bangkok

Timeline
c 14th c.	Settlement of Bangkok
c 1538	Construction of river bypass canal
c 1685	Construction of Western forts
1688	Siege of Bangkok expels French
1767	Fall of Ayutthaya; Taksin establishes Thonburi as capital
1782	Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke moves capital to eastern bank
1820	Cholera pandemic kills 30,000
1849	Cholera again devastates population
1864	First paved road constructed
1893	Paknam railway opens
1893	Paknam Incident & French blockade
1894	Electric trams begin service
1908	Construction begins on Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall
1914	Beginning of city water supply
1932	Memorial Bridge opens
1932	Coup ends absolute monarchy
1941–45	Bombing of Bangkok in World War II
1942	City-wide flooding lasts 2 months
1954	Bangkok becomes the headquarters of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
1968	First high-rise building constructed
1972	Merger of Phra Nakhon and Thonburi Provinces
1973	Student uprising ousts Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn
1975	Establishment of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
1976	Thammasat University massacre
1981	First expressway opens to service
1985	First governor election
1992	Black May crackdown on protesters
1997	Asian financial crisis stalls growth
1998	Bangkok hosts Asian Games
1999	BTS Skytrain begins operation
2003	Bangkok hosts the 15th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit
2006	Suvarnabhumi Airport opens
2006–10	Anti-government demonstrations
2011	Severe floods inundate parts of city

The history of the city of Bangkok, Thailand, dates at least to the early fifteenth century, when it was under the rule of Ayutthaya. Due to its strategic location near the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, the town gradually increased in importance, and after the fall of Ayutthaya, King Taksin established his new capital of Thonburi there on the river's western bank. King Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke, who succeeded Taksin, moved the capital to the eastern bank in 1782, to which the city dates its foundation under its current Thai name, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Bangkok has since undergone tremendous changes, growing rapidly, especially in the second half of the 20th century, to become the primate city of Thailand. It was the centre of Siam's modernisation in the late 19th century, subjected to Allied bombing during World War II, and has long been the modern nation's central political stage, with numerous uprisings and coups d'état having taken place on its streets throughout the years.

Under Ayutthaya

It is not known exactly when the area which is now Bangkok was first settled. It likely originated as a small farming and trading community, located in a meander of the Chao Phraya River within the mandala of Ayutthaya's influence. The town had become an important customs outpost by as early as the 15th century; the title of its customs official is given as Nai Phra Khanon Thonburi (Thai: นายพระขนอนทณบุรี) in a document from the reign of Ayutthayan king Chao Sam Phraya (1424–48). The name also appears in the 1805 revised code of laws known as the Law of Three Seals.

At the time, the Chao Phraya flowed through what is now Bangkok Noi and Bangkok Yai Canals, forming a large loop in which the town was situated. In the reign of King Chairacha (either in 1538 or 1542), a waterway was excavated, bypassing the loop and easing navigation for ships sailing up to Ayutthaya. The flow of the river has since changed to follow the new waterway, dividing the town and making the western part an island. This geographical feature may have given the town the name Bang Ko (บางเกาะ), meaning island village, which later became Bangkok (บางกอก, pronounced in Thai as [bāːŋ kɔ̀ːk]). Another theory regarding the origin of the name speculates that it is shortened from Bang Makok (บางมะกอก), makok being the name of Spondias pinnata, a plant bearing olive-like fruit. This is supported by the fact that Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, used to be named Wat Makok. Specific mention of the town was first made in the royal chronicles from the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat (1548–68), giving its name as Thonburi Si Mahasamut (ธนบุรีศรีมหาสมุทร). Bangkok was likely a colloquial name, albeit one widely adopted by foreign visitors.

Map of 17th-century Bangkok from Simon de la Loubère's Du Royaume de Siam

Bangkok/Thonburi's importance increased with the amount of Ayutthaya's maritime trade. Dutch records noted that ships passing through Bangkok were required to declare the amount of their goods and number of passengers, as well as pay customs duties. Ships' cannons would be confiscated and held there before they were allowed to proceed upriver to Ayutthaya. An early English language account is that of Adam Denton, who arrived aboard the Globe, an East India Company merchantman bearing a letter from King James I. Denton's account mentions that he and his companions journeyed "up the river some twenty miles to a town called Bancope, where we were well received, and further 100 miles to the city..." The Globe arrived in "the Road of Syam" on August 15, 1612, where the port officer of Bangkok attended to the ship.

Ayutthaya's maritime trade was at its height during the reign of King Narai (1656–88). Recognition of the city's strategic location guarding the water passage to Ayutthaya lead to expansion of the military presence there. A fort of Western design was constructed on the eastern side of the river around 1685–87 under the supervision of French engineer de la Mare, probably replacing an earlier structure, while plans to rebuild the fort on the western bank were also made. De la Mare had arrived with the French embassy of Chevalier de Chaumont, and was remaining in Siam along with Chevalier de Forbin, who had been appointed governor of Bangkok. The Bangkok garrison under Forbin consisted of Siamese, Portugese and French reportedly totalling about one thousand men.

French control over the city was further consolidated when the French General Desfarges, who had arrived with the second French embassy in 1687, secured the king's permission to establish troops there. This, however, lead to resentment among Siamese nobles, led by Phetracha, and ultimately resulting in the Siamese revolution of 1688, in which King Narai was overthrown and 40,000 Siamese troops besieged Bangkok's eastern fort for four months before an agreement was reached and the French were allowed to retreat. The revolution resulted in Siam's ties with the West being virtually severed, steering its trade towards China and Japan. The eastern fort was subsequently demolished on Phetracha's orders.

As capital city

Wichai Prasit Fort on the western bank of the river is now within the grounds of the Royal Thai Navy Headquarters.

Ayutthaya was razed by the Burmese in 1767. In the following months, multiple factions competed for control of the kingdom's lands. Of these, Phraya Tak, governer of Tak and a general fighting in Ayutthaya's defence prior to its fall, emerged as the strongest. After succeeding in reclaiming the cities of Ayutthaya and Bangkok, Phraya Tak declared himself king (popularly known as King Taksin) in 1768 and established Thonburi as his capital. Reasons given for this change include the totality of Ayutthaya's destruction and Thonburi's strategic location. Being a fortified town with a sizeable population meant that not much would need to be reconstructed. The existence of an old Chinese trading settlement on the eastern bank allowed Taksin to use his Chinese connections to import rice and revive trade.

King Taksin had the city area extended northwards to border the Bangkok Noi Canal. A moat was dug to protect the city's western border, on which new city walls and fortifications were built. Moats and walls were also constructed on the eastern bank, encircling the city together with the canals on the western side. The king's palace was built within the old city walls, including the temples of Wat Chaeng (Wat Arun) and Wat Thai Talat (Wat Molilokkayaram) within the palace grounds. Outlying orchards were re-landscaped for rice farming.

Map showing the extent of Thonburi and Rattanakosin cities

Much of Taksin's reign was spent in military campaigns to consolidate the Thonburi Kingdom's hold over Siamese lands. His kingdom, however, would last only until 1782 when a coup was mounted against him, and the general Chao Phraya Chakri established himself as king, later to be known as Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke. He then re-established the capital on the eastern bank of the river, relocating the prior Chinese who had settled there to the area around Wat Sam Pluem and Wat Sampheng. (The area is now Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown.) Fortifications were rebuilt, and another series of moats was created, encircling the city in an area known as Rattanakosin Island.

The formal date of the city's establishment is counted to the erection of the city pillar on 21 April 1782. Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke named the new city Krung Rattanakosin In Ayothaya (กรุงรัตนโกสินทร์อินท์อโยธยา. This was later modified by King Nangklao to be: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintha-ayutthaya. King Mongkut would later give the city its full ceremonial name:

Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphiman-Awatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit
กรุงเทพมหานคร อมรรัตนโกสินทร์ มหินทรายุทธยา มหาดิลกภพ นพรัตนราชธานีบุรีรมย์ อุดมราชนิเวศน์มหาสถาน อมรพิมานอวตารสถิต สักกะทัตติยะวิษณุกรรมประสิทธิ์  (listen)

The new capital is referred to in Thai sources as Rattanakosin, a name shared by the Siamese kingdom of this historical period. The name Krung Thep and Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, both shortened forms of the full ceremonial name, began to be used near the end of the 19th century. Foreigners, however, continued to refer to the city by the name Bangkok, which has seen continued use until this day.

The Wat Phra Kaew temple complex

Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke modelled his city after the former capital of Ayutthaya, with the Grand Palace, Front Palace and royal temples by the river, next to the royal field (now Sanam Luang). Continuing outwards were the royal court of justice, royal stables and military prison. Government offices were located within the Grand Palace, while residences of nobles and then commoners spread outwards from the city centre.

Since then much of Bangkok's history has been dominated by the constant renovation of the old temples, palaces, and monuments in the city, as in Thailand it is the divine responsibility of the king to maintain the Buddhist religion.

The early to middle nineteenth century saw a gradual increase of foreigners into Bangkok, missionaries and traders who came from many European countries and North America. By 1860 many traders had formed economic alliances and treaties with Bangkok.

King Mongkut (reigned 1851–1868), and later on his son King Chulalongkorn (1868–1910) brought about much development and modernization in Bangkok and Thailand. The city's first paved street was completed under Mongkut's rule and in 1863, his son proceeded to construct new city roads, developing a railway line connect to the north of Bangkok as well creating a tramway.

20th century

By 1900, rural market zones in Bangkok began developing into residential districts. The Memorial Bridge was constructed in 1932 to connect Thonburi to Bangkok which was believed to promote economic growth and modernization in a period when infrastructure was developing considerably. During the Vietnam War period of the 1960s increased FDI investment flowed into Thailand, improving the Don Mueang airport and its highways.

Since the 1960s modernization and population pressure with now over 8 million people in Bangkok, traffic congestion and pollution has become a significant problem in Bangkok.

Administration-wise, eastern Bangkok and Thonburi had been established as separate provinces after the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932. (The province east of the river was named Phra Nakhon (พระนคร.) A series of decrees in 1971–72 resulted in the merger of these provinces and its local administrations, forming the current city of Bangkok which is officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was created in 1975 to govern the city, and its governor has been elected since 1985.

Further information: Bombing of Bangkok in World War II

See also

• History of Thailand

References

Bibliography

• Phongpaichit, Pasuk; Chris Baker (2005). A history of Thailand. New York... [etc.]: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-01647-9.