# Bangkok voted best city in the world.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 10, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978 "2008-07-10T14:54:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/1 "2008-07-10T14:54:17Z")
in an online poll by Travel+Leisure magazine… [Story](http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSSP17523420080710) Despite Siam sam’s endless threads on farangs getting cheated… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/2 "2008-07-10T15:02:49Z")
Wow it sounds great. Now I want to go, but just for one night in Bangkok. The world would be my oyster. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/3 "2008-07-10T15:06:43Z")
Well, we’d better get there while we can. If oil prices keep going up, many people will no longer ba able to fly, and the tourist trade will decrease. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/4 "2008-07-10T15:07:50Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Wow it sounds great. Now I want to go, but just for one night in Bangkok. The world would be my oyster. [/QUOTE] The bars are temples, but the pearls ain’t free. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/5 "2008-07-10T15:11:42Z")
Must be a typo. Surely they meant: **Bangkok voted best _named_ city in the world.** ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/6 "2008-07-10T15:15:24Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Must be a typo. Surely they meant: **Bangkok voted best _named_ city in the world.** [/QUOTE] yeah ! Bang kok 😉 ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/7 "2008-07-11T03:03:22Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] Must be a typo. Surely they meant: **Bangkok voted best _named_ city in the world.** [/QUOTE] No, _longest-named_ city in the world…that is, I assume you’re talking about the Bangkok whose official name is _ **Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit** _, right? Seriously, Bangkok is pretty awesome. I’ve only lived here for about 4.5 months so far but I like it a lot (although I’m sure that I’ll soon be in the “getting pissed off at little things” stage of culture shock). The food is to die for, the people are nice, we have a great view from the 21st floor. We even saw chickens running along Ratchadamri the other day, which was pretty random. The one thing that I miss is cool weather, though. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/8 "2008-07-11T03:04:57Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] The bars are temples, but the pearls ain’t free. [/QUOTE] Oh, forgot to mention I’ve been going through this spiel with my boss in random emails since I first learned I was moving out here. Unfortunately we’ve about exhausted all the song lyrics at this point. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/9 "2008-07-11T03:22:37Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingRat] We even saw chickens running along Ratchadamri the other day, which was pretty random. [/QUOTE] Pffft, wait until you see elephants ambling around the traffic… 😃 While I think this place is pretty cool I wouldn´t say it´s the best city, for instance, the pollution is pretty bad. It literally stinks here, I guess I already got used to it but the first couple of months, ewwww. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/10 "2008-07-11T04:10:00Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] Pffft, wait until you see elephants ambling around the traffic… 😃 [/QUOTE] Yup, there are a couple I see pretty often around here (lower Sukhumvit). I always feel sorry for them-- most of them are babies. Poor things ☹ > [@](#): > > While I think this place is pretty cool I wouldn´t say it´s the best city, for instance, the pollution is pretty bad. It literally stinks here, I guess I already got used to it but the first couple of months, ewwww. That’s definitely true. I honestly haven’t lived in enough “big cities” to be able to compare things here with elsewhere, although I have heard that the pollution is better than it used to be (but maybe that’s just Skytrain/MRT propaganda!) I do miss sidewalks that aren’t full of death traps, too! ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/11 "2008-07-11T05:29:57Z")
Well, it’s already the creme de la creme of the chess world in a show with everything but Yul Brynner. I guess now it’s just getting its due. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/12 "2008-07-11T21:17:25Z")
[QUOTE=Ale] While I think this place is pretty cool I wouldn´t say it´s the best city, for instance, the pollution is pretty bad. It literally stinks here, I guess I already got used to it but the first couple of months, ewwww. [/QUOTE] That smell… it’s gross, but perversely, I love it. When I smell drains over here, I’m instantly transported back to Asia. Last time I was in Bangkok I walked out of the hostel, breathed in deep the smell of drains, smiled wide, uncontrollably, and said “I’m home!” ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/13 "2008-07-11T21:57:36Z")
[QUOTE=indian] yeah ! Bang kok [/QUOTE] Confucius say: “Man who walk through airport turnstile sideways going to Bangkok.” ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/14 "2008-07-11T21:59:37Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingRat] No, _longest-named_ city in the world…that is, I assume you’re talking about the Bangkok whose official name is _ **Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit** _, right? [/QUOTE] Heh, and I thought LA’s name was long. El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Angeles de Porciúncula. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/15 "2008-07-11T22:30:41Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingRat] …the Bangkok whose official name is _ **Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit** _, right? [/QUOTE] What does that actually _mean_? I’m guessing something like,“The new town on the River of Crocodiles, which was founded by the apostles of King Gerund, who came down from the north after being driven over the mountains by the army of Evil King Zorg.” ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/16 "2008-07-11T23:06:08Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] What does that actually _mean_? I’m guessing something like,“The new town on the River of Crocodiles, which was founded by the apostles of King Gerund, who came down from the north after being driven over the mountains by the army of Evil King Zorg.” [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > “Not surprisingly, only a handful of Thais can remember such a mouthful, although the abbreviated translation of the whole is a relatively brief Jewelled city of the god Indra. However, most Thais simply refer to it as Krung Thep, City Angels.” > > We sought a ruling from a Bangkok wordsmith, Theppitak Karoonboonyanan who said the correct spelling (163 letters) is > > Krungthepmahanakornamornratanakosinmahintarayutthayamahadilokphop > nopparatrajathaniburiromudomrajaniwesmahasatharn > amornphimarnavatarnsathitsakkattiyavisanukamprasit. > > Theppitak separated the words of K161t and translated them as: > > krungthep mahanakorn > The great city of angels, > > amorn rattanakosin mahintara yutthaya mahadilok phop > the supreme unconqueralble land of the great immortal divinity (Indra), > > noparat rajathani burirom > the royal capital of nine noble gems, the pleasant city, > > udomrajaniwes mahasatharn > with plenty of grand royal palaces, > > amorn phimarn avatarnsathit > and divine paradises for the reincarnated deity (Vishnu), > > sakkatattiya visanukam prasit > given by Indra and created by the god of crafting (Visnukarma). Bonus info about long place names in Wales and New Zeland, as well as the above passage, can be found [here](http://www.thailandlife.com/ericshackle/placename.html). Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/17 "2008-07-11T23:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=FlyingRat] No, _longest-named_ city in the world…that is, I assume you’re talking about the Bangkok whose official name is _ **Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit** _, right? [/QUOTE] Aaaa, you’re no fun anymore :mad: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/18 "2008-07-11T23:42:51Z")
Pish. It ain’t got nothing on Detroit. We are a cesspool! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/19 "2008-07-12T02:44:19Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] That smell… it’s gross, but perversely, I love it. When I smell drains over here, I’m instantly transported back to Asia. Last time I was in Bangkok I walked out of the hostel, breathed in deep the smell of drains, smiled wide, uncontrollably, and said “I’m home!” [/QUOTE] OoooooK… _Backs off slowly._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978/20 "2008-07-12T09:27:20Z")
I thouight Lahore was the best named city ☹ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bangkok-voted-best-city-in-the-world/455978.md?page=2)