Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep, is the capital and largest city of Thailand, with an official 1990 population of 8,538,610. Bangkok is one of the fastest-growing, most economically dynamic cities in Southeast Asia, but it suffers from major infrastructure and social problems as a result of its rapid growth. Air pollution is a significant problem, blamed on the city's massive traffic jams. The recent construction of elevated second-level expressways and the BTS Skytrains have eased the problem a little. Photo credit: Diliff |