Bangkok One of the World’s Most Popular Destinations

Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Yuthasak Supasorn said that Instagram is where the world keeps its holiday snaps, so it is nice to see that Bangkok has created so many happy memories. People "like” the kingdom for its vibrant atmosphere and amazing food and culture.

Hoppa’s report into the most "shared” cities on photo-sharing platform Instagram looked at 50,000 photos taken over the course of a month in the world’s 50 most visited destinations. Bangkok came second in terms of "liked” photos, with Los Angeles taking the first place. London and Taipei came third and fourth and Miami came fifth.

Bangkok has been on the "World Best Cities” list created by the US-based magazine Travel and Leisure for 20 years. Thai food was also one of the factors that led to readers of Travel and Leisure voting Bangkok as one of the world’s Top Overall Cities in the magazine’s influential World’s Best Awards 2015. Bangkok took sixth place on the list.

As well as cuisine, destinations were judged for friendliness, shopping, and city landmarks. Bangkok was popular with readers for its street food and blend of ancient culture and modern luxury.

The MasterCard Asia Pacific Destinations Index 2015 also revealed that Bangkok was the top destination in the region, ranked by international overnight visitors, overnight stays, and visitors’ expenditure.

Since its founding as the capital city in 1782, Bangkok has grown to become an important political, social, and economic center of Southeast Asia. Its influence in the arts, politics, fashion, education, and entertainment, as well as its role as a business, financial, and cultural center has made Bangkok a global city.

The city currently has a registered population of about 5.7 million, out of the country’s total population of 65 million. Bangkok is one of the country’s two special administrative areas, the other being Pattaya, where citizens elect their governor or mayor, unlike in other parts of the country. It has some 1,000 skyscrapers and ranks 17th among the world’s "tallest cities.”

The city is home to major domestic and foreign companies and most of the country’s leading education, sporting, and cultural facilities. Most exports and imports are transported via Bangkok, the hub of Thailand’s aviation, railroad, and communication networks.

Bangkok acts as a magnet for people from all parts of the country who come to be educated at its schools, colleges, and universities, to find employment, or simply to see its monuments and enjoy a variety of entertainment.