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Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon
or Krung Thep for short, is the capital and primate city of Thailand. It is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, near the Gulf of Thailand. Bangkok is the 22nd most populous city in the world . Bangkok has a registered population nearing 7 million people, however, due to discrepancies in the number of people residing without a residence certificate, the actual number could be as high as 15 million. Even then, the amount of people who flux in the capital from neighbouring provinces during the day for jobs has given way to estimates as high as 20 million. There are no complete approximations of the metropolitan population, the city is a conglomerate spanning 5 provinces. The areas bounded by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) only cover about half of the city's true size. There has been much controversy over the population and size of Bangkok. Bangkok is a magnet for foreigners escaping turmoil in their homeland or simply for business. Bangkok has long been the gateway to Asia for foreign interests seeking new markets. The city is a major economic and financial center of Southeast Asia. Bangkok has one of the fastest rates in the world for construction of high rise buildings. The city's wealth of cultural sites makes it one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. The Bangkok Province borders six other provinces: Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon and Nakhon Pathom.
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