Bang Kapi District


Bang Kapi is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bounded by other Bangkok districts : Bueng Kum, Saphan Sung, Prawet, Suan Luang, Huai Khwang, Wang Thonglang, and Lat Phrao.

History

The area of Bang Kapi has a history dating back to Rama III's reign, when Chao Phraya Bodindecha led a troop to fight rebels in Champassack and Louangphabang and brought back people to settle.
Because the people who settled here are mostly Muslim, most Thai in the early days call them "Kapiyoh". This referred to the cap worn by Islamic men, and the name was shortened "Kapi", which became the name of the district. "Bang" means a "hamlet by the waterfront" and is a common prefix for place names in Thailand. It is unrelated to "Kapi", meaning shrimp paste.
As it grew into a larger town, Bang Kapi was made an amphoe of Phra Nakhon Province. The amphoe was originally quite large, but has been divided since then to form new amphoe and districts.
In 1966, the Huay Khwang sub-district and parts of the Bang Kapi sub-district were spun off to form Phaya Thai District.
In 1972, Phra Nakhon and Thonburi were joined as the single province Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Administrative districts in the capital city were changed from amphoe and tambon to districts and sub-district, respectively. Bang Kapi thus became a district of the newly combined province, having at that time nine sub-districts.
In 1977, the Sam Sen Nok sub-district was moved to Huai Khwang District.
In 1989, Lat Phrao District and Bueng Kum District were separated from Bang Kapi and became new districts.
On 14 October 1997, Wang Thonglang sub-district was elevated to a district, taking part of Khlong Chan sub-district with it.

Places

Education

The district is divided into two sub-districts.

District Council

The District Council for Bang Kapi has eight members, who each serve four-year terms. Elections were last held on 30 April 2006. The results were as follows: