The announcement, approved in a meeting on Tuesday, stipulated that the Royal Society had proposed the updated list of names for countries as some had moved their capitals to a different city and some have been added to the list, while the Society has also adjusted the transliteration of foreign words into Thai spellings.
The Society’s committee on the dictionary of international geographic names, which comprises experts in linguistics and Foreign Affairs Ministry representatives, therefore submitted the list to the Prime Minister’s Office for Cabinet approval before officially announcing the correct, updated spellings.
Apart for Bangkok, which was given the additional name of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, here are some of the other changes:
- Italy’s capital Rome can also be called Roma.
- Myanmar’s capital has been changed from Yangon to Nay Pyi Taw.
- The Kingdom of Nepal has been changed to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
- The State of Palestine has been added to the list of countries.
- The Thai spelling for Channel Islands (UK territory) and Saint Pierre (French territory) has also been adjusted.
On Tuesday the Royal Society clarified on its Facebook page that it did not propose a change in Bangkok’s name to Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, and insisted that both names are acceptable when referring to the Thai capital.
