The Khwae Noi River is a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 in northern Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

. It shares the same name as another river in Thailand, the popular tourist attraction also known as "The River Kwai." These are two distinct bodies of water.

Etymology

The first element khwae (Thai: แคว) means tributary. The second element noi (Thai: น้อย) means small.

Geography

The river's source lies in the mountains of Chat Trakan District

Amphoe Chat Trakan

Chat Trakan is the northernmost district of Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand.-History:Mueang Chat Trakan was an ancient city in the same age as Mueang Nakhon Thai. Originally part of Nakhon Thai district, it was made a minor district on May 1 1969,consisting of the two tambon Chat Trakan...

, Phitsanulok Province

Phitsanulok Province

Phitsanulok is a provinces of Thailand, located in the north. Neighboring provinces are Loei, Phetchabun, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Uttaradit. In the north-east it also has a short border with Xaignabouli of Laos....

, within Namtok Chat Trakan National Park

Namtok Chat Trakan National Park

Namtok Chat Trakan National Park is a national park located in the Phitsanulok Province of Thailand. It encompasses a substantial portion of Amphoe Chat Trakan.-Topography:Most of the park is mountains covered with evergreen forest...

. From there, it flows past the agricultural lands of in the Chat Trakan District, and through the Wat Bot

Amphoe Wat Bot

Wat Bot is a district in the northern part of Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand.-History:Tambon Wat Bot was separated from Phrom Phiram district and created as a minor district on January 1, 1948. It was upgraded to a full district on June 6, 1956...

, Wang Thong

Amphoe Wang Thong

Wang Thong is a district of Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand.-History:The district was established in 1895 in the name Nakhon Pa Mak district after the name of the central tambon, with the district office located at Ban Sam Ruen...

 and Phrom Phiram

Amphoe Phrom Phiram

Phrom Phiram is a district in the northwestern part of Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand.The district name means "the beautiful city of Brahma".- History :In 1972 historians explored the old city area of Mueang Phrom Phiram...

 Districts. Finally, the Khwae Noi River joins the Nan River

Nan River

The Nan River is a river in Thailand. It is one of the most important tributaries of the Chao Phraya River.-Geography:The Nan River originates in Nan Province. The provinces along the river after Nan Province are Uttaradit, Phitsanulok and Phichit. The Yom River joins the Nan River at Chum Saeng...

 within Chom Thong

Chom Thong (Phitsanulok)

Chom Thong is a subdistrict in the Mueang Phitsanulok District of Phitsanulok Province, Thailand.-Geography:The topography of Chom Thong is completely flat fertile lowlands. The subdistrict is bordered to the north by Mathum of Amphoe Phrom Phiram, to the east by Makham Sung, to the south by...

, Mueang Phitsanulok District

Amphoe Mueang Phitsanulok

Mueang Phitsanulok is the capital district of Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand.- History :Mueang Phitsanulok was the first class city in the northern part of Ayutthaya kingdom till the end of the kingdom in 1767. Also in the reign of King Taksin the Great, Phitsanulok was the first class...

. The Khwae Noi River is part of the Chao Phraya River System

Chao Phraya River

The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...

 which ultimately drains into the Gulf of Thailand

Gulf of Thailand

The Gulf of Thailand , also known in to Malays as Teluk Siam literally meant Gulf of Siam, is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.-Geography:...

.

History

The Khwae Noi River has historically been a main waterway, highly significant to the residents of Phitsanulok Province

Phitsanulok Province

Phitsanulok is a provinces of Thailand, located in the north. Neighboring provinces are Loei, Phetchabun, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Sukhothai, Uttaradit. In the north-east it also has a short border with Xaignabouli of Laos....

 and surrounding areas.
The Khwae Noi River, along with the larger Nan River

Nan River

The Nan River is a river in Thailand. It is one of the most important tributaries of the Chao Phraya River.-Geography:The Nan River originates in Nan Province. The provinces along the river after Nan Province are Uttaradit, Phitsanulok and Phichit. The Yom River joins the Nan River at Chum Saeng...

 brought growth and prosperity and served as a communication route for Phitsanulok, and the two rivers gave rise to riparian ways of life which heavily influenced the simple traditional culture of the Thai people in the region.

Tributaries

The principal tributaries of the Khwae Noi are the Om Sing River and the Fua River.

Khwae Noi Dam Project

In recent times, due to climate change, the river has been flooding during rainy seasons and damaging valuable farmland and also carrying too much water into the Nan (of which it is a tributary), thereby causing further damage. Additionally, during the dry seasons, the water level has been too low, causing draught, and again harming the agricultural communities in its proximity.

As a result of increasing problems with the flow of the river, the Royal-Initiated Khwae Noi Dam Project has been established in Wat Bot

Amphoe Wat Bot

Wat Bot is a district in the northern part of Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand.-History:Tambon Wat Bot was separated from Phrom Phiram district and created as a minor district on January 1, 1948. It was upgraded to a full district on June 6, 1956...

.
The construction of the dam is scheduled for completion in 2007.