Nakhon Sawan Province
Encyclopedia
Nakhon Sawan is one of the provinces
Provinces of Thailand
Thailand is divided into 76 provinces , which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 77th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 76 provinces. The name of the provinces are...

 (changwat) of 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...

. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kamphaeng Phet
Kamphaeng Phet Province
Kamphaeng Phet is one of the provinces of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan and Tak.- Etymology :...

, Phichit, Phetchabun
Phetchabun Province
Phetchabun is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit and Phitsanulok.- Geography :...

, Lop Buri
Lopburi Province
Lop Buri is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchabun, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri and Nakhon Sawan.-Geography:...

, Sing Buri
Sing Buri Province
Sing Buri is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan, Lop Buri, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri and Chai Nat....

, Chai Nat
Chainat Province
Chainat is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan, Sing Buri, Suphan Buri and Uthai Thani.-Geography:...

, Uthai Thani
Uthai Thani Province
Uthai Thani is one of the provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi and Tak.-Geography:...

 and Tak
Tak Province
Tak is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Lampang, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani and Kanchanaburi...

.

Etymology

The word Nakhon originates from the Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...

 word Nagara meaning city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

, and the word Sawan from Sanskrit svarga
Svarga
In Hinduism, Svarga is a set of heavenly worlds located on and above Mt. Meru. It is a heaven where the righteous live in a paradise before their next reincarnation...

meaning heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...

. Hence the name of the province literally means City Heaven, but more likely it is meant Heavenly City.

History

Nakhon Sawan was a city since Dvaravati
Dvaravati
The Dvaravati period lasted from the 6th to the 13th centuries. Dvaravati refers to both a culture and a disparate conglomerate of principalities.- History :...

 era. While part of the Sukhothai kingdom
Sukhothai kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ) was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...

, it was called Mueang
Mueang
Mueang were historical semi-independent city-states or principalities in present-day Thailand, Laos, parts of northern Vietnam and the Shan State of Myanmar. Smaller Mueang were subordinate to more powerful neighboring Mueang, which in turn were subordinate to the central king, as described in...

Phra Bang, the southern frontier city of Sukhothai. Later within the Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...

 it was an important trade center because of its location at the two major rivers from the north. It also was the common meeting point of Burmese
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....

 troops before moving to attack Ayutthaya. In the reign of King Taksin
Taksin
Taksin ; was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom...

 the Great, Phra Bang became a Siamese military base to prevent further Burmese attacks.

When King Mongkut
Mongkut
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramenthramaha Mongkut Phra Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama IV, known in foreign countries as King Mongkut , was the fourth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1851-1868...

 signed the Bowring Treaty
Bowring Treaty
The Bowring Treaty is the name given to an agreement signed on April 18, 1855 between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Siam that liberalized foreign trade in Siam....

 with Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....

 the glorious time of Nakhon Sawan began, as it became the main rice and teak trading center. However the opening of the Northern railway in 1922, the economic crisis before 1932 revolution, and finally the opening of Dejativongse bridge and Phahonyothin highway
Phahonyothin highway
Phahonyothin Road or Thailand Route 1 is a major road in Bangkok, as well as one of the four major highways in Thailand, along with Mittraphap Road , Sukhumvit Road , and Phetkasem Road...

 in 1950 each decreased the importance of water transportation and thus made Nakhon Sawan less important.

When in 1895 King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...

 established the monthon
Monthon
A monthon |]], literally "circle") was a country subdivision of Thailand in the beginning of the 20th century. The Thai word 'monthon' is a translation of the word Mandala. These were created as a part of the thesaphiban bureaucratic administrative system, introduced by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab...

 as part of the thesaphiban administrative reform, Nakhon Sawan became capital city of Monthon Nakhon Sawan.

The 4th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Area Army is based in Nakhon Sawan. It is in charge of the northwestern border with Burma, from Mae Hong Son in the north to Kanchanaburi in the south.

Geography

The Ping
Ping River
The Ping River , along with the Nan River, is one of the two main contributaries of Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Chiang Dao in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai Province. After passing Chiang Mai town, it flows though the provinces Lamphun, Tak, and Kamphaeng Phet...

 and Nan
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...

 rivers merge near the city of Nakhon Sawan to form the Chao Phraya River
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:...

. The Mae Wong National Park
Mae Wong National Park
Mae Wong National Park is a national park in Thailand.-Description:Mae Wong National Park is situated in the Thanon Thong Chai Mountain Range....

 on the border with Khamphaeng Phet province was created in 1987 to preserve the Mae Wong-Mae Poen jungle.

Bueng Boraphet
Bueng Boraphet
Bueng Boraphet is the largest freshwater swamp and lake in central Thailand. It covers an area of 224 km² east of Nakhon Sawan, south of the Nan River close to its confluence with the Ping River....

 is the largest freshwater wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....

 in Thailand, in total covering 212 km². The swamp is located directly east of the town Nakhon Sawan and extends into the districts Tha Tako and Chum Saeng. During the winter months many waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....

s migrate there. Parts of the swamp are protected as a non-hunting area.

Symbols

The provincial seal
Seals of The Provinces of Thailand
-Present-day provinces of Thailand:This list includes all the seals of the Provinces of Thailand. It also includes the special administrative area of the capital, Bangkok.-Former Provinces:-External links:*...

 shows a Wiman, a mythological castle located in heaven. This relates to the name of the province which translates to Heavenly City.

The provincial tree as well as the flower is Lagerstroemia loudonii
Lagerstroemia loudonii
Lagerstroemia loudonii is a species of flowering plant in the Lythraceae family.Its origin is in Burma and Thailand, where it is found in the wild in Isan and the East down to Central Thailand....

(Loudon's crape myrtle).

Administrative divisions

The province is subdivided in 15 districts (amphoe
Amphoe
An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the provinces, and are analogous to a county seat...

). These are further subdivided into 130 subdistricts (tambon
Tambon
Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...

) and 1328 villages (muban
Muban
Muban is the lowest administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as village, they are the subdivision of tambon. As of 2008, there are 74944 administrative villages in Thailand. As of the 1990 census, the average village consisted of 144 households or 746 persons.A muban does not...

).
  1. Mueang Nakhon Sawan
    Amphoe Mueang Nakhon Sawan
    Mueang Nakhon Sawan is the capital district of Nakhon Sawan Province, in northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Banphot Phisai, Kao Liao, Chum Saeng, Tha Tako, Phayuha Khiri, Krok Phra, Lat Yao....

  2. Krok Phra
    Amphoe Krok Phra
    Krok Phra is a district in Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:Originally, the district was named Noen Sala. However, as the old location was not convenient for transportation, the district office was moved to the west bank of the Chao Phraya river at Ban Krok Phra in 1899...

  3. Chum Saeng
    Amphoe Chum Saeng
    Chum Saeng is a district in Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:Chum Saeng is an old district of Nakhon Sawan. The government separated some part of Mueang district to establish Tambon Koei Chai. In 1903, the Interior ministry upgraded the tambon to be Amphoe Phan Lan, named after...

  4. Nong Bua
    Amphoe Nong Bua
    Nong Bua is a district in the northeastern part of Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:The government separated some tambons of the districts Chum Saeng, Tha Tako and Bang Mun Nak of Phichit Province to create the minor district Nong Bua on January 1, 1948...

  5. Banphot Phisai
    Amphoe Banphot Phisai
    Banphot Phisai is the northernmost district of Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:At first, the central tambon was Tambon Ta Sang...

  6. Kao Liao
    Amphoe Kao Liao
    Kao Liao is a district of Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:The minor district was created on October 1 1969, when five tambon were split off from Banphot Phisai district...

  7. Takhli
    Amphoe Takhli
    Thakhli is the southernmost district of Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand.The name of the district originates from the Tikhli ground in Sang Thong, the royal novel of King Rama III.-Geography:...

  8. Tha Tako
    Amphoe Tha Tako
    Tha Tako is a district in the eastern part of Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:The district was established at Ban Khao Noi, Tambon Tha Tako in 1900. At first there was confusion whether the name was Khao Noi or Don Kha...



  1. Phaisali
    Amphoe Phaisali
    Phaisali is a district in the eastern part of Nakhon Sawan Province, Thailand.-History:Phaisali is an ancient city, as proven by Khmer remains in Tambon Samrong Chai...


  2. Phayuha Khiri
    Amphoe Phayuha Khiri
    Phayuha Khiri is a district in Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:Phayuha Khiri is an ancient city. It was on the mid way of 2 big cities, Phra Bang and Chainat Buri...


  3. Lat Yao
    Amphoe Lat Yao
    Lat Yao is a district of Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:Originally, Lat Yao was a part of Krok Phra district. Khun Lat Boriban , the head of the Tambon developed the infrastructure of the tambon. In 1913, he proposed to the governor of Nakhon Sawan that the tambon should be...


  4. Tak Fa
    Amphoe Tak Fa
    -History:When Thai government built the Phahonyothin highway, the district was formed by territory taken from Takhli district. It became a district on October 13, 1970.-Geography:...


  5. Mae Wong
    Amphoe Mae Wong
    Mae Wong is a district in the western part of Nakhon Sawan Province, northern Thailand.-History:The minor district Mae Wong was created on April 1 1992, when the six tambon Mae Wong, Mae Le, Wang San, Khao Chon Kan, Pang Sawan and Huai Nam Hom were split off from Lat Yao district...


  6. Mae Poen
  7. Chum Ta Bong

Sights

Bung Boraphet (บึงบอระเพ็ด) is the largest freshwater swamp in Thailand. Some parts of the swamp have been declared the Bung Boraphet Non-Hunting Area under the care of the Wildlife Conservation Division. Bung Boraphet is also a fish breeding ground where the Department of Fisheries has set up the Bung Boraphet Fishery Development Station.

Wat Woranat Banphot or Wat Khao Kop (วัดวรนาถบรรพต หรือ วัดเขากบ): The peak has a replica of Lord Buddha’s Footprint and a pagoda encasing the relic of Lord Buddha built when Sukhothai was the country’s capital. The temple was praised by the Department of Religious Affairs as the best development temple of 1966.

Utthayan Sawan (อุทยานสวรรค์) is a beautiful public park in Nakhon Sawan Municipality beside the Asian Highway. It was originally a large swamp with an area of 502,400 square meters called Nong Som Bun. The middle of the park is an island with an area of 6,400 square meters.

Wat Chom Khiri Nat Phrot (วัดจอมคีรีนาคพรต): The most interesting objects here are a replica of the Lord Buddha’s Footprint and a convocation hall that locals call "Bot Thewada Sang".

Wat Si Sawan Sangkharam or Wat Thu Nam (วัดศรีสวรรค์สังฆาราม หรือ วัดถือน้ำ) is an old temple that was used as the site for government officials to pledge allegiance to the king. Wat Si Sawan Sangkharam is regarded as an old temple with immense historical value.

Chao Pho Thepharak-Chao Mae Thapthim Shrine (ศาลเจ้าพ่อเทพารักษ์-เจ้าแม่ทับทิม): The shrine is revered by locals and is the spiritual magnet of the people in the area as well as passers-by using the river.

The Origin of the Chao Phraya River (ต้นแม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา) is the point where the Ping and Nan rivers converge. Here, one can clearly distinguish the difference between the two rivers. 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...

 is reddish in colour while the Ping River
Ping River
The Ping River , along with the Nan River, is one of the two main contributaries of Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Chiang Dao in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai Province. After passing Chiang Mai town, it flows though the provinces Lamphun, Tak, and Kamphaeng Phet...

 is somewhat green.

Wat Kriang Krai Klang (วัดเกรียงไกรกลาง): Inside is a Sukhothai
Sukhothai kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ) was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...

-style bronze Buddha image in the Man Wichai posture and an old hall of over a hundred years of age. There is also a replica of Lord Buddha’s Footprint and a mural of Lord Buddha’s life.

Tham Bo Ya (ถ้ำบ่อยา): The cave itself has 3 sections. The first has a large main Buddha image. The second, further in, is a dead end with a pond called Bo Nam Thip that is believed by locals to be sacred. The third section is an exit out the other way.

Nakhon Sawan Provincial Cultural Building (หอวัฒนธรรมจังหวัดนครสวรรค์) is the centre of historical, archaeological and cultural information of the province. The building has an exhibition room displaying cultural development and various archaeological sites.

Chan Sen Ancient City and Chan Sen Museum (จันเสนเมืองโบราณ และ พิพิธภัณฑ์วัดจันเสน): A number of artifacts have been discovered in the ancient city; earthenware items, stone items, metal objects and bronze objects. All of the objects are now kept at Chan Sen Museum in Chan Sen Temple.

Wat Tham Phon Sawan (วัดถ้ำพรสวรรค์): At the rear of the temple is Phon Sawan Cave which is divided into 2 sections. The first section is a small room while the second section is a larger room with Buddha images and various structures such as a replica waterfall with a stream in the cave’s centre.

Wat Bang Pramung Floating Market (ตลาดน้ำวัดบางประมุง) is on the bank of Bang Pramung Canal in front of Wat Bang Pramung, about 14 kilometres from the city on the Nakhon Sawan-Krok Phra road.

Wat Bang Mafo (วัดบางมะฝ่อ): The most striking aspect is the main hall that has unique doors and windows designed by the monk Luang Pho Sun. The main Buddha image in the Man Wichai posture is strange in that it also holds a palm-leaf fan. Under the multi-tiered roof is a lovely replica of Lord Buddha’s Footprint.

Khao Tham Phra (เขาถ้ำพระ): Inside are stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...

s, stalagmite
Stalagmite
A stalagmite is a type of speleothem that rises from the floor of a limestone cave due to the dripping of mineralized solutions and the deposition of calcium carbonate. This stalagmite formation occurs only under certain pH conditions within the underground cavern. The corresponding formation on...

s and Buddha images. During the Songkran Festival locals will take flowers, candles and incense sticks up the 100 steps from the foot of the hill to pay homage to the images.

Khao No-Khao Kaeo (เขาหน่อ-เขาแก้ว) is a limestone mountain that has Wat Khao Lo at its foot. There are numerous monkeys at the foot of the mountain and you can see plenty of bats that live in the cave flying out to feed in the evening, making a long black line in the night sky.

Khok Mai Den Ancient City (บ้านโคกไม้เดน): Traces of the old city wall remain and an artefact in the form of a sculpture of the elephant Phaya Chatthan was discovered here. It is over 1,000 years old. The word "Khok Mai Den" refers to a kind of tree.

Mae Wong National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติแม่วงก์): The area consists of winding mountains and is the source of several waterways, including the Mae Wong River and some parts of Khlung Canal. Attractions in Mae Wong National Park Kaeng Pha Khoi Nang-Kaeng Nam

Bon Kaeo Hin (แก่งผานางคอย-แก่งน้ำบนเขาหิน) is on the Khlong Lan-Um Phang road and 1.4 kilometres from the park headquarters and another 400 meters on a secondary road. This is a large brook that Khlung Canal flows through.

The View point (จุดชมวิว) is on the Khlong Lan-Um Phang road at the 81km marker. At the 93km marker, about 28 kilometres from the headquarters, is an area between mountains that is perpetually breezy with an average temperature below 20 degrees Celsius.

Namtok Nang Nuan (น้ำตกนางนวล): This waterfall is located amidst the lush jungle. It has 4 levels.

Namtok Mae Krasa (น้ำตกแม่กระสา) is a large 9-level waterfall about 900 meters high. The waterfall is formed by streams from high-altitude jungles on the Thanon Thong Chai Mountain Range.

Namtok Mae Riwa (น้ำตกแม่เรวา) is a waterfall located around 21 kilometres from the headquarters.

Mokochu Peak (ยอดเขาโมโกจู) is the highest peak in the park. It is 1,964 meters above sea level and is located about 50 kilometres from the headquarters.

Kaeng Lan Nok Yung (แก่งลานนกยูง) is a brook with a wide rock plateau. Mae Wong River, which originates in Mae Wong Forest flows through it. It is about 800 meters from Mae Rewa Forest Protection Unit.

Festivals

Chao Pho-Chao Mae Pak Nam Pho Procession Festival (งานประเพณีแห่เจ้าพ่อ-เจ้าแม่ปากน้ำโพ) is a festival of the Thai Chinese
Thai Chinese
The Thai Chinese are an overseas Chinese community who live in Thailand. Thailand is home to the largest, oldest, most prominent, and most integrated overseas Chinese community in the world with a population of approximately 9.5 million people...

 who live in Nakhon Sawan. This festival has been held since ancient times. It takes place during Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year – often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar – is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is an all East and South-East-Asia celebration...

 (around the beginning of February every year) to bring good fortune. It features various processions such as lion parade, dragon parade, angel procession, the goddess Guan Yin procession and others going along the main roads in the municipality. The festival is famous among Thais and foreigners.

Boat Races for His Majesty’s Trophy (ประเพณีการแข่งเรือยาวชิงถ้วยพระราชทาน) are held annually at the end of the Buddhist Lent on the Chao Phraya River
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:...

 in front of the Provincial Hall. There are also races at temples along the river such as Wat Ko Hong and Wat Takhian Luan. The races show the unity of the people, as well as the skill of paddlers and boat owners participating.

External links


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