Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is a large city known for ornate shrines and vibrant street life. The boat-filled Chao Phraya River feeds its network of canals, flowing past the Rattanakosin royal district, home to the opulent Grand Palace and its sacred Wat Phra Kaew Temple. Nearby is Wat Pho Temple, which has an enormous reclining Buddha, and on the opposite shore, Wat Arun Temple which has steps and Khmer-style spire.
This district is named after Khlong Phra Nakhon. Also known as Rattanakosin Island, It is the central district of Bangkok.
Samphanthawong is closely tied to Bangkok’s bustling Chinatown, with a history deeply interwoven with the city’s development and the arrival of Chinese immigrants.
The district has a rich history deeply intertwined with the evolution of Bangkok. Once a thriving part of the Thonburi Kingdom, it has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, and the transformation of a small riverside settlement into a bustling metropolis.
The district is named after Khlong Bangkok Yai, originally part of the Chao Phraya River. A canal dug in 1522 during the Ayutthaya period altered the river’s flow, making the canal the main waterway and the original river section’s present-day Khlong Bangkok Yai.
The district’s name comes from a canal called
Khlong Phasi Charoen links the Tha Chin River to Khlong Bangkok Yai. The canal project was initiated by Phra Phasi Sombat Boribun, who later became Phraya Phison Sombat Boribun. Construction began in 1866 and was completed in 1872, and the canal was named after the man who oversaw the project.
