Central Thailand NAKHON PATHOM
Nakhon Pathom is a small province located just 56 Kms. from Bangkok. The province features an ancient religious structure called “Phra Pathom Chedi”, the first religious landmark that signified the influx of Buddhism into Thailand. Nakhon Pathom is also renowned for its abundant fruits varieties and famous dishes.
Formerly situated by the sea, the city prospered during the Dvaravati civilisation. According to archaeological findings, Nakhon Pathom was the first city to possess influences of Buddhism and Indian civilisations. From the Phra Pathom Chedi and other remains discovered in the city area, it is believed that the city was a centre of civilisation in that era. People of different races settled in Nakhon Pathom. However, a change in the course of the river caused a draught that forced the people to migrate and settle on the banks of river, and these communities developed into towns. The new town was called “Nakhon Chaisi” or “Sirichai”, leaving Nakhon Pathom deserted for hundreds of years until the reign of King Rama IV. While His Majesty was in monk hood, he travelled to Nakhon Pathom and found the Phra Pathom Chedi that he regarded to be the largest pagoda of all.
When King Rama IV ascended to the throne, he commanded that a bell shaped Chedi be built to cover the former Chedi. The surrounding area was also renovated and improved. He also commanded that a water canal be dug to facilitate commuting, which was called Chedi Bucha canal. During the reign of King Rama V, the construction of railways to the south began, at that time Nakhon Pathom was still a heavily forested area. King Rama V also commanded that the town be relocated from Tambon Thana, Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi, to the Phra Pathom Chedi area as it used to be. Nakhon Pathom has been there ever since.
During the reign of King Rama VI, a palace was built at Tambon Sanam Chan as a temporary residence on his travels and many roads were constructed. A large bridge was also built over the Chedi Bucha canal, which His Majesty named “Saphan Charoensattha”. Later, he commanded that the name of Nakhon Chaisi be changed to Nakhon Pathom, but the name of the prefecture was still called “Nakhon Chaisi” until the reign of King Rama VII when the calling of the prefecture was ended. Nakhon Chaisi is now one of the districts in Nakhon Pathom.
Nakhon Pathom covers an area of 2,168 square kilometres or 542,081.6 acres. It is divided into 7 administrative districts or Amphoe, they are: Amphoe Muang Nakhon Pathom, Amphoe Buddhamonthon, Amphoe Sam Phran, Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi, Amphoe Bang Len, Amphoe Kamphaeng Saen, and Amphoe Don Toom. Most of the areas are plains with no mountainous land, plateau are found in the west east of Amphoe Muang and Amphoe Kamphaeng Saen. The plains along the Tha Cheen River (Nakhon Chaisi River) are the location of Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi, Amphoe Sam Phran, and Amphoe Bang Len. These fertile lands provide agricultural area for people, thus most of the residents earn their living from agriculture; plantations, farming, growing food crops, and fruit orchards. Especially so of pomelo. Nakhon Pathom is well known for pomelo, some call the Nakhon Pathom the sweet pomelo town.
Distances from Amphoe Muang to neighbouring Amphoe (districts) :
Amphoe Nakhon Chaisi 14 Kms.
Amphoe Buddhamonthon 20 Kms.
Amphoe Sam Phran 21 Kms.
Amphoe Kamphaengsaen 26 Kms.
Amphoe Don Toom 31 Kms.
Amphoe Bang Len 46 Kms.
Nakhon Pathom Palace ,located to the east and not far from Wat Phra Pathom Chedi. At present, it houses the Nakhon Pathom Municipality. Prince Damrong Rachanuphab mentioned the reason for building this palace in the book “Tamnaan Wang Gao” (or Tales of the Old Palaces) that during the renovation of Phra Pathom Chedi, it was inconvenient to come and go from Bangkok to Nakhon Pathom within a day, thus staying overnight was obligatory. Under the royal command of King Rama IV, the palace was built near the Phra Pathom Chedi, similar in concept to those palaces in the Ayutthaya period whereby the King commanded that a palace be built on the perimeter of the temple housing the Phra Buddhabat (Buddha’s Foot Print). The palace was given the name “Phra Nakhon Pathom” and the canals of Mahasawas and Chedi Bucha were dug to facilitate commuting by boat between Bangkok and Nakhon Pathom.
Neun Dhamma Sala
Neun Dhamma Sala It is located at Dhamma Sala temple, Tambon Dhamma Sala, 6 Kms. to the east of Phra Pathom Chedi, on the South-side of Petchakasem Road. The physical appearance is that of a hill with a tunnel opening that is believed to connect Wat Phra Mayn to Wat Dhamma Sala. From hearsay, there are various valuable treasures like ancient pottery but which may not be taken out because there is a treasure guardian spirit watching over.
Neun Phra or Neun Yai Hom
Neun Phra or Neun Yai Hom ,located in Tambon Don Yai Hom. Take the Petchakasem Road from Nakhon Pathom heading into Bangkok for about 5 Kms., you will arrive at a T-intersection, turn right onto Settakit 2 Road (Ban Paew-Don Yai Hom Road) and proceed for about 9 Kms.,
Neun Yai Hom is on your left and another 150 metres into a side road, located in the middle of the rice fields. Amphoe Ban Paew is an ancient site. In 1936, Phra Dhamma Vathi Kanachan (Luang Pho Ngeun), the abbot of Wat Don Yai Hom, dug up broken bricks from the base of the hill to build a church. Digging down further, he found two square green laterite pillars both about 4 metres high with a unique carving at the crown of the pillars that resembled pillar doors of the Sanchi Chedi of King Asoka Maharaj, and a laterite statue of a crouching deer, another Dvaravati period Buddha image, and a broken stone Sema Dhamma Chakra (Buddhist Wheel of Virtue used signify temple boundaries). The laterite stone pillars had a gap at the top for placing the Sema Dhama Chakra. This is the same style as those found at Phra Pathom Chedi, Wat Phra Ngam, Wat Phra Padhone, and Sanam Chan Palace. Presently, the pillars are at Wat Don Yai Hom, the laterite crouching deer and the Buddha images are on exhibit at the Bangkok National Museum. These discoveries confirm that this area was once an ancient temple and that the hill must have been a large Chedi that was in the temple compound dating back to the Dvaravati period, or earlier, roughly about 1,000 years ago. It is a revered and important historical site.
Neun Wat Phra Ngam
Neun Wat Phra Ngam Situated at Phra Ngam temple, Tambon Nakhon Pathom, near Nakhon Pathom Railway Station. At this temple, during excavations, a large Chedi dating from Dvaravati era and artefacts including dilapidated sandstone Buddha images, Sema Dhama Chakra (Buddhist Wheel of Virtue used signify temple boundaries), statues of crouching deer, bronze Buddha images, and earthen Buddha images, which were made with unsurpassed craftsmanship. Prince Damrong Rachanuphab explained that the origin of the name “Wat Phra Ngam” (temple of magnificent Buddha images) was due to the beauty of the discovered earthen Buddha images, the temple was given such name. Some of them are housed at the National Museum and others at Phra Pathom Chedi. All of the discovered artefacts dates back to the Dvaravati period, which are the same age as those found around Phra Pathom Chedi.
Phra Padhone Chedi
Phra Padhone Chedi Another historical site located in Wat Phra Padhone Chedi temple, Tambon Phra Padhone. It is located 2 Kms. to the east of Phra Pathom Chedi down Petchakasem Road. The former shape of Phra Padhone Chedi was an upside down bell like other Chedi that was built in Dvaravati period. As Wat Phra Padhone Chedi is located in the middle of the ancient city of Nakhon Chaisi thus several artefacts were discovered during excavations. Some of the discovered items include Buddha images, heads of Buddha images and Buddha images in terra cotta, as well as a bronze figure of a garuda gripping naga under it’s claws, which is the official symbol of King Rama VI.
Wat Phra Mayn
Wat Phra Mayn is situated at Ananta Uttayan Park, Tambon Huai Chorakae, to the south of Phra Pathom Chedi. It is an abandoned temple that nowadays resemble a large hill. Also discovered here are other artefacts which include bronze Buddha images as well as arms, thighs, and hands from a laterite Buddha image, Yaksa Deva (Thai mythical giant gods), Lotus Lion Deva, and stucco reliefs from the stupa ruins. At present, they are exhibited at the Bangkok National Museum and Wat Phra Pathom Chedi. During the reign of King Rama VI, Prince Damrong Rachanupap brought two large pairs of the Buddha’s Foot Print replica from Wat Phra Men and placed them on an outside corridor of Phra Pathom Chedi. During an excavation by the Fine Arts Department and the French archaeologists in 1938, remains which resembles an enormous stupa were discovered. It was a square-based stupa with very high-indented corners; the remains themselves were 12 metres high, with arched windows on four sides within which each houses a sitting laterite Buddha image. Later, the Buddha images were enshrined at Wat Phra Pathom Chedi. It is believed that these laterite Buddha images date back to the Dvaravati period, the same period as Phra Pathom Chedi, which is no less than 1,000 years old.
Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Ratchavoraviharn
Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Ratchavoraviharn this is a first class royal monastery. The temple houses Phra Pathom Chedi, the largest pagoda in Thailand. Phra Pathom Chedi is the official provincial symbol of Nakhon Pathom.
The present Phra Pathom Chedi was built during the reign of King Rama IV in 1853, under his royal command, the new Chedi was constructed to cover the former Chedi of which the shape was of an upside down bell shape with a Prang top. It is assumed that the former Chedi dates back to the year 539 AD due to the fact that the upside down bell shaped Chedi has a similar style to the Sanchi Chedi in India which was built in the reign of King Asoka. The construction of the new huge Chedi was completed in the reign of King Rama V in 1870 AD. In all, it took 17 years to build.
The completed Chedi is a circular one that features an upside down bell shape Chedi (Lankan style). The height from ground to a top crown is some 120.45 metres, and a total diameter at the base is 233.50 metres. The sacred Chedi houses Lord Buddha’s relics. During the reign of King Rama VI, Wat Phra Pathom was renovated and later the temple became the royal temple of King Rama VI. Within the monastery compound, there are various interesting historical items, including the Phra Ruang Rodjanarith ,an image of Buddha bestowing pardon, is enshrined in a vihara located to the North and in front of Phra Pathom Chedi. The casting of this Buddha image was casted during the reign of King Rama VI: the image’s head, hand, and feet were brought from Muang Srisatchanalai, Sukhothai.
Under royal command, a wax sculpture of the Buddha image was moulded. The casting process was held at Wat Phra Chettuphon in 1913. Later, the Buddha image was enshrined in the vihara, located on the north side at the top of a huge staircase. The King granted the name of “Phra Rung Rodjanarith Sri-intharathit Thammamopas Mahavachiravuth Rachpuchaniyabopitr” to this Buddha image. At its base, the relics of King Rama VI are housed. Additionally, there are:
Wat Phra Pathom Chedi Museum The museum is located at a lower level in the east of the church. It houses artefacts and historical remains which were discovered during the excavations in Nakhon Pathom including the coffin and funeral ritual set that were used in Ya-Lei’s cremation ceremony. Ya-Lei was a dog very dear to King Rama VI, that was shot and died. The King was much saddened and commanded to building of a monument for Ya-Lei as a token of his grief. The museum is open daily from 09.00-16.30 except Monday and Tuesday.
Then there is the National Museum of Phra Pathom Chedi This is also worth a visit. The National Museum of Phra Pathom Chedi is located to the south of the Pathom Chedi compound. It is a 2 storey modern Thai building that houses artefacts and historical remains, most of which dates back to Dvaravati period and were found during excavations in Nakhon Pathom. For more information, contact Khun Sunthorn, Pali Union Education Foundation tel: 257-745 or Khun Panom Taeng On, Phra Pathom Chedi Treasury and Preservation Office tel: 242-143. The museum is open daily from 09.00-16.00 except Monday, Tuesday and National Gazette holidays.
Nakhon Pathom Food and Fruits Fair is annually held during the Chinese New Year, around January-February, within the grounds of Phra Pathom Chedi to promote agricultural products and industrial products of the province. It aims to also promote the fruits that are grown in Nakhon Pathom such as pomelo, sweet coconuts, guavas, and bananas. Other food products like Chinese pork sausage, crispy sweet pork and shredded pork, are also sold at the fair. It also features Chinese buffet arrangement contests and fruit contests.
Songkran Festival is annually held from 13-17 April around Phra Pathom Chedi. During the festival, there are many activities such as the of Songkran procession floats, Chinese Dragon and Lion Dances, Bathing of the revered Phra Ruang Rodjanarit, sand Chedi building, Thai opera, and local entertainments.
Buffet for Elephant and Elephant Queen Pageant is annually held on a National Labour day (May 1st) at the Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo to show gratitude to elephants living in the grounds. The Elephant Queen Pageant is held to find a rather plump lady who could interpret and display the elephant’s gentle character.
Wat Rai Khing Festival is annually held from the 13th day of the waxing moon to the 4th day of the waning moon in the fifth month of the lunar calendar. There are many goods sold, from various government units and also from farmers. The fair also features fruit contests and there are many kinds of entertainment at night.
Phra Pathom Chedi Festival The fair takes place annually from the 12th day of the waxing moon to the 4th day of the waning moon in the 12th month of the lunar calendar. It is held on the grounds of Phra Pathom Chedi. During the fair, there are countless stalls selling local products and produce. At night, various entertainment is provided.
Loy Krathong Festival is held annually on the 15th day of the waxing moon in the 12th month of the lunar calendar (November). The festival is held at Sanam Chan Palace, and features beauty pageants, Krathong contests, hanging lantern contests, and local entertainment, among others.
Distances from Nakhon Pathom to neighbouring provinces :
Nonthaburi 65 Kms.
Samutsakhon 48 Kms.
Ratchaburi 43 Kms.
Kanchanaburi 112 Kms.
Suphanburi 160 Kms.
Car
By Car : From Bangkok, driving on the old route of Petchakasem Road (Highway No.4) passing Aom Noi, Aom Yai, Sam Phran to Nakhon Pathom or driving on a new route from Bangkok, passing Buddhamonthon, Nakhon Chaisi to Nakhon Pathom.
Bus
By Bus : From the Southern Bus Terminal on Boromrajajonnani Road there are two lines of buses.
Old Route (Bangkok-Aom Yai-Sam Phran-Nakhon Pathom), there are several lines of 2nd class air-conditioned buses: Bangkok-Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok-Ratchaburi, and Bangkok-Bangli. There are 2 lines of non air-conditioned buses: Bangkok-Nakhon Pathom, Bangkok-Ratchaburi, and Bangkok-Suphanburi.
New Route (Bangkok-Buddhamonthon-Nakhon Chaisi-Nakhon Pathom)
There are 2 lines of 1st class air-conditioned buses: Bangkok-Nakhon Pathom and Bangkok Dan Chang (blue bus) or taking the 2nd class of air-conditioned buses of Bangkok-Damnoen Saduak and Bangkok-Ratchaburi.
For more information, contact the Southern Bus Terminal on Boromrajajonnani Road. Non air-conditioned buses tel: 0 2434 5557-8 and Air-conditioned buses tel: 0 2435 1199.
Train
By Rail: The State Railway of Thailand operates daily trains to Nakhon Pathom. For more information contact Bangkok’s Hualampong Railway Grand Station tel: 1690, 0 2223 7010, 0 2223 7020 and the Thonburi Railway Station tel: 0 2411 3102.
Sweet pomelo Though this has been talked about for a long time, their quality is still worth a try. They are major products of Nakhon Chai Si district.
Fragrant coconut juice
Fragrant coconut juice which is worth its fame.
Khao Lam
Khao Lam is the sticky rice, mixed with coconut milk and grilled in a bamboo trunk.
|
