Thailand Guidebook > Provinces > Northern Thailand

A province in the Lower North some 240 kilometres from Bangkok, Nakhon Sawan is also known as Pak Nam Pho, the merging point of the four rivers, Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan, forming Chao Phraya. Because of its strategic location, Nakhon Sawan has been a major inland port town and major trading centre for paddy of the country.

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Nakhon Sawan is administratively divided in to the following districts: Muang, Khrok Phra, Chumsaeng, Nong Bua, Banphot Phisai, Takhli, Tha Tako, Phayuha Khiri, Lat Yao, Phaisali, Tak Fa, Kao Lieo, Mae Wong, Mae Poen and Chum Ta Bong. If you have already visited this Northern province, please share your highlights with other visitors to Thailand Guidebook.

Uthayan Sawan is an urban public park covering an extensive area with a large pond. It is landscaped with small gardens.

An old temple located atop the Khao Kop hill within town limits, Wat Woranat Banphot is accessible either by car or by foot along high steps. Major features include a replica of the Holy Footprint and a Sukhothai-Era Chedi. It is a site which affords a panoramic view of the town. Bung Boraphet is the largest fresh-water lake in Thailand. Covering an area of over 200 square kilometres, it serves as a site to study nature as well as being a major tourist attraction. The area to the south of the lake which is in Tha Tako district and about 24 kilometres from town, is set aside as a water fowl park where hunting of wildlife is forbidden. Tourist boats take bird watchers to observe the many kinds of birds which converge into the area form November to March. The northern sector of the lake some 10 kilometres from town on the Nakhon Sawan-Chum Saenag highway, is the site of the Fishery Station which undertakes to breed and increase indigenous fauna once plentiful in the area but now threatened with extinction These include the fresh-water crocodiles and the Sua To fish. The delightful morning scenes attract flocks of admirers to see the blooming of the pink water-lillies.

Talat To Rung or the all night food market, is situated near the bank of the Ping River in town. Crowds of people come and enjoy dishes of their choice at the scores of food stalls offering both main dishes and sweet. One of the largest such facilities in the country, the market offers delicious food at very reasonable prices.

Wat Nong Klap is an old temple built during the reign of King Rama ll. Under its peaceful and tranquil atmosphere is a huge collection of old indigenous tools, arms and other utensils. The temple is located in Ban Nong Klap of Nong Bua district and can be reached by taking Highway No. 25 (Nong Bua-Chum Saeng).

Behind the Chansen Railway Station in Takli district, which is at the southernmost limit of the province, is the Wat Chansen Museum which is accessible via the In Buri-Tak Fa Road (no.11) and turning into Highway No. 3196 to Tambon Chansen. Inside the beautiful Chedi, which rests on a large base, is an interesting native museum housing extensive collections of local antiquities, all meticulously kept and displayed, depicting the development of this ancient community. The exhibits trace the evolution of the periods when man learned how to make implements from iron smelting and bronze some 1,400 years ago up till the Dvaravati Era. Although no architectural structures remain today; there remain numerous ancient objects which were meant for personal or religious applications. ltems made of metal include earrings; spear tips, iron tools and bronze idols, while earthen-wares are mainly votive tablets, seals and dolls. Stone-carvings come in the forms of Dhammachak, bases of Buddha statues and polished stone axes.

The remaining outlines indicate that the ancient town was square-shaped and surrounded by moats. Today the surrounding area is flooded although the town proper still remains on high ground. Khao Nor-Khao Kaeo are on the Nakhon Sawan-Kamphaengphet Road or Highway No. 1 in Tambon Bandan some 18 kilometres from Banphot Phisai district. The limestone hills feature rugged peaks clearly visible from the roadside. They are also home to large groups of monkeys and bats. Which can be seen flying off at dusk to seek food.

The Chao Pho Chao Mae Traditional Procession is an old, established fair of local people of Chinese descent in Nakhon Sawan. Held during the Chinese New Year celebrations, around January or February, its most spectacular feature is the Dragon Dance accompanied by exciting lights, colour and sounds. It is intended to pay homage to the Golden Dragon which, according to Chinese beliefs, is a god who is most benevolent to mankind. Each year thousands of visitors come to see the celebration which include parades and traditional rituals at the various Chinese shrines.

Nakhon Sawan is the home of numerous Chinese-descended Thais whose forebears emigrated from China over a century ago. The first Chinese settlers in Nakhon Sawan took up trade and commerce. Because of their industrious and hard-working nature, and due to the central location of the town midway between the North and the Central Region, their businesses prospered. As a result, Nakhon Sawan has become an important trading centre, a position it still retains today.

Khanom Moji, a type of Chinese sweetmeats, is popular for taking some home to friends and relatives. It is made of ground peanuts with salted egg yolks wrapped into small rounded pieces, and is quite delicious.

COPYRIGHT: Information on this page is used with permission from the Tourist Authority of Thailand. Additional information from brochures produced locally and notes made by Panrit Daoruang and Richard Barrow. All photographs on this web site are the property of Panrit Daoruang.