Nakhon Chai Si River

September 20, 2025
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Travel Like the Wind: Suchart Choolee

Rivers are the origin of life — they serve as pathways for travel and as cultural lifelines that have nourished human existence since ancient times. Wherever a river flows, it brings abundance, giving rise to settlements and communities. The way of life tied to the river becomes the foundation of society and reflects the identity of the people who live along its banks.

The Nakhon Chai Si River, also known as the “Tha Chin River” as it flows through Nakhon Pathom Province, is one of Thailand’s historically significant waterways. It played a vital role in shaping communities and towns, and it was the beginning of prosperity in the Central Region of Thailand.

During the Ayutthaya period, the area now known as Nakhon Chai Si District was once the location of Mueang Nakhon Chai Si, established during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat around 1548 CE (B.E. 2091). The town was founded to accommodate people fleeing the war between Siam and Burma. Parts of Ratchaburi and Suphan Buri were combined to form this new town, located at the mouth of Khlong Bang Kaeo, and it was named Mueang Nakhon Chai Si.

This town was of great importance in the past, as evidenced by the excavation of major canals such as Khlong Maha Sawat, which connected the Chao Phraya River to the Nakhon Chai Si River, and Khlong Chedi Bucha, which served as a transportation route from Bangkok to Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom — which at that time was part of Monthon Nakhon Chai Si.

Later, during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the country underwent administrative reform. The Ministry of Interior was established, and the provincial administration system called Monthon Thesaphiban was introduced. Nakhon Chai Si was merged with Samut Sakhon and Suphan Buri to form Monthon Nakhon Chai Si, with its administrative center located in Nakhon Chai Si. Eventually, during the reign of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), the Monthon system was abolished, and Mueang Nakhon Chai Si was reclassified as Amphoe Nakhon Chai Si, a district under Nakhon Pathom Province — a status that remains to this day.

Although time has passed and lifestyles along the river have evolved with modernization, the charm of the simple river-bound way of life remains. From traditional boats to the local way of living, the connection to the river continues to serve as a living thread of history and memory.

The river is not merely a stream of water. It is a passage of time, culture, and the spirit of a people — growing from humble communities into thriving towns, even to this very day.