About Nakhon Sawan
Nakhon Sawan has existed since before the Sukhothai era. The name of this city appears in Sukhothai’s stone inscription and it was called Phra Bang city which was an important frontier city for the wars. It later changed to Chon Tawan city and finally to Nakhon Sawan, but normally it was called Pak Nam Pho city. There is some archaeological evidence that indicated that Nakhon Sawan had been an agricultural city since the beginning of the historical era, and later acted as a centre of transportation and a location for Chinese traders.
Nakhon Sawan is located between the Central and Northern regions. The province, therefore, serves as a ‘gateway to the Northern region,’ as well as an important transportation centre for the lower Northern region. It is also a place where four main rivers; namely Ping, Wang, Yom, and Nan, converge. The four rivers come together to form Thailand’s great river, the Chao Phraya River. Thailand’s largest freshwater lake or Bueng Boraphet is also located here, a vast lake and swamp abundant with species of plants and birds, providing a habitat for a hundred species of fish and being a rich source of food for the people and wildlife in the area. The province covers an area of around 9,597 square kilometres.
Administration
Nakhon Sawan is administratively divided into 15 districts; namely, Amphoe Mueang Nakhon Sawan, Amphoe Krok Phra, Amphoe Kao Liao, Amphoe Phayuha Khiri, Amphoe Chum Saeng, Amphoe Lat Yao, Amphoe Banphot Phisai, Amphoe Tha Tako, Amphoe Takhli, Amphoe Nong Bua, Amphoe Tak Fa, Amphoe Chum Ta Bong, Amphoe Mae Poen, Amphoe Phaisali and Amphoe Mae Wong.
Boundary
North - borders Kamphaeng Phet and Phichit.
East - borders Lop Buri and Phetchabun.
South - borders Chai Nat, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, and
Uthai Thani.
West - borders Tak.
Transportation
By car From Bangkok, take Highway 1 and switch to Highway 32, past Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, and Uthai Thani, to reach Nakhon Sawan, a total distance of around 240 kilometres.
By bus The Transport Company Limited has a daily bus service from Bangkok to Nakhon Sawan departing from the Northern Bus Terminal (Chatuchak) on Kamphengphet2 Road. The travel time is around 3 hours. For more information, contact the Northern Bus Terminal on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road Tel: 1490 www.transport.co.th. Private bus service operators are Wiriya Tour Company, Tel: 0 2936 2827 and Tha Won Farm Company, Tel: 0 2936 3210, Than Chit Company Tel: 0 2936 2945.
By train There is a daily train service from the Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong). For more information, contact the Travel Service Unit Tel: 0 2220 4444, 1690, or the Nakhon Sawan Railway Station Tel: 0 5625 5544 www.railway.co.th.
To travel to other districts in Nakhon Sawan, a bus service is available at the Nakhon Sawan Provincial Bus Terminal, Tel: 0 5622 2169.
Local Transportation
Tourists can use multiple methods of transportation according to the suitability.
- City minibuses: the local minibuses or songthaew service the city of Nakhon Sawan with several routes. For example, white and orange minibuses for the Nakhon Sawan Rajabhat University line, yellow minibuses for the Nakhon Sawan Bus Terminal line, and green minibuses for the Jiraprawat Camp line. The service charge is 8 baht for all lines and distances. Tourists can hire a minibus and the charter rate depends on the distance and negotiation.
- Motorcycle services: motorcycles offer a widespread service in the city of Nakhon Sawan; such as the Bus Terminal area, Chao Phraya Riverside market, etc. The service charge depends on the distance.
