Pak Nam Pho

Tambon in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand
Pak Nam Pho
ปากน้ำโพ
Tambon
Coordinates: 15°42′00.3″N 100°08′31.6″E / 15.700083°N 100.142111°E / 15.700083; 100.142111
CountryThailand
ProvinceNakhon Sawan
DistrictMueang Nakhon Sawan
Government
 • TypeCity Municipality
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postcode
60000
Area code(+66) 02
Websitehttp://www.nsm.go.th

Pak Nam Pho (Thai: ปากน้ำโพ, pronounced [pàːk náːm pʰōː]) is a tambon (sub-district) in Mueang Nakhon Sawan District, Nakhon Sawan Province, upper central Thailand.

Toponymy and history

Usually, Pak Nam Pho means Mueang Nakhon Sawan District, the capital district of Nakhon Sawan. But implicitly refers to the whole province of Nakhon Sawan. The word Pak Nam Pho is believed to be a distorted name from the word Pak Nam Phlo (ปากน้ำโผล่, "estuary emerges") due to it is the confluence of the Ping and the Nan Rivers to form the Chao Phraya River, the main artery of the central region of Thailand.

Another explanation believes that "Pho" is the former name of the Nan River, hence Pak Nam Pho means "the mouth of the Nan River", Pak Nam also spelled Paknam means "estuary" or "river mouth".[1] Another old name of Pak Nam Pho, given by the visiting King Rama V, is Ban Yon Tawan (บ้านย้อนตะวัน), meaning "a settlement that faces the morning sun". The locals are often called Ban Chon Tawan (บ้านชอนตะวัน). In that era, even if Pak Nam Pho was a downtown, but it is full of wild animals such as deer and tiger. Tigers often hunt deer or even village dogs for food.[2]

Pak Nam Pho is home to many ethnic Chinese immigrants, including Teochew, Hainan, Hoklo, Cantonese and Hakka. Until now, they still keep the traditional culture intact, such as folk music, by passing it on to the new generation. Pak Nam Pho is also the place where the grand Chinese New Year celebrations are held, with a period of up to 12 consecutive days and nights.[3][4]

Administration

Pak Nam Pho is under the administration of Nakhon Sawan Municipality like other nearby sub-districts.[5]

References

  1. ^ Wongthes, Sujit (2016-02-02). "ปากน้ำโพ ได้จากแม่น้ำโพ ชื่อเดิมของแม่น้ำน่าน" [Pan Nam Pho comes from the Pho River, the original name of the Nan River]. Matichon (in Thai). Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  2. ^ Pramoj, Seni MR (2005). "ชีวลิขิต" [Autobiography]. Democrat Party (in Thai): 21. ISBN 974-93535-0-1.
  3. ^ Spirit of Asia (2019-12-01). "ปากน้ำโพ เมืองแห่งวัฒนธรรมจีนที่สูญหาย" [Pak Nam Pho: Home of a Lost Chinese Culture]. Thai PBS (in Thai). Retrieved 2022-06-27.
  4. ^ Wilson, Allan. "Chinese New Year in Nakhon Sawan". Live Less Ordinary.
  5. ^ "ข้อมูลพื้นฐาน เทศบาลนครนครสวรรค์" [Nakhon Sawan Municipality database]. Nakhon Sawan Municipality (in Thai).

Further reading

  • Svasit, Pichaya (2016-01-21). "The two-coloured rivers city". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2022-06-27.