Bang Khen district


Bang Khen is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bounded by other Bangkok districts : Sai Mai, Khlong Sam Wa, Khan Na Yao, Bueng Kum, Lat Phrao, Chatuchak, Lak Si, and Don Mueang.

History

Bang Khen was established as an amphoe of Phra Nakhon Province in 1897. The district occupied a vast plain in northern Bangkok known as "Thung Bang Khen", which was largely dominated by farmland.
In October 1933, it became a battleground during the Boworadet Rebellion, a confrontation between the troops of Prince Boworadet and government forces.
The name "Bang Khen" is believed to be a corrupted form of "Bang Ken", meaning "place of pushing". According to a regional folk tale, as told in the "Legend of Lord Uthong", a golden barge belonging to Lord Uthong ran aground in a shallow canal. The crew had to wade into the water and push the barge through the shallow, difficult passage, which gave rise to the name.
In 1972, Thonburi and Phra Nakhon Provinces were combined and called Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Administrative units within the capital were renamed "districts" and "sub-district", replacing "amphoe" and "tambon" respectively. Bang Khen became a district in the newly combined province. At that time it had eight sub-districts.
Bang Khen was once a very large district, but has been reduced in size after several modifications to district boundaries. In 1989, western and southwestern portions were split off to create Don Mueang district and Chatuchak district respectively. In 1997, a northern portion of Bang Khen was split off to create Sai Mai district, but in the same reorganization Bang Khen received Mu 8-10 of Chorakhe Bua subdistrict from Lat Phrao district.
file:Pitak Ratthathammanun Monument.JPG|thumb|right|Anusawari Lak Si, aka Constitutional Protection Monument, a monument of Boworadet rebellion
the Thai Army's 11th Infantry Division occupies of land in Bang Khen.

Administration

The district is divided into two sub-districts.

District council

The Bang Khen district council has eight members, who serve four-year terms. Elections were last held on 30 April 2006. The Thai Rak Thai Party won all eight seats.

Places of interest