Phitsanulok
Phitsanulok is a city municipality in northern Thailand and the capital of Phitsanulok province. It had a city population of 60,827 and an urban population of approximately 200,000 in 2024, making it Thailand's 19th-most populous city proper and one of the major urban centers in the northern region. Located in the geographic center of the province, it occupies the fertile plains along the banks of the Nan River, which flows south to join the Chao Phraya River.
Phitsanulok was founded in the 11th century as a small Khmer outpost called Song Khwae. The city served as the second capital of various kingdoms on several occasions; during the late Sukhothai Kingdom, and during the Ayutthaya Kingdom under King Borommatrailokanat, who resided in the city to defend against the Lanna Kingdom. He unified the western and eastern Song Khwae settlements and renamed them "Phitsanulok". Due to its strategic importance as Ayutthaya's northern outpost, the city frequently faced Burmese attacks. When war with the Konbaung dynasty led to Ayutthaya's collapse in 1767, Chaophraya Phitsanulok declared himself king and briefly established Phitsanulok as a capital before it was incorporated into the Thonburi Kingdom. The city maintained its significance throughout the subsequent Rattanakosin period.
Phitsanulok is considered one of the country's oldest cities and is home to Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, which houses Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, one of the most famous and copied Buddha images in Thailand. The city serves as an educational hub, with Naresuan University being the main higher education institution in the lower northern Thailand. The city's location has made it a transportation hub, with comprehensive public transport services including city buses, a railway station on the Northern Line connecting Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and Phitsanulok Airport offering flights to Bangkok and serving surrounding provinces.
Toponymy
- Song Khwae: The first element, song, means the number 'two'. The second element, khwae, means 'tributary', hence 'two rivers'.
- Phitsanulok: The first element, Phitsanu, is a cognate of 'Vishnu', a Hindu god. Lack of a v sound in the Thai language accounts for the two forms. The second element, lok means 'globe' or 'world'. A loose translation of the entire name would be 'Vishnu's heaven'.
History
Phitsanulok was originally named "Song Khwae" as it used to be situated between the Nan and Khwae Noi Rivers, although the Khwae Noi River now drains into the Nan River ten kilometers to the north of Phitsanulok. The Northern Chronicles credited the foundation of Song Khwae to "King Srithampidok" or King Thammaracha I of Sukhothai, on the east bank of Nan River. King Thammaracha I also constructed the Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat and cast famous Buddha images of Phra Buddha Chinnarat and Phra Buddha Chinnasri. Song Khwae eclipsed Sukhothai in importance, becoming the royal seat of Sukhothai Kingdom in 1378. After the demise of the last King of Sukhothai at Song Khwae in 1438, Prince Ramesuan of Ayutthaya came to rule Song Khwae. When Prince Ramesuan was crowned as King Trailokanat of Ayutthaya in 1448, Song Khwae and the Sukhothai Kingdom were incorporated into the Ayutthaya Kingdom.
During the Ayutthaya-Lanna War, King Trailokanat moved his residence to Song Khwae in 1464 and renamed the city "Phitsanulok". He expanded the city westward to the west bank of Nan River. In the sixteenth century, Phitsanulok was the seat of Uparaja or heir presumptive to Ayutthaya throne who took residence in the Chantana Palace on the west bank. In 1548, King Maha Chakkraphat appointed his supporter Phra Pirenthorathep as "King Thammaracha" of Phitsanulok as a tributary ruler. During the Burmese-Siamese Wars, Phitsanulok and the Sukhothai region became battlegrounds between Burma and Siam. When King Bayinnaung invaded Phitsanulok in 1563, King Thammaracha of Phitsanulok submitted to the Burmese.
King Thammaracha, now reigned at Ayutthaya, appointed his son Prince Naresuan as the Uparaja of Phitsanulok in 1570. In 1584, Prince Naresuan ordered the evacuation of all cities in the Sukhothai region including Phitsanulok down south in preparations against Burmese invasions. Phitsanulok was abandoned until it was later restored in 1593 not as a Uparaja seat but as a Muang Ek or first-level city held by a governor, becoming the center of Siamese administrations in northern regions. The governors of Phitsanulok held the title "Chao Phraya Surasi". After the Second Fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, Phitsanulok came under the rule of Chao Phra Fang, a monk who declared himself a local lord based on the town of Fang. King Taksin of Thonburi sent forces to capture Phitsanulok in 1768 and appointed Boonma as Chao Phraya Surasi the governor of Phitsanulok.
The Burmese General Maha Thiha Thura laid siege on Phitsanulok in 1775. Chao Phraya Chakri and his brother Chao Phraya Surasi Boonma held the city for four months until the city finally fell to the Burmese. Phitsanulok was utterly destroyed on this occasion. The Burmese invaded again in 1785 and Phitsanulok was abandoned temporarily because the manpower shortage left the city defenseless. After the series of warfare, Phitsanulok was in ruins and depopulated through the nineteenth century. The Phra Buddha Chinnasri image was moved to Wat Baworn Niwet in Bangkok in 1829. In 1834, the Phuan people were deported from Muang Phuan in Laos to re-populate Phitsanulok and surrounding cities. Phitsanulok slowly recovered to be an urban center.
As a part of reforms of King Chulalongkorn, Phitsanulok became the administrative seat of the monthon Phitsanulok in 1894. When the monthons were abolished in 1932, Phitsanulok became the capital of Phitsanulok Province.
- The Phitsanulok fire of 1957 destroyed much of the older portion of the city, which at the time consisted mostly of wooden buildings.
- On 28 November 1961, the King Naresuan Shrine was completed at Chandra Palace.
- On 25 January 1967, the Phitsanulok campus of what is now Naresuan University was established as the northern branch of the degree level College of Education. In 1974, the College of Education was upgraded as Srinakharinwirot University, with Phitsanulok as one of the six campuses. In 1990, the regional campuses became independent universities, and the Phitsanuloke campus was named after Phitsanulok-born King Naresuan the Great.
- Naresuan Dam was constructed from 1976 to 1985 on the Nan River as part of the Phitsanulok Irrigation Project. The dam was designed to help prevent flooding of the city.
- On 8 March 1999 Phitsanulok was upgraded to city municipality.
Symbols
- From left to right: three figures symbolize Wat Yai: Phra Attharot, a 9 meter high standing Buddha image, the 36 meter high prang and the entrance gate of Vihara Luang, which enshrines Buddha Chinnarat; a nature park with a waterfall; for houseboats on the Nan river; King Naresuan riding his war elephant; hat-shaped tower.
- above: Seal of Phitsanulok City depicts King Naresuan, shown riding his war elephant, bottom: Phitsanulok City .
Geography
Location
Phitsanulok is in the north of Thailand. Phitsanulok is about 377 kilometres north of Bangkok by road. Phitsanulok covers some 777 square kilometres and borders Uttaradit and Laos to the north, and Loei and Phetchabun to the northeast. The south is adjacent to Phichit while the west is adjacent to Kamphaeng Phet Province and Sukhothai.Phitsanulok has many waterfalls, forests and caves. In the north is central area. In the north-west is a highland. It's the important recreational area such as Kaeng Sopha waterfall, Phu Hin Rong Kla and Phu Soi Dow. In the south plains along the Yom River and the Nan River is the most important agricultural district of Phitsanulok.
Topography
Phitsanulok lies primarily on flatland with some hills. The eastern portion of the city has some wooded area. The city is in the Nan Basin, which is part of the Chao Phraya watershed. Phitsanulok is sometimes called Song Kwae, the city of two rivers, a name dating to a time centuries ago when the Nan and Khwae Noi Rivers met near the city. Today, only the Nan River flows through Phitsanulok.Climate
Phitsanulok has a tropical savanna climate. Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at. The monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.Administration
The administration of Phitsanulok City Municipality is responsible for an area that covers approximately and consists of only tambon Nai Mueang with 62,584 people and 37,507 households.According to Municipal Act B.E. 2496, the duties of the municipality include: clean water supply, waste and sewage disposal, communicable disease control, public training and education, public hospitals and electricity. The mayor, or the highest executive, is directly elected by the eligible voters in the municipal area. The mayor serves a four-year term and is assisted by no more than four deputy mayors appointed directly by the mayor. The Municipal Council is the legislative body of the municipality. It has the power to issue ordinances by laws, that do not contradict the laws of the country. The municipal council's jurisdiction applies to all people living in the municipal area.
There are a total of 64 communities, divided into four groups. Although not directly chosen by the local citizens, they provides advice and recommendations to the local administrative organization.