Pak Tho ( th, ปากท่อ, ) is a district (''
amphoe
An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...
'') in the southern part of
Ratchaburi province, western
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
.
''Pak Tho'' means 'mouth of a water pipe'. It originates from the fact that the area named ''Nong Thale'' ('sea pond') is rather low and thus during raining season was usually flooded. At the only outlet of this area the water current was strong like a water pipe.
History
Around 1900, the government separated part of
Mueang Ratchaburi district and created a new district named Tha Nat Wat Pradu (ท่านัดวัดประดู่). The district office was in front of ''
Wat
A wat ( km, វត្ត, ; lo, ວັດ, ; th, วัด, ; khb, 「ᩅᨯ᩠ᨰ」(waD+Dha); nod, 「ᩅ᩠ᨯ᩶」 （w+Da2)) is a type of Buddhist temple and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State, Yunnan, the Southern Provi ...
'' Pradu at the ''
Khlong
A ''khlong'' ( th, คลอง, ), alternatively spelt as ''klong'' () commonly refers to a canal in Thailand. These canals are spawned by the rivers Chao Phraya, Tha Chin, and Mae Klong, along with their tributaries particularly in the low-ly ...
'' Wat Pradu in ''tambon'' Chom Prathat, today in Wat Phleng District. ''Tambon'' Pak Tho was included in this district. As it was also near the Om River, the district was also known as Maenam Om (แม่น้ำอ้อม). Later the district office was found to be inconveniently located. During the dry season the water level in the canal was too low and there was no road connection. In 1914 it was moved to a new location in ''tambon'' Pak Tho, near a railway station. The area around the old district office became the minor district Wat Phleng.
On 10 April 1991, the district was visited by Crown Prince Maha
Vajiralongkorn
Vajiralongkorn ( th, วชิราลงกรณ; , ; born 28 July 1952) is the King of Thailand. He is the only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit. In 1972, at the age of 20, he was made crown prince by his father. After his ...
. He was presented a petition by locals asking for help with local water resources, specifically the lack of water for farming. The crown prince passed along the need to the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and other agencies. the district has five working reservoirs, a sixth in the planning stage, and Vajiralongkorn has ascended to the throne of Thailand.
Geography
Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise)
Ban Kha,
Chom Bueng,
Mueang Ratchaburi, and
Wat Phleng of Ratchaburi Province;
Amphawa of
Samut Songkhram province; and
Khao Yoi and
Nong Ya Plong of
Phetchaburi province
Phetchaburi ( th, เพชรบุรี, ) or Phet Buri () is one of the western or central provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, and Prachuap Khiri Khan. In the w ...
.
Administration
The district is divided into 12 sub-districts (''
tambon
''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province (''changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' ...
s''), which are further subdivided into 88 villages (''
muban
Muban ( th, หมู่บ้าน; , ) is the lowest administrative sub-division of Thailand. Usually translated as 'village' and sometimes as 'hamlet', they are a subdivision of a tambon (subdistrict). , there were 74,944 administrative mu ...
s''). Pak Tho is a sub-district municipality (''
thesaban tambon
Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system.
The mu ...
'') which covers parts of ''tambon'' Pak Tho. There are a further 11
tambon administrative organization
''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province (''changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' ...
s (TAO).
Economy
The district is now farmed intensively year-round due to the water provided by the five reservoirs built since 1991.
They are:
* Phu Krut: Built before 1995. Earthen reservoir with a capacity of 585,280 m
3 supplying 1,600
rai
RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
of farmland and 320 homes.
* Huay Phu Krut: Built before 1995. Capacity, 270,750 m
3; supplies 130 households.
* Khao Hua Daeng: Built in 1997, its capacity is 612,000 m
3 irrigating 1,000 rai, and supplying 308 households.
* Ban Thai Prachan: Built 1979. Capacity of 600,000 m
3 watering 1,300 rai and supplying 150 households.
* Hin Si Ton Bon: Built 1979. Stores one million m
3 supplying 1,700 rai and 200 households with water.
* Ban Prong Phrom: To be built in 2022, it will store up to 200,000 m
3 of water.
References
External links
amphoe.com(Thai)
Pak Tho district history(Offline)
{{Amphoe Ratchaburi
Pak Tho