250px, Khlong Bangkok Noi near Wat Sri Sudaram Chaophrayashortcut

Khlong Bangkok Noi ( th, คลองบางกอกน้อย, ; lit 'Small Bangkok Canal') is a ''

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 ...

'' (คลอง; canal) in

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populatio ...

; its name is the origin of the name

Bangkok Noi District Bangkok Noi ( th, บางกอกน้อย, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Bang Phlat, Phra Nakhon (across Chao Phraya River), Bangkok Yai, Phasi Charoen, ...

. The mouth of Khlong Bangkok Noi is located beside Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital (SiPH) and the former Bangkok Noi railway station (now the location of Thonburi Railway Station Pier). The current flows north through many historical and cultural landmarks, such as Ansorissunnah Royal Mosque, National Museum of Royal Barges,

Wat Suwannaram 250px, Ordination hall of the temple. Wat Suwannaram Ratchaworawihan ( th, วัดสุวรรณาราม ราชวรวิหาร) or usually shortened to Wat Suwannaram and Wat Suwan (วัดสุวรรณาราม, วั ...

Thon Buri railway station Thon Buri railway station ( th, สถานีรถไฟธนบุรี) formerly known as Bangkok Noi railway station (สถานีรถไฟบางกอกน้อย), is a railway station in Siriraj Sub-district, Bangkok Noi D ...

, Wat Amarintharam, and Wat Si Sudaram, a Thai temple known as the place where the poet

Sunthorn Phu Phra Sunthorn Vohara (Phu) ( th, พระสุนทรโวหาร (ภู่), , ; 26 June 1786 – 1855), known as Sunthorn Phu ( th, สุนทรภู่, , ), is Thailand's best-known royal poet. He wrote during the Rattanakosin pe ...

studied in his childhood, as well as Wat Bang Oi Chang in Nonthaburi Province, etc. The canal terminates at the confluence with Khlong Om Non and Khlong Bang Yai at the Old Bang Yai Market in Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province, along the way, it is also connected to many canals, such as

Khlong Chak Phra Khlong Chak Phra ( th, คลองชักพระ, ) is a ''khlong'' (canal) in Bangkok's Thonburi area. It separates from Khlong Bangkok Noi at front of Wat Suwan Keree and terminates at the confluence of khlongs Mon and Bangkok Yai. It s ...

, Khlong Maha Sawat, Khlong Bang Kruai. For this reason it has been promoted as one of the cultural tourism routes, as well as other canals in Bangkok and the vicinity.

History

The canal, along with its counterpart Khlong Bangkok Yai, was initially a meandering part of the

Chao Praya River Chao may refer to: People * Chao (surname), various Chinese surnames (including 晁 and 巢, as well as non-Pinyin spellings) * Zhou (surname) (周), may also be spelled Chao * Zhao (surname) (趙/赵), may also be spelled Chao in Taiwan and Hon ...

's original course. In 1552, during the reign of King Chairachathirat of the

Ayutthaya Kingdom The Ayutthaya Kingdom (; th, อยุธยา, , IAST: or , ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is consi ...

, he ordered the construction of a canal bypassing the meander to shorten travel time, known as ''Khlong Lat Bangkok'' (คลองลัดบางกอก; 'Bangkok Short-Cut Canal'). As time passed, the new canal was eroded and became gradually wider. Eventually, the river diverted through the new canal, and its old course became the two canals known today as Khlong Bangkok Yai and Khlong Bangkok Noi. In the early- Rattanakosin period, there was a floating market where vendor's boats and wooden

houseboat A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily as a home. Most houseboats are not motorized as they are usually moored or kept stationary at a fixed point, and often tethered to land to provide utilities. H ...

s mingled, lining up along the waterways to Bang Bamru and

Bang Khun Non Bang Khun Non ( th, บางขุนนนท์, ) is a ''khwaeng'' (subdistrict) of Bangkok Noi District, in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2018, it had a total population of 9,549 people. Its name after Khlong Bang Khun Non, a canal runs through the a ...

. This scenery was recounted in at least two poems by

(1786–1855), a poet of that era, who was born in Bangkok Noi.

Sujit Wongthes Sujit Wongthes (or Wongthet) (b. 1945) is a Thai journalist, historian, and author. Biography Wongthes attended Silpakorn University, graduating from the archaeology program there. During his time at university, he wrote for the student journal ...

, ตลาดน้ำ คลองบางกอกน้อย คำบอกเล่าของสุนทรภู่ (Khlong Bangkok Noi floating market, the words of Sunthorn Phu),

Matichon ''Matichon'' ( th, มติชน, also known as ''Matichon Daily'' to distinguish it from other related publications) is a major Thai-language national daily newspaper. It was founded by a group of progressive writers in 1978, when the country w ...

Vol. 42 Issue 15074 (19 June 2019) th, ภาษาไทยfile:Siriraj Hospital,Bangkok.jpg, 250px, Mouth of Khlong Bangkok Noi along Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital (SiPH) file:วัดศรีสุดาฯ.jpg, 250px, left, Sign of Wat Si Sudaram at the shore of Khlong Bangkok Noi

References

{{coord, 13, 45, 47.0, N, 100, 28, 45.0, E, display=title Canals in Thailand Bangkok Noi district category:History of Bangkok category:Tourist attractions in Bangkok category:Canals opened in 1522 1522 establishments in Asia Chao Phraya River