Somdet Chao Phraya ( th, สมเด็จเจ้าพระยา, ) is one of the four ''

khwaeng A ''khwaeng'' (, ) is an administrative subdivision used in the fifty districts of Bangkok and a few other city municipalities in Thailand. Currently, there are 180 ''khwaeng'' in Bangkok. A ''khwaeng'' is roughly equivalent to a ''tambon'' in othe ...

s'' (subdistrict) of Khlong San district,

Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, 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 estima ...

Thonburi __NOTOC__ Thonburi ( th, ธนบุรี) is an area of modern Bangkok. During the era of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, its location on the right (west) bank at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River had made it an important garrison town, which is ...

side (west bank of

Chao Phraya river The Chao Phraya ( or ; th, แม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา, , or ) is the major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. Et ...

History

The subdistrict is named after Khlong Somdet Chao Phraya, 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-ly ...

'' (canal) that runs through the area to the west and ends at the Khlong Bang Sai Kai in the neighbouring district

Thon Buri __NOTOC__ Thonburi ( th, ธนบุรี) is an area of modern Bangkok. During the era of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, its location on the right (west) bank at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River had made it an important garrison town, which i ...

. It has a total length of 2.5 km (1 mi), a width of 4–11 m (13–36 ft) and an average depth of 0.6 m (1 ft 11 in). Currently, it is only a small waterway. The name "Somdet Chao Phraya" is a

Thai noble title The Thai nobility was a social class comprising titled officials (''khunnang'', th, ขุนนาง) in the service of the monarchy. They formed part of a hierarchical social system which developed from the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th c ...

, derived from the canal's being excavated during the reign of King

Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibod ...

(Rama IV) by the nobility of this rank in the

Bunnag family The House of Bunnag ( th, บุนนาค; ) was a powerful Siamese noble family of Mon- Persian descent influential during the late Ayutthaya kingdom and early Rattanakosin period. Originally of Persian Islamic descent, they converted en masse ...

as well as being their residence. Not only this khlong, but also other khlongs in the Khlong San neighbourhood most of them were excavated by members of the Bunnag family, such as Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha

Prayurawongse ''Somdet Chao Phraya'' Borom Maha Prayurawongse ( th, สมเด็จเจ้าพระยาบรมมหาประยูรวงศ์; ; 1788 - 26 April 1855) or Dit Bunnag ( th, ดิศ บุนนาค; ) was a prominent polit ...

, Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Phichai Yat, and Somdet Chao Phraya Sri Suriwongse. In addition, they are also the renovators of many ''

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 ...

s'' (temple) in the area, for example Wat Phichai Yat,

Wat Anongkharam Wat Anongkharam Worawihan ( th, วัดอนงคารามวรวิหาร) is a second grade royal temple of Worawihan. It was built in 1850 in dedication for King Rama III. The formerly named was ''Wat Noi Khamthaem'' (วัด� ...

etc. In those days, Khlong Somdet Chao Phraya also has another name "Khlong Khanon Maenam", which means customs house river canal. Because it was the location of the

customs house A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting c ...

and also the site of the royal warehouse, with Talat Ban Somdet, the local market that was the source of imported products from foreign countries as well. This area has been a community and market that has been a mixture of people of various races and religions for over 200 years since the early Rattanakosin era. In 1954, Talat Ban Somdet caught fire.

Geography

Somdet Chao Phraya has an area of 1.16 km² (0.44 mi²), regarded as the northernmost of the district. Neighbouring subdistricts are (from the north clockwise): Wang Burapha Phirom in Phra Nakhon district,

Chakkrawat 250px, '' Prang'' (pagoda in Khmer-style) of Wat Chakkrawat, the origin of the area's name. Chakkrawat ( th, จักรวรรดิ, ) is a '' khwaeng'' (subdistrict) of Samphanthawong district, Bangkok. History In the year 1915, correspon ...

Samphanthawong Samphanthawong ( th, สัมพันธวงศ์, ) is one of the 50 districts (khet) of Bangkok, Thailand. Regarded as Bangkok's Chinatown, it is the smallest district in area but has the highest population density of Bangkok's districts. ...

district (across Chao Phraya river), Khlong San and Khlong Ton Sai in its district, Hiran Ruchi and

Wat Kanlaya Wat Kanlaya ( th, วัดกัลยาณ์, ) is a ''khwaeng'' (sub-district) of Thon Buri District, Bangkok's Thonburi side, regarded as the northeast area of the district adjacent to the Chao Phraya River's west side. History and prese ...

in Thon Buri district. Prajadhipok, Issaraphap, and Somdet Chao Phraya roads are three main routes in the area.

Places

* Wat Phichai Yat * Masjid Saifee (Surao Tuek Kao) *Masjid Goowatin Islam (Surao Tuek Daeng) *

Princess Mother Memorial Park The Princess Mother Memorial Park ( th, อุทยานเฉลิมพระเกียรติสมเด็จพระศรีนครินทราบรมราชชนนี, often shortened to สวนสมเด็จย� ...

* Guan Yu Shrine *Thang Nguan Hah Vintage House *San Chao Pho Suea ( Xuanwu Shrine) *Lamthong Salt Warehouse * Tha Din Daeng and Tha Din Daeng Pier *Nan-Ah Polyclinic *Phayamai Amulet Market

References

{{Coord, 13, 43, 56.41, N, 100, 29, 43.55, E, region:TH_type:landmark, display=title Khlong San district Subdistricts of Bangkok Populated places on the Chao Phraya River