Khlong Sanam Chai ( th, คลองสนามชัย, ) and Khlong Mahachai ( th, คลองมหาชัย, ) are names of 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) in

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 ...

, which links the

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 ...

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 to the

Tha Chin River The Tha Chin river ( th, แม่น้ำท่าจีน, , ) is a distributary of the Chao Phraya river, Thailand. It splits near the province of Chai Nat and then flows west from the Chao Phraya through the central plains, until it empt ...

river in Samut Sakhon Province. Its beginning separates from

Khlong Bangkok Yai Khlong Bangkok Yai ( th, คลองบางกอกใหญ่, ; lit: 'Big Bangkok Canal') is a historic '' khlong'' (คลอง; canal) of Bangkok. The current length is 6 km (about 3 mi), through various canals as far as it term ...

in front of

Wat Apson Sawan Wat Apson Sawan Worawihan ( th, วัดอัปสรสวรรค์วรวิหาร), also simply known as Wat Apson Sawan is an ancient Thai Buddhist temple more than 200 years in Bangkok. It is situated rim canal Khlong Dan boun ...

between Phasi Charoen and

Thon Buri district Thon Buri ( th, ธนบุรี, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. On the west bank of Chao Phraya River, it was once part of Thon Buri province. Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Bangkok Yai, Phr ...

s, where it is referred to as Khlong Dan ( th, คลองด่าน, ), then flows down south to meet Khlong Bang Khun Thian and Khlong Dao Khanong at Khlong Bang Khun Thian confluence in Chom Thong district and flows continuously south up till it meets the Tha Chin River in the area of

Amphoe Mueang Samut Sakhon Mueang Samut Sakhon ( th, เมืองสมุทรสาคร, ) is the capital district ('' amphoe mueang'') of Samut Sakhon province, central Thailand. History ''Mueang'' Tha Chin dates back to the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The city was ...

, Samut Sakhon Province. Its total length is about 30 km (19 mi). Sanam Chai is the name given to Bangkok portion of the canal, which is known as Mahachai in Samut Sakhon. For the Khlong Dan part, it is believed that it is a natural canal that has existed since the Ayutthaya period. In the part of the Khlong Sanam Chai or Khlong Mahachai is a canal that was excavated in the King

Sanphet VIII Sanphet VIII ( th, สรรเพชญ์ที่ ๘) or Suriyenthrathibodi ( th, สุริเยนทราธิบดี) (1661 – 1709) was the King of Ayutthaya from 1703 to 1709 and the second ruler of the Ban Phlu Luang Dynasty. S ...

's reign during middle of the late Ayutthaya period to serve as a water transportation route instead of the more winding Khlong Khok Kham. The digging was completed in the year 1721 during the King Sanphet IX's reign, with Dutch experts in charge of the excavation. Its name is also the origin of the name ''Mahachai'', which is the informal name for Samut Sakhon province. In the early Rattanakosin period, it was also used as a route to move the Siamese army. "Kaem Ling Khlong Mahachai-Khlong Sanam Chai Project" is a royally-initiated project of the King

Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; (Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Great ...

(Rama IX). By constructing necessary regulators across the canals with pumping station, this "Kaem Ling" (monkey cheek) would work to collect and store flood water from upper area into Khlong Mahachai or Khlong Sanam Chai and drain out to the sea via Khlong Mahachai, Khlong Khun Racha Pinitjai, and canals connecting Khlong Mahachai to the sea. This royal project was established to solve the problem of

urban flooding Urban flooding is the inundation of land or property in a built environment, particularly in more densely populated areas, caused by rainfall overwhelming the capacity of drainage systems, such as storm sewers. Although sometimes triggered by even ...

. Covering a total area of 76.42 km² (29.50 mi²) of Bangkok and provinces of Samut Sakhon with Nakhon Pathom. Bordering historic temples the canal apart from Wat Apson Sawan include

Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen Wat Paknam Bhasicharoen ( th, วัดปากน้ำภาษีเจริญ, ) is a royal ''wat'' ('temple') located in Phasi Charoen district, Bangkok, at the Chao Phraya River. It is part of the Maha Nikaya fraternity and is the orig ...

Wat Nang Chi Wat Nang Chi Chotikaram ( th, วัดนางชีโชติการาม) or Wat Nang Chi Worawihan (วัดนางชีวรวิหาร), simply known as Wat Nang Chai (วัดนางชี) is a Thai Buddhist third-class r ...

, Wat Khun Chan, Wat Ratcha Orot, Wat Nang, Wat Nangnong, Wat Sai and Wat Sai floating market, Wat Sing, Wat Kamphaeng, Wat Kok, Wat Tha Kham, Wat Bang Kradi, Wat Hua Krabue, Wat Ban Rai Charoenpon, and

Phan Thai Norasing Phan Thai Norasing ( th, พันท้ายนรสิงห์) is a legendary figure mentioned in some later editions of the royal chronicles of Ayutthaya. He is described as a coxswain of King Sanphet VIII's royal barge in the Ayutthaya pe ...

Shrine, etc. Fort Wichien Chodok, a fortress built in the King

Nangklao Nangklao ( th, พระบาทสมเด็จพระนั่งเกล้าเจ้าอยู่หัว, ; 31 March 1788 – 2 April 1851), birth name Thap ( th, ทับ), also styled Rama III, was the third king of Siam ...

(Rama III)'s reign at the mouth of the canal where it confluence with the Tha Chin river to prevent the invasion of Annamese from the case of

Anuwong Chao Anouvong ( lo, ເຈົ້າອານຸວົງສ໌; th, เจ้าอนุวงศ์; ), or regnal name Xaiya Setthathirath V ( lo, ໄຊຍະເສດຖາທິຣາຊທີ່ຫ້າ; th, ไชยเชษฐาธ� ...

's rebellion.

See more

References

category:Canals in Thailand Phasi Charoen district Chom Thong district, Bangkok Thon Buri district Bang Bon district Bang Khun Thian district Geography of Samut Sakhon province {{coord, 13.5809, 100.3635, type:landmark_region:TH_dim:2000, display=title category:Canals opened in 1721