The Pa Sak Jolasid Dam or Pa Sak Cholasit Dam ( th, เขื่อนป่าสักชลสิทธิ์, ) impounds the

Pa Sak River The Pa Sak River ( th, แม่น้ำป่าสัก, , Pronunciation is a river in central Thailand. The river originates in the Phetchabun Mountains, Dan Sai District, Loei Province, and passes through Phetchabun Province as the back ...

at Ban Kaeng Suea Ten, Tambon Nong Bua, Phatthana Nikhom District, Lopburi Province, and Ban Kham Phran, Tambon Kham Phran, Wang Muang District, Saraburi Province, Thailand. It is the biggest reservoir in central Thailand. The wide and high dam is earth-filled with an impervious core. The storage capacity is 785 million m³ of water at normal water level, with a maximum capacity of 960 million m³. The dam also supplies about 6.7 MW of hydro-electric power.

History

The Pa Sak Cholasit Dam Project is one of the major irrigation projects of Thailand, providing water to the plantations in the Pa Sak valley and lower Chao Phraya valley. The dam also decreases problems of water management 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 populati ...

by permitting more flood control, as the Pa Sak river was one of the main sources of flooding in the Bangkok metropolitan area. 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 ...

initiated a project to develop the Pa Sak River valley and lower Chao Phraya valley on 19 February 1989 as part of the Maenam Pa Sak Royal Development Project. On 4 July 1991 Prime Minister

Anand Panyarachun Anand Panyarachun ( th, อานันท์ ปันยารชุน, , ; born 9 August 1932) was Thailand's Prime Minister twice: once in 1991–1992 and again during the latter half of 1992. He was effective in initiating economic and p ...

set up a study group for the dam project. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn presided over a royal ceremony on 15 June 1998, starting the storing of water in the reservoir. On 20 October 1991 King

gave the dam its official name, Pa Sak Cholasit. The king also presided over the inauguration of the dam on 25 November 1999. The park is now also a tourist attraction .

Railway

250px, left, An excursion train stops on the dam ridge for tourists to take pictures and take a walk The construction of the dam meant that the original line of the Northeastern Line Kaeng Khoi-Bua Yai Branch Line would be submerged under the reservoir. Therefore a railway viaduct was constructed in 1998 as a realignment of the line. It opened on 15 June 1998, along with the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam Railway Halt which was constructed to boost tourism in the area. From November to January of the following year annually, for a total of three months, the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) operates a special train known from

to Pa Sak Jolasid Dam. It operates only on weekends. The main highlight of this trip is when the train stops on the railway viaduct, allowing passengers to stroll and take pictures.

References

External links

Pa Sak Cholasit Dam project
{{Lopburi Dams in Thailand Buildings and structures in Lopburi province Buildings and structures in Saraburi province Tourist attractions in Lopburi province Tourist attractions in Saraburi province Earth-filled dams Hydroelectric power stations in Thailand Dams completed in 1999 Energy infrastructure completed in 1999 1999 establishments in Thailand Dong Phaya Yen Mountains