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Wongwian Yai, also spelled "Wong Wian Yai" or "Wongwien Yai" ( th, วงเวียนใหญ่, ; ), is a large roundabout (traffic circle) in
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 ...
, on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River 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 ...
,
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 b ...
, where the statue of
King Taksin King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; April 17, ...
is situated. It overlaps between the four sub-districts of two districts,
Bang Yi Ruea Bang Yi Ruea ( th, บางยี่เรือ, ) is a ''khwaeng'' (sub-district) in Thon Buri district, Thonburi side of Bangkok. It has a total area of 1.523 km2 (round about 0.588 mi2). History Originally, this area was called "Bang Saka ...
and Hiran Ruchi of Thon Buri with Somdet Chao Phraya and Khlong San of Khlong San in the centre of Bangkok, at the intersection of Prajadhipok/ Intharaphithak/ Lat Ya/ Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Roads. Nearby is Wongwian Yai Station, a historical commuter railway terminal to Maha Chai (local name of Samut Sakon provincial city) and Mae Khlong (
Samut Songkhram Samut Songkhram ( th, สมุทรสงครามPronunciation) is the capital of Samut Songkhram Province. Etymology The word "samut" originates from the Sanskrit word "samudra" meaning "ocean", and the word "songkhram" from the Sanskrit ...
), a southwestern suburb of Bangkok.


History

The circle appearing on an issue of Thailand Illustrated in 1954 The circle was built following the Memorial Bridge (Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge) opening on 6 April 1932, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the
Chakri Dynasty The Chakri dynasty ( th, ราชวงศ์ จักรี, , , ) is the current reigning dynasty of the Kingdom of Thailand, the head of the house is the king, who is head of state. The family has ruled Thailand since the founding of the ...
and Bangkok City ( Rattanakosin Kingdom). The bridge from old Bangkok conducted 11 new road projects to be built on Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, also with the circle. It was named Wongwian Yai, "big circle" in Thai, as there was a smaller traffic circle with a clock tower next to the Memorial Bridge called Wongwian Lek, "small circle". The statue of King Taksin was built 21 years later.


Statue of King Taksin

As a memorial to Taksin the Great, one of the great Thai kings who liberated the country after Ayutthaya was taken by the Burmese in 1767, a statue was built here in 1953, on the Thonburi side of the river where the king had established a new capital in 1768. The statue was created by the Italian sculptor
Corrado Feroci Silpa Bhirasri ( th, ศิลป์ พีระศรี; ; ), born Corrado Feroci (15 September 1892 – 14 May 1962), was a Tuscan-born Thai sculptor. He is considered the father of modern art in Thailand and was instrumental in the foundi ...
, who worked under the Thai name Silpa Bhirasi. A state ceremony on a day of homage to the king, 28 December, has been held annually since 1954.


Wongwian Yai area

The circle is one of Bangkok's major traffic intersections, linking residential areas on the Thonburi side to Bangkok's downtown via the Memorial Bridge in the north. The northeastern road, Lat Ya, links Khlong San Pier with ferry service to Si Phraya Road or the further Taksin Bridge to
Sathon Sathon or Sathorn ( th, สาทร, ) is one of the 50 districts (''khet'') of Bangkok, Thailand. The district is bounded by six other districts (from north clockwise): Bang Rak, Pathum Wan, Khlong Toei, Yan Nawa, Bang Kho Laem, and Khl ...
and Si Lom business clusters. The southern road, Somdet Phrachao Taksin (or Taksin Road), links to suburban areas on Suk Sawat and Rama II Road and reaches Chulachomklao Fort at the river's mouth in Samut Prakan Province. The western road, Inthara Phitak, is important as it links to the beginning of
Phet Kasem Road Phet Kasem Road (, , )ราชบัณฑิตยสถาน. ''อ่านอย่างไร และ เขียนอย่างไร ฉบับราชบัณฑิตยสถาน.'' พิมพ์ครั้งที่ ...
, the highway to west and south Thailand. At the southwest corner of the circle, there is a commuter railway station to Samut Sakhon Province. Because of its traffic, the area used to be the major business area of Thonburi, before urbanization reached outer areas of Bangkok. There are many markets, retail shops, department stores, cinemas, and other businesses. The area is also known for its large cluster of Thai
leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and ho ...
traders on Charoen Rat Road opposite the railway station. From Wongwian Yai along Prajadhipok Road to the north is Ban Khaek, a four-way intersection, where Prajadhipok cuts across Itsaraphap Roads on the boundary of 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 presen ...
of Thon Buri with Somdet Chao Phraya of Khlong San. The intersection was named after the local Thai-Shia Muslim community known in Thai as Khaek Chao Zen, who have inhabited in the area since
Thonburi period The Thonburi Kingdom ( th, ธนบุรี) was a major Siamese kingdom which existed in Southeast Asia from 1767 to 1782, centered around the city of Thonburi, in Siam or present-day Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Taksin the Gre ...
. Their ancestors came from
Persia Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkme ...
, the famous community figure is Sheikh Amad who came to Ayutthaya as a trader in the reign of King Songtham. After Ayutthaya was sacked, the Shia Muslim group migrated to Thonburi and have been living there ever since. When they perform their daily ritual, the men wear white shirts and hats with five folds representing five people respected by the Shia Muslim. They are mostly goldsmiths. There are also some group of Muslim from the south of Thailand migrated to this area since the beginning of Rattanakosin period. Next to Ban Khaek up north before reaching the Chao Phraya River is Wongwian Lek, the traffic circle intersection, constructed during the reign of King
Prajadhipok Prajadhipok ( th, ประชาธิปก, Royal Thai General System of Transcription, RTGS: ''Prachathipok'', 8 November 1893 – 30 May 1941), also Rama VII, was the seventh King of Siam, monarch of Thailand, Siam of the Chakri dyn ...
(Rama VII) in 1943 after the opening of the Memorial Bridge has made the area and communities in the vicinity progress commercially. The bridge connects Thonburi and Bangkok where many business areas such as Phahurat, Saphan Han, Sampheng, Ratchawong and
Song Wat 250px, The old building at the corner of the road. Song Wat Road ( th, ถนนทรงวาด, , ) is a historic road in the area of Bangkok's Samphanthawong district. It has its origins by separating from Chak Phet road near Chakkrawat po ...
are situated. From this traffic circle, one could find buses to commute directly to their destinations within Bangkok. When it was first built, there was a small traffic circle and its surrounding grass lawn, without the clock tower which watch added later. The row houses on the roadside connecting the Memorial Bridge were built two-storied with tin roofs. In the vicinity of the circle, there were shops and parking areas for horse-drawn carriages and tricycles waiting for passengers to commute over to the Bangkok side. The food shops along the footpath rendered the area a busy and noisy atmosphere at night. Prior to the World War II, musical bands were arranged to play on Saturday and Sunday. Wongwian Lek is located at the foot of the Memorial Bridge and the
Phra Pok Klao Bridge Phra Pok Klao Bridge ( th, สะพานพระปกเกล้า, , ) is a bridge crossing the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand. It serves to connect the two sides of the Chao Phraya River in the Bangkok area, namely Phra Nakhon Dis ...
in Somdet Chao Phraya of Khlong San, opposite Suksanari School in Wat Kanlaya of Thon Buri. It is now another market of Buddha amulets in Bangkok, apart from Tha Prachan.


Places

* Statue of King Taksin * Wongwian Yai Railway Station (commuter railway) * Wongwian Yai Skytrain Station * Wongwian Yai Market and Bang Yi Ruea Market * Charoen Rat leather cluster * Robinson Department Store, Lardya (presently is Platform Wongwian Yai) * Wongwian Yai Complex * Merry Kings Department Store, Wongwian Yai (abandoned)


Transportation

The circle is one of the
BMTA BMTA may refer to: * Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, the main public bus operator in Bangkok, Thailand * Benton MacKaye Trail Association, a United States-based organization * Bolivarian Military Technical Academy The Bolivarian Military Techn ...
bus hubs on the Thonburi side of the river. There are bus stops at all four roads around the circle, for bus lines: 3, 4, 7, 7A, 9, 10, 20, 21, 37, 42, 43, 57, 68 (minibus), 82, 84, 84A, 85, 88, 89, 105, 111, 120, 149, 164, 167, 169, 172, 173, 177, 529, 530, 542. As well as the Maeklong Railway, which runs commuter rail services to Samut Sakhon (Maha Chai Line) and Samut Songkhram Province (Ban Laem Line), there is also a BTS Skytrain station, Wongwian Yai, the Silom Line extension from Taksin Bridge Station. It is at Taksin intersection, 1 km south of the circle, and was opened on 15 May 2009.


See also

*
King Taksin King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; April 17, ...
*
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 ...


References

{{coord, 13, 43, 35.04, N, 100, 29, 21.03, E, type:landmark_region:TH-10, display=title Monuments and memorials in Thailand Buildings and structures in Bangkok Tourist attractions in Bangkok Neighbourhoods of Bangkok Thon Buri district Road junctions in Bangkok Unregistered ancient monuments in Bangkok Equestrian statues in Thailand Statues of monarchs