Thung Phaya Thai


Thung Phaya Thai is a khwaeng of Ratchathewi District, downtown Bangkok.

History

This area formerly known as "Thung Phaya Thai", a vast field in the area of inner capital, it covers the area from the outskirts of Dusit Palace next to the Thung Som Poi to the Victory Monument and Phaya Thai Palace today. The next area was known as "Thung Bang Kapi" of Bang Kapi and Wang Thonglang with Huai Khwang Districts in present day.
Although it was an inner city area, but the atmosphere in the past, it was a rural countryside and fresh air. Khlong Phaya Thai, a khlong which was approximately two km long, flows through the area.
Therefore, King Rama V bought more than a thousand rai of land here. He ordered the construction of Phaya Thai Palace in 1910 along the banks of Khlong Samsen, as well as having to build a road connecting Hua Lamphong Road, pass Pathum Wan Road, parallel to Pra Chae Chin Road, cuts across eastern railway line and Duang Tawan Road, as far as ending at Pao Road, called "Phaya Thai Road".
The king and his wife, Queen Saovabha Phongsri used the palace as a royal retreat, and the king used this place to test the cultivation as well.
In addition, in those days, this palace was also used as a place to hold up to the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, which was a ceremony that has existed since ancient times to give the morale to farmers in the beginning of the planting season. After King Rama V passed away in 1910, Queen Saovabha Phongsri used this place as a residence until she died in 1919.
This area was also residence to Muslims as well.
Currently, although the fields have disappeared, Khlong Phaya Thai was filled in to allow the road to be built, until it became just a small waterway in Phramongkutklao Hospital, but the name "Thung Phaya Thai" is still used for this area, and due to the numerous modifications of Bangkok administration making Thung Phaya Thai become part of Ratchathewi District to the present.

Geography

The area is bordered by neighbouring subdistricts : Sam Sen Nai in Phaya Thai District, Makkasan, and Thanon Phetchaburi in its district, Suan Chitlada in Dusit District.

Places