Pak Tho (, ) is a district (''

amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', , )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the Provinces of Thailand, provinces, and are analogous to count ...

'') in the southern part of

Ratchaburi province Ratchaburi province (, ) or Rat Buri () is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat'') lies in Western Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and ...

, western

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. ''Pak Tho'' means 'mouth of a water pipe'. It originates from the fact that the area named ''Nong Thale'' ('sea pond') is rather low and thus during raining season was usually flooded. At the only outlet of this area the water current was strong like a water pipe.

History

Around 1900, the government separated part of Mueang Ratchaburi district and created a new district named Tha Nat Wat Pradu (ท่านัดวัดประดู่). The district office was in front of ''

Wat A wat (, ; , ; , ; ; , ) is a type of Buddhist and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State (Myanmar), Yunnan (China), the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Etymology The word ''wat'' is borrowed from the Sanskrit ''v ...

'' Pradu at the ''

Khlong A ''khlong'' (, ), 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-lying areas of ce ...

'' Wat Pradu in ''tambon'' Chom Prathat, today in Wat Phleng District. ''Tambon'' Pak Tho was included in this district. As it was also near the Om River, the district was also known as Maenam Om (แม่น้ำอ้อม). Later the district office was found to be inconveniently located. During the dry season the water level in the canal was too low and there was no road connection. In 1914 it was moved to a new location in ''tambon'' Pak Tho, near a railway station. The area around the old district office became the minor district Wat Phleng. On 10 April 1991, the district was visited by Crown Prince Maha

Vajiralongkorn Vajiralongkorn (born 28 July 1952) is King of Thailand. He is the tenth Thai monarch of the Chakri dynasty since ascending the throne in 2016 with the regnal name Rama X. The only son of King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and Queen Sirik ...

. He was presented a petition by locals asking for help with local water resources, specifically the lack of water for farming. The crown prince passed along the need to the Royal Irrigation Department (RID) and other agencies. the district has five working reservoirs, a sixth in the planning stage, and Vajiralongkorn has ascended to the throne of Thailand.

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise) Ban Kha, Chom Bueng, Mueang Ratchaburi, and Wat Phleng of Ratchaburi Province; Amphawa of

Samut Songkhram province Samut Songkhram (, ) is one of the central Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from the south clockwise) Phetchaburi province, Phetchaburi, Ratchaburi province, Ratchaburi and Samut Sakhon pr ...

; and Khao Yoi and Nong Ya Plong of

Phetchaburi province Phetchaburi (, ) or Phet Buri () is one of the western or central Provinces of Thailand, provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ratchaburi province, Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram province, Samut So ...

Administration

The district is divided into 12 sub-districts (''

tambon ''Tambon'' (, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province ('' changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' of Bangkok, whi ...

s''), which are further subdivided into 88 villages (''

muban Muban (; , ) is the lowest Administrative divisions of Thailand, administrative sub-division of Thailand. Usually translated as 'village' and sometimes as 'hamlet (place), hamlet', they are a subdivision of a tambon (subdistrict). , there were 74 ...

s''). Pak Tho is a sub-district municipality (''

thesaban tambon Thesaban (, , , Pali, Pali: desapāla (protector of region) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesa ...

'') which covers parts of ''tambon'' Pak Tho. There are a further 11

tambon administrative organization ''Tambon'' (, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province ('' changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' of Bangkok, whi ...

s (TAO).

Economy

The district is now farmed intensively year-round due to the water provided by the five reservoirs built since 1991. They are: * Phu Krut: Built before 1995. Earthen reservoir with a capacity of 585,280 m³ supplying 1,600

rai (), commercially styled as since 2000 and known until 1954 as (RAI), is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels a ...

of farmland and 320 homes. * Huay Phu Krut: Built before 1995. Capacity, 270,750 m³; supplies 130 households. * Khao Hua Daeng: Built in 1997, its capacity is 612,000 m³ irrigating 1,000 rai, and supplying 308 households. * Ban Thai Prachan: Built 1979. Capacity of 600,000 m³ watering 1,300 rai and supplying 150 households. * Hin Si Ton Bon: Built 1979. Stores one million m³ supplying 1,700 rai and 200 households with water. * Ban Prong Phrom: To be built in 2022, it will store up to 200,000 m³ of water.

References

External links

amphoe.com
(Thai)
Pak Tho district history
(Offline) {{Amphoe Ratchaburi Pak Tho