Pak Kret (, ) is a city (''
thesaban nakhon
Thesaban (, , , 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 ''thesaban'' ...
'') in
Nonthaburi province,
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 ...
. It lies in the
Central Thailand
Central Thailand (Central Plain) (historically also known as Siam or Dvaravati) is one of the regions of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. It is separated from northeast Thailand (Isan) by the Phetchabun Mount ...
plains on the east bank of the lower
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya River 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.
Etymology
Written evidence of the river being referred to by the ...
, bordering
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 estim ...
to the east,
Mueang Nonthaburi district of Nonthaburi province to the south, and
Pathum Thani province
Pathum Thani (, ) is one of the central provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise): Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Bangkok, and Nonthaburi.
The province is north of ...
to the north. It is part of the
Bangkok Metropolitan Region
The Bangkok Metropolitan Region (BMR) (; ; ), may refer to a government-defined "political definition" of the urban region surrounding the metropolis of Bangkok, or the built-up area, i.e., urban agglomeration of Bangkok, Thailand, which varies in ...
megalopolis. With a registered population of 190,272,
Pak Kret is the
third most populous city municipality (''thesaban nakhon'') in Thailand.
History
The Pak Kret area has been inhabited since at least the 18th century, under the rule of the
Ayutthaya Kingdom
The Ayutthaya Kingdom or the Empire of Ayutthaya was a Thai people, Thai kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (city), Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. Europe ...
. The portion of the Chao Phraya River to the west of Pak Kret city centre was excavated c. 1721–1722 to bypass a bend in the river, forming the island of
Ko Kret. The settlements on the bank of the bypass canal and at its mouth became known as ''Ban Tret Noi'' () and ''Ban Pak Tret Noi'' (), meaning 'village on the lesser bypass' and 'village on the mouth of the lesser bypass', respectively (the "greater bypass" is further upriver in what is now Mueang Pathum Thani District.) Many ethnic
Mon communities settled in the area during the Ayutthaya to early-
Rattanakosin periods.
Pak Kret was established as a sanitation district (''
sukhaphiban Sukhaphiban (; translated as "sanitary district") were administrative divisions of Thailand.
Sanitary districts were the first sub-autonomous entities established in Thailand. A first such district was created in Bangkok by a royal decree of King C ...
'') on 31 August 1955. It covers the portion of Pak Kret District east of the river, namely the areas of Pak Kret, Bang Phut, Ban Mai, Bang Talat, and Khlong Kluea
Subdistricts. It was incorporated as a subdistrict municipality (''thesaban tambon'') on 1 January 1992 and was later upgraded to town and then city status on 5 February 1996 and 20 April 2000. As Bangkok rapidly expanded during the late 20th century, so too did Pak Kret, its paddies and orchards being converted to
housing estate
A housing estate (or sometimes housing complex, housing development, subdivision (land), subdivision or community) is a group of homes and other buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to count ...
s and other residential areas.
Geography
Most of Pak Kret is low-density residential development. The city centre, sometimes known as Pak Kret Market, lies on the east bank of the Chao Phraya, at the northern branching between the old river course and the new bypass, across from Ko Kret. The municipality and district offices are found here. Two major thoroughfares serve the area:
Chaeng Watthana Road runs east–west, linking the city centre to Bangkok's
Lak Si District in the east, and
Tiwanon Road links Pak Kret to
Pathum Thani Province
Pathum Thani (, ) is one of the central provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise): Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Bangkok, and Nonthaburi.
The province is north of ...
in the north and Nonthaburi in the south, the two crossing at Pak Kret intersection. The viaduct that leads to
Rama IV Bridge runs above Chaeng Watthana Road through the city centre, crossing the river toward Khlong Phra Udom Subdistrict. The
second-stage expressway links Chaeng Watthana Road southward to downtown Bangkok and northward to
Bang Pa-in.
Muang Thong Thani
Muang Thong Thani ( 'golden city') is a large real estate development in Pak Kret, a northern suburb city of Bangkok, in Thailand's Nonthaburi Province. It was mainly developed from the late 1980s by the Bangkok Land Company under the leadership ...
is the largest housing estate in Pak Kret. It is the site of
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU; , ; ''Sukhothai Thammathirat University'') is the only open university in Thailand.
History
Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University was officially established by royal charter on 5 September 1978 as T ...
and
Impact, Muang Thong Thani
Impact, Muang Thong Thani () is a commercial complex consisting of the Impact Arena, a convention centre, and exhibition halls, located in Muang Thong Thani in Pak Kret District of Nonthaburi Province, a northern suburb of Bangkok, Thailand ...
, a large exhibition centre complex. Srinagarindra Park and the
CentralPlaza Chaengwattana shopping centre are also within the city.
Organizations
The
International Schools Association of Thailand is headquartered in Pak Kret.
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Populated places in Nonthaburi province
Cities and towns in Thailand
Populated places on the Chao Phraya River