Chao Phraya River

Origin of the Chao Phraya River in Nakhon Sawan

Template: Infobox River / Obsolete

The Chao Phraya ( Thai: Chao Phraya River, Thai: แม่น้ำ เจ้าพระยา, pronunciation: [ mɛ ː ná ː m t͡ɕâwp ʰ ráʔja ː ] ) is adjacent Mekong and Salween of the largest and most important river of Thailand ( Southeast Asia).

It begins at the confluence of the Ping and Yom in Nakhon Sawan. The Nan and its largest tributary, the Yom, flow from Phitsanulok almost parallel to Chumsaeng north of Nakhon Sawan. The ping and its largest tributary Wang unite in Wang Chin.

The Chao Phraya River flows from Nakhon Sawan through the central plains about 370 miles to Bangkok, where it flows at the interface of Indochinese and Malayan Peninsula in the Gulf of Thailand. In Chainat, the river splits into the main branch and the narrower the Tha Chin River, approximately 35 km west of Bangkok, Samut Sakhon flows near the Gulf of Thailand. In Chainat is also the Chao Phraya Dam.

In addition to Bangkok are also the ancient capital of Ayutthaya and the smaller provincial capitals Uthai Thani, Chainat, Singburi, Ang Thong, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan on the Chao Phraya River. It is an important traffic artery of Thailand and also serves with many channels ( Khlongs ) to irrigate the rice fields.

History

On historic maps of the Chao Phraya River is usually referred to only as " Menam ", also called " Mae Nam ", which is the Thai word for river. In the English -speaking world it is because of its historical significance often called River of Kings.

Chao Phraya was a high title of nobility, such as Duke or Margrave translatable, the carrier served as a state minister or governor of a major city in the feudal Siam. The English geographer James Fitzroy McCarthy stated in 1900 in his notes that the name means that it is the main river of the country.

The current run of the lower Chao Phraya River has established itself only in the middle of the 19th century. Previously, the river often sought after annual floods a new bed, so, for example, south of Chainat down to see Ang Thong by a former course of the river, which is located a few miles west of present-day river. Later Siamese engineers tried to influence the course: they built in 1813, a dam in Ang Thong to straighten the river to Ayutthaya. The dam broke repeatedly, so this project was eventually abandoned.

South of Ayutthaya, the engineers were successful: from 1538 to 1722 they were able to sewer the distances that had to cover the merchant ships from the Gulf of Siam to the capital Ayutthaya to shorten 62.3 km:

• (: - "Shortcut channel " คลอง ลัด Thai ) dug the Wat Chalo ( ⊙ 13.807596518889100.47653675083 - Amphoe Bang Kruai, Nonthaburi ) with Wat Khee Lek ( ⊙ 13.779672461111100.46754598611 - First District was in 1538 a three-kilometer long, so-called Khlong Lat Bangkok Noi ) combined. The " Khlong Lat Bang Kruai " said channel shortened the route by about 13-14 kilometers. He is now part of Khlong Bangkok Noi.
• The second Khlong Lat has a great importance for the Thai history because he created the geographical features that eventually led to the founding of Bangkok and Thonburi. About the exact date there is conflicting information, both in 1538 and 1542 The two-kilometer long canal began about the old train station of Bangkok Noi. ( ⊙ 13.7606238375100.48784494389 - District Bangkok Noi ) and led to a point just south of the Wat Arun ⊙ 13.741698723889100.49104213722. The river quickly accepted this shortcut, so that the channel now looks like the correct course of the river. The original course silted up gradually; he is now called Khlong Bangkok Yai. This channel called " Khlong Lat Bangkok ", the distance to Ayutthaya shortened by about 14 kilometers.
• The third shortcut, the " Khlong Lat Kret Yai ", was dug in 1608 at Pathum Thani ( ⊙ ⊙ 14.051622162222100.55477142333 to 14.002117314722100.54133892056 ). He shortened 18 km to seven. The northern part of the original riverbed is now called " Khlong Bang Phrao ", the southern " Khlong Bang Luang ".
• In 1636 " Khlong Lat Mueang Nonthaburi " was created ( ⊙ ⊙ 13.853830568056100.47821044917 to 13.818702696389100.50101995472 ), which one parte from a distance of 22 former kilometer 17.
• " Khlong Lat Kret Noi " from 1722 shortened six kilometers river on two ( ⊙ ⊙ 13.899576343611100.48902511583 to 13.913406621389100.49091339111 ). He created the present-day island of Ko Kret.
• The sixth Khlong Lat runs south of Khlong Toei in Amphoe Phra Pradaeng ( ⊙ ⊙ 13.671007844444100.5278635025 to 13.648489037222100.53164005278 ). The 600 -meter-long canal was actually 19 kilometers saved. Since the Chao Phraya is dependent on the tides, it soon turned out that way too far penetrated through the new channel at high tide salt water north and harmed the life in and around the river. 1784, a dike was drawn that prevented the passage of seawater. Today, the " Pak Khlong Lat" is the only channel that does not became a part of the river course.
• The German botanist Johann Gerhard König undertook in November 1778, a cruise on the Chaophraya and reported by numerous crocodiles that swam in the river during the day and made horrible noises. Also incredibly vast number of monkeys is still the question. But both are no longer mentioned by travelers in the late first half of the 19th century, so they seem the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century to have been sold.

Impressions from the river course

Bangkok: Rama VIII bridge over the Chao Phraya

Bangkok: Phra - Phuttha - Yodfa Bridge

Mouth of the Chao Phraya River in Samut Prakan

Major bridges in Bangkok

• Rama VI - railway bridge of the southern railway line, near Nonthaburi
• Rama VIII - asymmetric suspension bridge, inaugurated in May 2002, now one of the main transport links to Thonburi
• Phra Pin Klao - north of Sanam Luang, extension of Ratcha Damnoen Boulevards
• Phra Phuttha Yodfa Bridge ( " Saphan Phut " or " Memorial Bridge " ) - the first bridge between Bangkok and Thonburi, dedicated to the 150th anniversary of the founding of Bangkok
• Krungthep Bridge - was on June 25, opened in 1959 as the second bridge over the Chao Phraya River (district Bang Kho Laem )
• Rama IX - Chalerm Maha Nakhon Expressway Bridge in the district Yannawa
• Bhumibol Bridge ( also: "Mega Bridge" ) - spans since September 2006, the Chao Phraya River, which forms a large loop in the district of Phra Pradaeng, at two locations; Part of the planned "Industrial Ring Road ".