FESTIVALS
The Mon Songkran
is held for one week after April 13th. The event features the Mon procession and entertainment. It is held around Pak Kret district office, Ko Kret.
Nonthaburi Fruits Fair
is an annual fair held during April-June to celebrate the abundance of such local fruits as durian, mangosteen, mango, and star fruit. It is held beside the dam in front of the old city hall in Muang district. Ornamental flowers are also available.
Giving Offerings to 108 Monks Festival
is held to make merit and has been practiced for decades. The attractive festival is held along the Bangkok Noi Canal at many temples including Wat Thai Charoen, Wat Bang Krai Nok, Wat Utthayan, and Wat Bang Krai Nai. This festival is annually held on the 8th day of the waning moon in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar.
Mon Dance Festival
is one of the oldest Mon dramatic arts. The current Mons have managed to retain the skills of their forefathers. In Pak Kret, Phra Pradaeng and Pathum Thani, many people can still perform the Mon dance and the Mon alto oboe.
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Welcome to Nonthaburi
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand
General
Nonthaburi is over 400 years old, dating back to when Ayutthaya was the capital. The town was originally located at Tambon Ban Talat Khwan, a famous fruit orchard where the Chao Phraya River and various canals pass through.
King Prasat Thong ordered the digging of a canal as a shortcut from the south of Wat Thai Muang to Wat Khema because the old waterway flowed into Om River to Bang Yai then to Bang Kruai Canal next to Wat Chalo before ending in front of Wat Khema.
After the new shortcut was completed, the Chao Phraya River changed its flow into the new route that remains today. In 1665, King Narai the Great noticed that the new route gave enemies too much proximity to the capital. Therefore, he ordered that a fortress be built at the mouth of Om River and relocated Nonthaburi to this area. A city shrine still stands there.
Later during the reign of King Rama IV of the Rattanakosin period, he ordered the town moved to the mouth of Bang Su Canal in Ban Talat Khwan. King Rama V then had the provincial hall built there on the left bank of the Chao Phraya River. In 1928, the hall was moved to Ratchawitthayalai, Ban Bang Khwan, Tambon Bang Tanao Si. It is now the Training Division of the Ministry of Interior on Pracha Rat 1 Road, Amphoe Muang, on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. The building is of European architecture decorated with patterned woodwork. The Fine Arts Department has registered it as an historical site. The provincial hall is now on Rattanathibet Road.
Attractions
Anthropology Museum
Anthropology Museum is the first natural history museum of Thailand and was built in 1961. It is located behind the former City Hall and features exhibits on the evolution of plants, animals, human beings, and the earth. Artifacts include Buddha images as well as antique porcelains. The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 08.30 to 16.30. It is closed on Sunday, Monday, and public holidays. Admission is free.
Getting there: Take non air-conditioned buses no. 63, 97,and 203 and air-conditioned buses no. 9 and 126. Contact tel. 184 for more information on buses. Boat passengers can get off at Nonthaburi Pier.
Kanchanaphisek Park
Kanchanaphisek Park is located beyond Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat. It covers an area of 40 acres. The park was built by the Treasury Department to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of King Bhumibol Adulyadej and as a recreation spot for the public. The park has a fine collection of water plants, garden plants and underwater animals. The park is open daily from 06.00 to 18.00 hrs. Admission is free.
The chapel consists
The chapel consists of a colorful mural painting of falling flowers, door and window panels have lacquered gold leaf designs, gables have raised plaster flower designs, the floor is decorated with mirrors, and the inside part of the door and window panels has drawings of lotuses, birds and aquatic animals.
The Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine
The Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine (ITTM) was legally in the Office of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health located in Tiwanont Road, Amphoe Muang, Nonthaburi. ITTM bringing to develop and promote Thai traditional medicine and herbs more quality, standard, integrating into the national health care service system and alternative health for people taking care their health.
ITTM is open everyday 08.30 a.m. - 04.30 p.m. (please place the ticket before noon). Admission is 30 baht for Thai (adult), 15 baht for children and 150 baht for foreigner. Further more information, please contact 66 2591 1095 or www.ittm.or.th
The royal landing
The royal landing is near the reception pavilion. This is a walk-through pavilion with a four-corner tiered roof and surrounded by three traditional carved wooden pavilions.
The attractive three pavilions that are made of teak are primed with genuine gold leaves and decorated with colorful glass. They were used to hold many royal functions. Nearby, a group of teak Thai houses built in noble Thai style can be seen.
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat
Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat is a royal monastery located to the west of the Chao Phraya River. It was constructed under the royal command of King Rama III to dedicate to his mother and grandparents who resided in this area. The construction was completed in the reign of King Rama IV. The combination of Thai and Chinese-style ubosot (chapel) can be seen in an attractively peaceful temple compound. This unique architectural ubosot possesses an earthen mosaics roof of natural colors, which had been laid in a Chinese style and beautiful Chinese mosaics crafted into a striking flower on its upper part.
Wat Chomphu Wek
Wat Chomphu Wek is in Tambon Tha Sai on Sanambin Nam-Nonthaburi road. The temple was built in 1757 in the late Ayutthaya period by the Mon. The attractively old chapel features mural paintings of Lord Buddha’s life as well as two Sukhothai standing Buddha images. In addition, there is a Mon pagoda called “Phra Mutao” built by Mon monks in 1917 and is believed to house holy relics of Lord Buddha.
Getting there: Take a non air-conditioned bus no. 69 or a local truck (Song Thaeo) from Phra Nang Klao station. For more information on buses contact tel. 184.
Wat Chotikaram
Wat Chotikaram is a temple located in Tambon Bang Phai. It was formally called Wat Sam Chin and built in 1807. The beautiful sculptures that are made of Chinese porcelain have been added to the window frames of the chapel. The chapel doors have a Chinese style. Visiting this temple can be made on the route to Wat Sangkhathan.Road signs will be seen all the way.
Wat Khema Phirataram Ratchaworawihan
Wat Khema Phirataram Ratchaworawihan is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River in Tambon Suan Yai, 2 kms. south of the town centre. The temple covers an area of 10.4 acres, its back facing Phibun Songkhram Road. The lovely temple was built during the Ayutthaya period and later in the reign of King Rama II, it was given the name “Khema”. Under Queen Srisuriyenthramat’s patronage, the temple was renovated.
Wat Prasat
Wat Prasat was built in the reign of King Narai the Great (of the late Ayutthaya period). The ubosot possesses sophisticated craftsmanship: the upper part features a divine god riding garuda, the finial is decorated in Mon style while a royal lion is depicted beside the finial. The sampan-shaped ubosot base used no drilling during the construction. The reason behind the unusual shape of the building is that the shape would easily allow cool air to replace heat when it rises.
The mural paintings here from the late Ayutthaya period are the works of advanced artists of the province. They are currently the oldest paintings of Nonthaburi. This temple has correctly preserved buildings and art. It is, therefore, a place of study for both Thais and foreigners. On the education building is a pulpit that is as old as the chapel.
Getting there: It is located on the Bang Kruai-Sai Noi Road, Tambon Bang Krang.
Wat Sangkhathan
Wat Sangkhathan was presumably called Wat Sarikho. It was built around the late Ayutthaya period to enshrine Luang Pho To, a Buddha image in the Sadung Man posture. Later the temple was abandoned, but villagers continued paying homage to the revered Luang Pho To, thus monks residing nearby the monastery were invited for Sangakhathan. The word “Sangkhathan” literally means to give offerings to monks. This activity has been continuously practiced by villagers, hence giving the temple the name. The temple offers peaceful ambience, which resembles a forested meditation centre. It is an ideal place for meditation amid a natural environment. Females who wish to practice the 8 precepts can join a special project of nunhood called “Nek Khamma.” For more information contact tel. 0 2447 0799.
Getting there: Drive along Rattanathibet road over Phra Nang Klao Bridge, turn left at the junction for 12 kilometres. Alternatively, take a ferry from Nonthaburi Pier to Bang Si Muang Pier and then take a local truck (Song Thaeo).
Wiman Saran Nawamin
Wiman Saran Nawamin is a remarkably beautiful building, built with concrete in the style of modern Thai architecture, having a hall with a pointed roof, four sloped arches and a pyramidal roof decorated with a three-tiered state umbrella, which indicates a royal building.
Transportation
Car
From Phra Nang Klao Bridge turn left to Bang Kruai for 17 kilometres at Bang Bua Thong junction, turn right to Nonthaburi District Office at Wat Chalo, continue driving for 500 metres. Wat Bang O will be found on the right.
Boat
Take a Tha Chang-Bangkok Noi-Bang Yai ferry line from Chang Pier. It operates from 06.30 to 23.00 hrs. and leaves from the pier every 30 minutes. The best time for the visitors to ride a ferry is from 08.30 to 15.30 hrs.
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