Thon Buri is an area of modern Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

. It was capital of Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

 from 1767 to 1782, during the reign of King Taksin

Taksin

Taksin ; was the only King of the Thonburi Kingdom...

, after the previous capital Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya (city)

Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...

 was sacked by the Burmese. It is located on the opposite bank of Chao Phraya River

Chao Phraya River

The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...

 to Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

. Before being made the capital, Thon Buri was an important garrison town at the mouth of the river.

King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok in 1782. Thon Buri remained an independent town and province, until it was merged into Bangkok in 1972. Thon Buri stayed less developed than the other side of the river. Many of the traditional small waterways, Khlong

Khlong

A khlong is the general name for a canal in the central plain of Thailand. These canals are spawned by the Chao Phraya, the Tha Chin, the Mae Klong Rivers and their tributaries...

s, still exist there, while they are nearly gone from the other side of the river.

In 1950, Bangkok had around 1.3m people, and the municipality of Thon Buri around 400,000. In 1970 Thon Buri was Thailand's second largest city proper with around 600,000 residents.

Origins

In 1767, after Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. The city proper was destroyed, leaving no government and official in charge. As a result of the destruction of Ayutthaya, King Taksin determined to make his capital at Thonburi instead of returning to Ayutthaya.
Thonburi was the capital of Thailand from 1767 to 1782. It is located on the opposite side of the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok. Moving the capital to Thonburi had many benefits for Thai people. The Burmese were familiar with several routes leading to Ayutthaya. In case of attack, effective defense of city would be difficult. Thonburi which is only twenty kilometers from the sea would be difficult to invade by land. Moreover, it was better suited for seaborne trade.
It is believed that King Taksin had a mentally illness after he moved into Thonburi. Perhaps because of the length of time spent fighting, it is said he’d inflict cruel punishments on anyone who had not complied with his orders. In 1782, King Taksin was accordingly put to death.
In 1782, King Rama I moved the capital to Bangkok which is across from Thonburi on the east bank. Bangkok is easier to defend from a Burmese attack from the west.

Geography

Thonburi has the region of only twenty-five square kilometers. Nonthaburi borders the North of Thonburi, on the West is Nakorn Pathom, the Easterly province is Samutprakran wherever many parts arrive the Gulf of Thailand. The East is the Chao Phraya River. The weather in Thonburi is hot and humid all year round because Thonburi is in tropic zone. Due to its surrounding by water, typical careers of people in Thonburi are agricultures and orchard possessor. It is believed that Thonburi was once part of the ocean, later became a province with many waterways. As a result, the traditional Thai way of life on the canals still exists here, as do the floating vendors and orchard farms.

Interesting places

Statue of King Taksin the Great is in the middle of Wongwian Yai (the Big Traffic Circle) in Thonburi, where Prajadhipok/Inthara Phithak/Lat Ya/Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Roads intersect each other. As can be seen, the statue of the king is holding a sword in his right hand. The statue is approximately 9 meters in height. The statue was, of course, built to honor King Taksin the great from liberating Thailand from Burma.

Phra Racha Wang Derm or Thon Buri Palace is the only palace built by King Taksin the great in 1768. It was built on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River near the old Wichayen Fort; later renamed Wichaiprasit. When King Rama I took over the throne, the capital was moved to the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, and a new royal palace was constructed. Thonburi Palace became known as Phra Racha Wang Derm (the original palace). King Rama I reduced the area of the palace by excluding the two temples from the palace ground
Wat Arun, also known as the Temple of Dawn, is a temple at the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, right next to the Navy Base. This is a royal temple in the highest rank and it is by far the most visited tourist attraction in Thonburi. A temple has occupied this site since the Ayutthaya period. It was first named Wat Makok, which means "Olive Temple",named after the many olive orchards in the area. Wat Arun served as King Taksin's royal temple and was inside the Wang Derm Palace grounds. In the Rattanakosin-era, Wat Arun lost its special status to Wat Phra Kaew in the Grand Palace, but it remained one of the most iconic temples of Thailand

Transportation

• By boat: The easiest way to get into Thonburi is by boat. there's the Chao Phraya Express Boat goes up and down the river every day.
• By train: there are 2 stations that reach Thonburi

1. Thonburi Train Base is the terminus for twice-daily trains to Kanchanaburi.
2. Wong Wien Yai base
   • By bus: Getting into Thonburi by bus is very complicated, so it's better keep city buses as a last choice. Bus travel is necessary to reach some destinations though, for example, the Taling Chan Floating Market. If heading there, you have to take a bus 79 from Ratchadamnoen Klang Road, which is near Khao San Road.

Administration

This is a list of 7 sub-districts (Kwaeng) in Thonburi.

1. Wat Kanlaya
2. Hiran Ruchi
3. Bang Yi Ruea
4. Bukkhalo
5. Talat Phlu
6. Dao Khanong
7. Samre

Temples to visit in Thonburi

1. Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn
2. Wat Kok Poe Ram
3. Wat Poe
4. Wat Prayoon
5. Wat Rakhang ( Temple of the Bells )
6. Wat Suwannaram
7. Wat Kalayanamit

External links

• Wikitravel: Bangkok/Thonburi