Nakhon Nayok province

Nakhon Nayok (Thai: นครนายก, pronounced [ná(ʔ).kʰɔ̄ːn nāː.jók]) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand, established by the Act Establishing Changwat Samut Prakan, Changwat Nonthaburi, Changwat Samut Sakhon, and Changwat Nakhon Nayok, Buddhist Era 2489 (1946), which came into force on 9 May 1946.

Nakhon Nayok นครนายก
Province
(clockwise from upper-left): Wat Udom Thani [th], Luang Pho Pak Daeng Buddha at Wat Phrammani, Bamboo Forest of Wat Chulaphonwanaram, Buddharupa Shrine of Srinakharinwirot University’s Ongkharak Campus, Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam [th]
Flag Seal
Motto(s):  นครนายก เมืองในฝันที่ใกล้กรุง ภูเขางาม น้ำตกสวย รวยธรรมชาติ ปราศจากมลพิษ ("Nakhon Nayok. City of dreams near the capital. Beautiful mountains. Gorgeous waterfalls. Rich in nature. Free of pollution.")
Map of Thailand highlighting Nakhon Nayok province
Country	Thailand
Capital	Nakhon Nayok City
Government
• Governor	Amphon Angkapakornkun (since October 2020)
Area [1]
• Total	2,122 km2 (819 sq mi)
• Rank	Ranked 67th
Population  (2018)[2]
• Total	260,093
• Rank	Ranked 73rd
• Density	123/km2 (320/sq mi)
• Rank	Ranked 39th
Human Achievement Index [3]
• HAI (2022)	0.6509 "somewhat high" Ranked 25th
GDP [4]
• Total	baht 27 billion (US$1.0 billion) (2019)
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code	26xxx
Calling code	037
ISO 3166 code	TH-26
Website	ww2.nakhonnayok.go.th

Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Saraburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachinburi, Chachoengsao, and Pathum Thani. Nakhon Nayok is known for waterfalls and fruit varieties.^{[citation needed]}

Nakon Nayok is a nearby province to Bangkok and has various tourist attractions. Khao Yai National Park, Thailands oldest national park is in partly in Nakhon Nayok province and attracts many tourists.^[5] Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam is another tourist attraction 2 hours outside of Bangkok in Nakhon Nayok.^[6]

Toponymy

The word nakhon originates from the Sanskrit word nagara (Devanagari: नगर) meaning 'city', and the word nayok is thought to have been derived from the Sanskrit nāyaka (Devanagari: नायक) meaning 'leader' or 'captain'. However, in this connection, na means '[tax of] rice field' and yok means 'exempted'. Hence the name of the province literally means 'tax-free city'.^[7]

History

The city of Nakhon Nayok dates back to the Dvaravati Kingdom, probably founded in the 11th century. Ruins from this time are visible at Mueang Boran Dong Lakhon south of the modern city. Originally named Mueang Lablae, the name "Nakhon Nayok" was assigned to it in 1350, when it became a garrison town of the Ayutthaya kingdom protecting the eastern boundary. On 1 January 1943 the government downgraded Nakhon Nayok province and combined it with Prachinburi province, except for Ban Na district which became part of Saraburi province.^[8] On 9 May 1946 the province was re-established.^[9]

Symbols

The provincial seal shows an elephant holding an ear of rice with its trunk. This symbolizes fertile rice fields, as well as the forests with numerous elephants. In the background two piles of straw, trees, and clouds symbolizing the natural beauty of the province.

The provincial tree and flower is the silk cotton tree (Cochlospermum religiosum).

Climate

Nakhon Nayok province has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification category Aw). Winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until May. Monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm. Climate statistics: maximum temperature is 42.2 °C (108 °F) in April and lowest temperature is 12.2 °C (54 °F) in December. Highest average temperature is 36.8 °C (98.2 °F) in April and minimum average temperature is 20.5 °C (68.9 °F) in December. Average annual rainfall is 1,823 millimeters in 134 days. Maximum daily rainfall is 195 millimeters in August.^[10]

Geography

Nang Rong Waterfall is a natural attraction in Nakhon Nayok.

The northern part of the province is in the Sankamphaeng Range, the southern prolongation of the Dong Phaya Yen Mountains, with the highest elevation the 1,292-meter-high Yod Khao Kiew. Most of that area is covered by the Khao Yai National Park, 2,166 km² (836 sq mi),^[11]: 1 along with three other national parks, make up region 1 (Prachinburi) of Thailand's protected areas. The central part of the province however is a rather flat river plain formed by the Nakhon Nayok River. The southern part of the province has relatively infertile acidic soil. The total forest area is 642 km² (248 sq mi) or 30 percent of provincial area.^[12]

The main river of the province is the Nakhon Nayok River. It joins the Prachinburi River at Pak Nam Yothaka in Ban Sang district, Prachinburi province, which then becomes the Bang Pa Kong River.

Administrative divisions

Four districts of Nakhon Nayok

Provincial government

The province is divided into four districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 41 subdistricts (tambons) and 403 villages (mubans).

1. Mueang Nakhon Nayok
2. Pak Phli
3. Ban Na
4. Ongkharak

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are:^[13] one Nakhon Nayok Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 6 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Nakhon Nayok has town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 5 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 39 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).^[2]

Human achievement index 2022

Health	Education	Employment	Income
64	3	42	35
Housing	Family	Transport	Participation
36	70	44	16
Province Nakhon Nayok, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6509 is "somewhat high", occupies place 25 in the ranking.

Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.^[3]

Rank	Classification
1–13	"High"
14–29	"Somewhat high"
30–45	"Average"
46–61	"Somewhat low"
62–77	"Low"

Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings

References

1. Advancing Human Development through the ASEAN Community, Thailand Human Development Report 2014, table 0:Basic Data (PDF) (Report). United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Thailand. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-974-680-368-7. Retrieved 17 January 2016, Data has been supplied by Land Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, at Wayback Machine.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)^{[dead link]}
2. "ร่ยงานสถิติจำนวนประชากรและบ้านประจำปี พ.ศ.2561" [Statistics, population and house statistics for the year 2018]. Registration Office Department of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior. stat.bora.dopa.go.th (in Thai). 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
3. "ข้อมูลสถิติดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี 2565 (PDF)" [Human Achievement Index Databook year 2022 (PDF)]. Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) (in Thai). Retrieved 12 March 2024, page 31{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
4. "Gross Regional and Provincial Product, 2019 Edition". <>. Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). July 2019. ISSN 1686-0799. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
5. Round, Philip D.; Gale, George A. (2007-10-17). "Changes in the Status of Lophura Pheasants in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand: A Response to Warming Climate?". Biotropica. 40 (2): 225–230. doi:10.1111/j.1744-7429.2007.00363.x. ISSN 0006-3606.
6. Jetsadaareewong, Suphattra (2017). "White Water Rafting Management at Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam, Nakornnayok Province". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.3076749. ISSN 1556-5068.
7. ประวัติจังหวัดนครนายก (in Thai). จังหวัดนครนายก. Archived from the original on 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2008-03-07.
8. พระราชบัญญัติยุบและรวมการปกครองบางจังหวัด พุทธศักราช ๒๔๘๕ [Dissolution and Consolidation Act in some provinces, Buddhist Era 2485 (1942)] (PDF). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 59 (77): 2447–2449. 10 December 1942. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
9. พระราชบัญญัติจัดตั้งจังหวัดสมุทรปราการ จังหวัดนนทบุรี จังหวัดสมุทรสาคร และจังหวัดนครนายก พุทธศักราช ๒๔๘๙ [Act Establishing Changwat Samut Prakan, Changwat Nonthaburi, Changwat Samut Sakhon and Changwat Nakhon Nayok, Buddhist Era 2489 (1946)] (PDF). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 63 (29 Kor): 315–317. 9 May 1946. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 9, 2008. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
10. "Climatological Data for the Period 1981-2010". Thai Meteorological Department. climate.tmd.go.th. 2011. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 2 December 2019, Weather station Prachinburi at 29 km distance{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
11. "ข้อมูลพื้นที่อุทยานแห่งชาติ ที่ประกาศในราชกิจจานุบกษา 133 แห่ง" [National Park Area Information published in the 133 Government Gazettes]. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). December 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
12. "ตารางที่ 2 พี้นที่ป่าไม้ แยกรายจังหวัด พ.ศ.2562" [Table 2 Forest area Separate province year 2019]. Royal Forest Department (in Thai). 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021, information, Forest statistics Year 2019{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
13. "Number of local government organizations by province". dla.go.th. Department of Local Administration (DLA). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019. 17 Nakhon Nayok: 1 PAO, 1 Town mun., 5 Subdistrict mun., 39 SAO.

External links

• Nakhon Nayok travel guide from Wikivoyage
• News and Information in Nakhon Nayok (thai)
• Nakhon Nayok, Tourist Authority of Thailand
• Website of province (Thai)
• Khao Yai National Park

14°12′44″N 101°12′06″E