U Thong district

U Thong (Thai: อู่ทอง, pronounced [ʔùː tʰɔ̄ːŋ]) is the district (amphoe) in the western part of Suphan Buri province, north of Bangkok.^[1]

U Thong อู่ทอง
District
View of U Thong
District location in Suphan Buri province
Coordinates: 14°22′32″N 99°53′32″E
Country	Thailand
Province	Suphan Buri
Area
• Total	630.29 km2 (243.36 sq mi)
Population  (2013)
• Total	121,421
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code	72160
Geocode	7209

History

Bronze double denarius of the Gallic Roman emperor Victorinus (269-271 CE) found at U Thong.^[2]: 300

Statue of Phra Chao U-Thong (founder of Ayutthaya) in Amphoe U Thong, Suphan Buri Province.

Higham states, "U-Thong was occupied for many centuries prior to the development of the Dvaravati state. Radiocarbon determinations from the sites of U-Thong and Chansen suggest that the transition into complex state societies in the Chao Phraya basin took place between about 300-600 AD." A copper inscription from the mid-7th century states, "Sri Harshavarman, grandson of Ishanavarman, having expanded his sphere of glory, obtained the lion throne through regular succession," and mentions gifts to a linga. The site includes a moat, 1,690 by 840 m, and the Pra Paton caitya.^{[2]: 300, 302, 306–307}

It also became the origin of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, as the first King of Ayutthaya, Ramathibodi, was prince of U Thong when the city was struck by an epidemic, prompting him to relocate east and found Ayutthaya.^[3]

U Thong district was created with the name Chorakhe Sam Phan in 1905. In 1939 the district was renamed U Thong.^[4] In 1944, the government moved the centre of the district from Ban Chorakhe Sam Phan to the area of the ancient city.^[5]

Geography

Neighbouring districts are (from the north clockwise): Don Chedi, Mueang Suphan Buri, Bang Pla Ma, Song Phi Nong of Suphan Buri Province; Lao Khwan, Huai Krachao, and Phanom Thuan of Kanchanaburi province.

Administration

Central administration

U Thong district is divided into 13 sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 154 administrative villages (mubans).

No.	Name	Thai	Villages	Pop.[6]
01.	U Thong	อู่ทอง	11	23,868
02.	Sa Yai Som	สระยายโสม	10	08,352
03.	Chorakhe Sam Phan	จรเข้สามพัน	15	13,105
04.	Ban Don	บ้านดอน	09	07,710
05.	Yung Thalai	ยุ้งทะลาย	07	04,497
06.	Don Makluea	ดอนมะเกลือ	12	04,548
07.	Nong Ong	หนองโอ่ง	14	09,859
08.	Don Kha	ดอนคา	20	13,245
09.	Phlapphla Chai	พลับพลาไชย	14	11,854
10.	Ban Khong	บ้านโข้ง	14	08,855
11.	Chedi	เจดีย์	08	03,076
12.	Sa Phang Lan	สระพังลาน	10	05,203
13.	Krachan	กระจัน	10	07,249

Local administration

There are nine sub-district municipalities (thesaban tambons) in the district:

• Chorakhe Sam Phan (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลจรเข้สามพัน) consists of sub-district Chorakhe Sam Phan.
• Chedi (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลเจดีย์) consists of sub-district Chedi.
• Sa Yai Som (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลสระยายโสม) consists of parts of the sub-district Sa Yai Som.
• U Thong (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลอู่ทอง) consists of parts of the sub-district U Thong.
• Khun Phat Pheng (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลขุนพัดเพ็ง) consists of parts of the sub-district Sa Yai Som.
• Ban Don (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลบ้านดอน) consists of sub-district Ban Don.
• Ban Khong (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลบ้านโข้ง) consists of sub-district Ban Khong.
• Krachan (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลกระจัน) consists of sub-district, Krachan.
• Thao U Thong (Thai: เทศบาลตำบลท้าวอู่ทอง) consists of parts of sub-district U Thong.

There are six sub-district administrative organizations (SAO) in the district:

• Yung Thalai (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลยุ้งทะลาย) consists of sub-district Yung Thalai.
• Don Makluea (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลดอนมะเกลือ) consists of sub-district Don Makluea.
• Nong Ong (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลหนองโอ่ง) consists of sub-district Nong Ong.
• Don Kha (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลดอนคา) consists of sub-district Don Kha.
• Phlapphla Chai (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลพลับพลาไชย) consists of sub-district Phlapphla Chai.
• Sa Phang Lan (Thai: องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบลสระพังลาน) consists of sub-district Sa Phang Lan.