Rangsit

This article is about the city in Pathum Thani Province. For other uses, see Rangsit (disambiguation).

Rangsit (Thai: รังสิต, pronounced [rāŋ.sìt]) is a city and neighbourhood in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. Rangsit is a metropolitan city that supports the expansion of Bangkok in the north. Rangsit has become a departure point for travel to provinces in north, northeast, and eastern Thailand. The area is served by Rangsit station on the SRT Dark Red Line.

Rangsit รังสิต
City Municipality
City of Rangsit เทศบาลนครรังสิต
Zpell, part of Future Park Rangsit
Flag Seal
Rangsit Location in Thailand
Coordinates: 13°59′0″N 100°37′0″E
Country	Thailand
Province	Pathum Thani
District	Thanyaburi
Government
• Type	City Municipality
• Mayor	Treelup Thupkrachang
Area
• Total	20.80 km2 (8.03 sq mi)
Population  (2014)
• Total	79,319
• Density	3,813.41/km2 (9,876.7/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
Postcode	12130
Area code	(+66) 2
Website	rangsit.org

Rangsit is the home of Rangsit University.^[1] It is also the provenance of Rangsit campus of Thammasat University.

History

In the past, the area of Rangsit was part of a vast plain stretching from northern Bangkok and Pathum Thani to Saraburi, located on the eastern side of the Chao Phraya River. This area was known as "Thung Luang" (ทุ่งหลวง), meaning "the great field", and covered approximately 2,000 km^² (about 772 mi^²).

At that time, it was home to many species of wildlife, including wild elephants, which gave rise to the name "Tha Khlong" (ท่าโขลง), meaning "pier of elephant herds". Wild elephants from Khao Yai often roamed here. Remarkably, the area was also the only known natural habitat of the now-extinct Schomburgk's deer (Rucervus schomburgki), a medium-sized deer species.

During the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in the mid-Rattanakosin period, Thailand's first irrigation canal, Khlong Rangsit, was constructed through this area. It was named in honor of his son, Prince Rangsit Prayurasakdi, Prince of Chainat. The canal transformed Rangsit into a prosperous agricultural region, particularly for rice cultivation and fruit orchards, including tangerines.^[2]

Transportation

The area is served by Rangsit station on the State Railway of Thailand's Northern Line, Northeastern Line and Dark Red Line. The main roads are Phahonyothin Road and Vibhavadi Rangsit Road.