Sangkhla Buri district

This article is about the district. For its main settlement, which is also known as Sangkhlaburi town, see Nong Lu.

Sangkhla Buri (Thai: สังขละบุรี, pronounced [sǎŋ.kʰlàʔ bū.rīː], Mon: ဝင်္ကlisten^ⓘ,pronounced [liəŋka]) is a district (amphoe) in the northern part of Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand.

Sangkhla Buri สังขละบุรี
District
Three Pagodas Pass
District location in Kanchanaburi province
Coordinates: 15°9′20″N 98°27′12″E
Country	Thailand
Province	Kanchanaburi
Seat	Nong Lu
Area [1]
• Total	3,349 km2 (1,293 sq mi)
Population  (2024)[2]
• Total	54,459
• Density	16/km2 (40/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code	71240
Calling code	034
ISO 3166 code	TH-7108

History

In 1939 the district Wang Ka (วังกะ) was renamed Sangkhla Buri, which was previously the name of the minor district Thong Pha Phum.^[3] On 20 May 1941 the district was downgraded to a minor district (king amphoe) and made a subordinate of Thong Pha Phum District. It then consisted of the four tambons: Nong Lu, Prangphle, Laiwo, and Lang Phu Sa^[4] It was again upgraded to full district status on 27 July 1965.^[5]

Geography

Sangkhla Buri is in the far northwest of the province, on the Myanmar border. Three Pagodas Pass is the border crossing station to Myanmar. A large part of the district is covered by the Khao Laem Reservoir, an artificial lake formed by the Vajiralongkorn Dam on the Khwae Noi River.
The northern part of the district is in the area of Thung Yai Naresuan (West) Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the largest forest in thailand.
Neighboring jurisdictions are (from the west clockwise) Tanintharyi Division, Mon State and Kayin State of Myanmar, Umphang district of Tak province, and Thong Pha Phum district of Kanchanaburi.

Administration

Provincial administration

The district is divided into three subdistricts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 21 administrative villages (mubans).^[2]

No.	Subdistrict	Thai	Villages	Pop.
01.	Nong Lu	ท่าขนุน	011	040,868
02.	Prang Phlo	ปิล๊อก	004	006,878
03.	Laiwo	หินดาด	008	006,713
		Total	021	054,459

Local government

Municipality

As of December 2024 there is: Wang Ka subdistrict municipality (thesaban tambon) which covers parts of Nong Lu subdistrict.^[6]

0Wang Ka subdistrict mun.	Pop.	05710801	wangka.go.th
Nong Lu	09,769

Subdistrict administrative organizations

The non-municipal areas are administered by three subdistrict administrative organizations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon - o bo toh).^[6]

Subdistrict adm.org - SAO	Pop.	LAO code	website
Nong Lu SAO	031,099	06710804	hnongloo.go.th
Prang Phlo SAO	006,878	06710802	prungphlae.go.th
Laiwo SAO	006,713	06710803	laiwo.go.th

Education

• 20 primary schools
• 2 secondary schools^[7]

Healthcare

Hospitals

Sangkhla Buri district is served by two hospitals

• Sangkhla Buri Hospital with 61 beds.
• Christian Hospital of the Sangkhla Buri Christian Center with 30 beds.

Health promoting hospitals

In the district there are six health-promoting hospitals in total.^[8]

1 Laiwo0	1 Prang Phlo0	4 Nong Lu0

Religion

There are eighteen Theravada Buddhist temples in the district.^[9][10]

3 Laiwo0	7 Prang Phlo0	8 Nong Lu

Mon Bridge

The Christians have fifteen churches and muslims have one mosque.^[11]

Uttamanusorn Bridge

Main article: Uttamanusorn Bridge

A 2014 Bangkok Post article said that the "Uttamanusorn Bridge, better known as Saphan Mon,...built almost 30 years ago by the people, for the people of Ban Wangka, a Mon village" is the most popular tourist landmark in the district".^[12]