Nakhon Nayok province

Province of Thailand

Province in Thailand

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| Chanon Vasiksiri
Area

[1]

• Total

| 2,141 km2 (827 sq mi)
• Rank| 67th
Population

(2024)[2]

• Total

| 259,770
• Rank| 73rd
• Density| 121/km2 (310/sq mi)
• Rank| 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| nakhonnayok.go.th

Provincial Administrative Organization

Nakhon Nayok Provincial Administrative Organization

องค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดนครนายก

Provincial Administrative Organization

Government

• Type| Local administrative divisions
• Body| Nakhon Nayok Provincial Administrative Organization
• President| Nida Yaynangam
Website| khonyok.go.th

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.

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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). The provincial aquatic life is the red tailed tinfoil (Barbonymus altus).

## Climate

[edit]

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

[edit]

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 Nakhon Nayok province consists of a flat river plain shaped by the Nakhon Nayok River, while the southern part features relatively infertile acidic soil. The province has a total forest area of 642 km² (248 sq mi), accounting for 30 percent of its total 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

[edit]

Districts of Nakhon Nayok

### Central government

[edit]

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

[edit]

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).

## Healthcare

[edit]

### Hospitals

[edit]

There are six hospitals in the province:

* Nakhon Nayok general hospital with 314 beds.
* Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy Hospital with 90 beds.
* Pak Phli community hospital with 10 beds.
* Ban Na community hospital with 70 beds.
* Ongkharak community hospital with 31 beds.
* HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center with 500 beds.

### Health promoting hospitals

[edit]

There are total fifty-five health-promoting hospitals in the province, of which;

* 17 in Mueang Nakhon Nayok district
* 9 in Pak Phli district
* 14 in Ban Na district
* 15 in Ongkharak district.

## Demographics

[edit]

### Population

[edit]

Population history of Nakhon Nayok province is as follows: [14] [15]

1947 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2011 | 2020

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

117,547 | 154,000 | 161,000 | 201,230 | 228,981 | 241,081 | 253,831 | 260,081

## Religion

[edit]

There are 222 Theravada Buddhist temples in the province.

* 95 in Mueang Nakhon Nayok district
* 39 in Pak Phli district
* 55 in Ban Na district
* 33 in Ongkharak district

## Human achievement index 2022

[edit]

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

[edit]

1. ^ "Table 2 Forest area Separate province year 2019". Royal Forest Department. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
2. ^ "Official statistics registration systems". Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA). Retrieved 10 February 2025, year 2024 >provincial level >Excel File >no.26`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
3. ^ a b "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\. Archived from the original on 15 January 2025. 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. Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. 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."
14. ^ "Statistical Yearbook Thailand 2012". National Statistical Office Thailand. Retrieved 25 April 2025, year 2011`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
15. ^ "Statistical Yearbook Thailand 2021". National Statistical Office Thailand. Retrieved 25 April 2025, year 2020`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: postscript (link)

## External links

[edit]

* Nakhon Nayok travel guide from Wikivoyage
* News and Information in Nakhon Nayok (thai)[usurped]
* Nakhon Nayok, Tourist Authority of Thailand
* Website of province Archived 2021-05-06 at the Wayback Machine (Thai)
* Khao Yai National Park

Places adjacent to Nakhon Nayok province

| Saraburi province |  | Nakhon Ratchasima province

|
|

|  |
Pathum Thani province |

Nakhon Nayok province

| Prachinburi province
|  |
| Chachoengsao province |

14°12′44″N 101°12′06″E﻿ / ﻿14.21222°N 101.20167°E﻿ / 14.21222; 101.20167

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