Mueang Phitsanulok is the capital district (amphoe mueang) of Phitsanulok province, lower northern region of Thailand.

History

Mueang Phitsanulok was the first class city in the northern part of Ayutthaya kingdom until the end of the kingdom in 1767. Also in the reign of King Taksin the Great, Phitsanulok was the first class city. In the Thesaphiban administrative reforms of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) the city became the center of monthon Phitsanulok. Also during these reforms the district was created in 1898. Luang Udom Khet Borihan became the first district head officer.

Geography

Location

Neighboring districts are (from the north clockwise) Phrom Phiram, Wat Bot, Wang Thong, Bang Krathum and Bang Rakam of Phitsanulok province.

Topography

Mueang Phitsanulok lies within the Nan Basin, although the district's western border with Bang Rakam district is essentially the boundary between the Nan Basin and the Yom Basin as well. The distinction between the basins is blurry in this region, as the terrain is flat, and residents have diverted much of the water flow for agriculture over the years. Both basins are part of the Chao Phraya Watershed. The important water resource is the Nan River, and the Khwae Noi River also flows through the district.

Climate

Nature

Forest area is 53 km2, approximately 6.8 percent of the total area of the district. Not to far away is Thung Salaeng Luang National Park, 1,262 km2.

Religion

As of 2019 the population of Mueang Phitsanulok district was 95 percent Buddhist with some active 83 Buddhist temples (Wats) and 26 samnak song (houses of monks that are not officially registered). There are 11 Christian churches in Mueang Phitsanulok District and muslims have their Masjid Abubak Pakistan mosque.

Administration

Provincial government

The district is divided into 20 subdistricts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 173 villages (mubans).

Local government

Phitsanulok is a city municipality (thesaban nakhon) which covers tambon Nai Mueang. Aranyik is a town municipality (thesaban mueang). Hua Ro, Tha Thong, Ban Khlong, Phlai Chumphon and Ban Mai are subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). Ban Mai has not covered parts of tambons Wang Nam Khu and Wat Phrik since 1999. There are further 14 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

Demography

Population

Mueang Phitsanulok district is with 281,929 people the most densely populated district of Phitsanulok Province. The other eight districts have a total population of 276,936 people.

Urban area

Urban population in Mueang Phitsanulok district is 158,534 people (54.4 percent). The urban area around the city of Phitsanulok has 156,547 people and around Ban Mai is this 1,987 people; 54.4 percent of the people in the district live in a municipal area, 132,277 people (45.6 percent) live in a non-municipal area.

Economy

Mueang Phitsanulok district is the shopping and service center of Phitsanulok Province.

Department stores

Service Facilities

Agriculture

Four main crops

Fruit trees and tree crops

Vegetable crops

Livestock farming

Livestock farming produced commodities from chicken 597,497; duck 101,252; swine 16,732; cattle 3,540; buffalo 1,736; goat 2,446 and goose 141.

Fishery

Total catch from freshwater aquaculture was 1,144 ton, or 9.4 percent of 12,169 ton from Phitsanulok Province.

Education

Mueang Phitsanulok district is the educational center of Phitsanulok Province. There are many educational institutions at all levels, from kindergarten to university level, both government and private.

Higher education

There are six higher education institutes in or around the district with 38,553 students:

Vocational education

Secondary education

Primary education

Healthcare

Government hospitals

There are four government hospitals in Mueang Phitsanulok District.

Private hospitals

Five private hospitals are in Mueang Phitsanulok District with total 400 beds:

Health promoting hospitals

There are 24 health promoting hospitals in Mueang Phitsanulok District.

Infrastructure

Roads

Road 126, a multi-lane by-pass enables through-traffic to avoid the city of Phitsanulok, and connects to highway 11 to Uttaradit and Lampang in the north, and to highway 12 to Phetchabun in the east, and to highway 11 to Sing Buri in the south, and to highway 117 to Nakhon Sawan in the south, and to highway 12 to Sukhothai, Tak and Mae Sot in the west.

Buses

Phitsanulok Terminal 1 (Saen Phon Phai) and Terminal 2 (Samo Khae) provide the mass transport throughout Phitsanulok Province by some eight bus companies. Yanyon tour operates its own private bus station (Sua Thim) with only a busline to Bangkok.

Airport

Close to the city center (Aranyik), Phitsanulok Airport receives up to six flights a day from Bangkok (flight time approximately 60 minutes), which are operated by three airlines: Nok Air, Thai Air Asia and Thai Lion Air.

Railway

In the city center, Phitsanulok railway station mainly receives intercity trains on the Northern Line, operated by State Railway of Thailand, more than a dozen trains running in each direction each day.

Radio

There are eight radio stations in the district:

Flooding

In 2006, there were reported cases of leptospirosis among residents of Mueang Phitsanulok, contracted from standing water.