Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, or locally and simply Ayutthaya, is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Ang Thong, Lopburi, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi, Nakhon Pathom and Suphan Buri.

Toponymy

The name Ayutthaya derives from the Sanskrit word Ayodhyā, found in the Ramayana, which means "the invincible [city]". Grammatically, this word is composed of the morphemes a- 'not' + yodhya 'defeatable' (from the root yudh- 'to fight') + ā, a feminine suffix.

Geography

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, covering 2,557 km2, is on the flat river plain of the Chao Phraya River valley. The presence of the Lopburi and Pa Sak rivers makes the province a major rice farming area. The total forest area is 0.05 km2 or 0.02 per mille of provincial area.

Economy

Honda has an automobile factory in the province. Honda produces hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and batteries for electric vehicles there, and at its factory in Prachin Buri. Honda's Ayutthaya factory has an annual capacity of 300,000 units.

Health

Ayutthaya's main hospital is Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.

History

Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong. However, the establishment of Ayutthaya is far older than 14th century. Evidence shown that the area was already populated during Mon Dvaravati period. Sources further mentioned that around 850 AD, the Khmers occupied the area and established a stronghold there, named it as Ayodhya after one of the holiest Hindu cities of India of the same name. Early history of Ayutthaya is historically connected to this Khmer settlement. Consistently, Prince Damrong also agreed that there was a city called Ayodhya which was found by the Khmers ruling from Lopburi at the point where the three rivers meet. Excavation map shows the traces from an ancient baray (water reservoir) close to the southwestern tip of Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon which could has been built on a former important Khmer temple complex. Ayutthaya was the capital of Thailand (then called Siam) for 417 years from 1350, until in Burmese–Siamese War (1765–1767), it was sacked by the Burmese army in 1767. During this era, now usually referred as the Ayutthaya period or Ayutthaya kingdom, Ayutthaya was ruled by 33 kings of five different dynasties. The kingdom became a major regional player, and a trade center of the East, a meeting point of European merchants and Asian traders. Notable monarchs during the Ayutthaya period include King Naresuan the Great, who liberated Ayutthaya from the first Burmese occupation and embarked on a reign of conquest, and King Narai the Great, who initiated diplomatic relations with France, during the reign of Louis XIV. His reign was the golden age of trade and culture. The city was strategically positioned. During several months of the year, the flood plains around the cities would be flooded by the many rivers around the city. Enemy sieges were thus impossible, and forced to withdraw. This advantage was a contributing factor in the many failed Burmese invasions. The ruins of the old capital in the Ayutthaya historical park have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 1991. The province is also home to the Bang Pa-in summer palace complex. Originally named Krung Kao (กรุงเก่า), the province was renamed Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya in 1926.

Symbols

According to legend, King Ramathibodi I found a beautiful conch shell buried in the ground, and chose the site as the place for his capital. He then placed the shell on a pedestal tray and built a pavilion around it. The seal shows this pavilion with the provincial tree behind it. The provincial flower is the ดอกโสน Sesbania aculeata, and the provincial tree is the fragrant manjack (Cordia dichotoma). The giant river prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) is the provincial aquatic life. The provincial slogan ราชธานีเก่า อู่ข้าวอู่น้ำ เลิศล้ำกานท์กวี คนดีศรีอยุธยา เลอคุณค่ามรดกโลก can be translated as "The old capital, breadbasket, excellent literature, the good people of Ayutthaya, the treasured world heritage".

Administrative divisions

Provincial government

The province is divided into sixteen districts (amphoe), 209 subdistricts (tambon) and 1,328 villages (muban). Ayutthaya is unique among the provinces of Thailand in that the district of its seat of government is not called Mueang District Ayutthaya, as the common scheme would suggest, but rather Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District:

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 36 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Ayutthaya municipality has city (thesaban nakhon) status. Ayothaya, Bang Ban, Phak Hai and Sena municipalities have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 31 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 121 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

Education

Primary and secondary education

There are over 400 schools in the province. Notable ones are Ayutthaya Wittayalai School, which is the main provincial school of Ayutthaya, it was founded in 1905 as "Krung-Kao Provincial Model School". Chomsurang Upatham School, an all-girls provincial school founded in 1917 by Queen Saovabha Phongsri. The Laboratory School of Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University, commonly called Satit Ayutthaya, a laboratory school under Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University.

Higher education

There are several higher institutions in Ayutthaya. Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya Rajabhat University is a public university located in the Ayutthaya Island. It was founded in 1905 by King Chulalongkorn as "Krung-Kao Teacher Training College". Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University is the oldest Buddhist university in Thailand. It was founded in 1887 by King Chulalongkorn with the purpose of offering higher education to monks. Rajamangala University of Technology Suvarnabhumi, it has four campuses in Hantra, Wasukri, Suphanburi, and Nonthaburi.

Religion

Climate

Ayutthaya, on the central plains, historically has three seasons:

Transport

Human achievement index 2022

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.

Tourism

Ayutthaya is 76 kilometres north of Bangkok and boasts numerous ruins. Such ruins indicate that Ayutthaya was one of Indochina's most prosperous cities. The Ayutthaya Historical Park is a vast stretch of historical sites in the heart of Ayutthaya city. There were three palaces in Ayutthaya: Grand Palace, Chantharakasem Palace or the Front Palace, and Wang Lang or the Rear Palace. In addition, there were many other palaces and buildings for royal visits outside the city area of Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, such as Bang Pa-In Palace at Bang Pa-in and Nakhon Luang Building in the Nakhon Luang District. To promote tourism, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya government has organized a light and sound show at Ayutthaya Historical Park in every beginning of the year as "Yor Yos Ying Fah: Ayutthaya World Heritage" consistently for about 10 days.

Local dishes

Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya has many renowned dishes such as

Notable people