Phaya Thai district

Phaya Thai (Thai: พญาไท, pronounced [pʰā.jāː tʰāj]) is a district in central Bangkok, Thailand. From the north clockwise, its neighbouring districts are: Bang Sue, Chatuchak, Din Daeng, Ratchathewi, and Dusit. Despite sharing a name, due to boundary changes, Phaya Thai Road and Phaya Thai BTS Station are in the adjoining Ratchathewi District.

Phaya Thai
พญาไท
Khet
Buildings in Phaya Thai District
Buildings in Phaya Thai District
Khet location in Bangkok
Khet location in Bangkok
Coordinates: 13°46′48″N 100°32′34″E
CountryThailand
ProvinceBangkok
SeatPhaya Thai
Khwaeng2
Area
 • Total9.59 km2 (3.70 sq mi)
Population
 (2017)
 • Total70,238[1]
 • Density7,320.27/km2 (18,959.4/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code
10400
Geocode1014

History

Phaya Thai district was set up in 1966 by taking areas that were part of Dusit and Bang Kapi Districts.[2] It was named after Phaya Thai palace, which was built in 1909 at King Rama V's behest.[3] Since then, many changes to the district have been made. In 1973, the Huai Khwang district was separated from Phaya Thai. Later in 1978, as an effort to balance the population among districts, the boundaries between Phaya Thai, Huai Khwang, and Bang Kapi Districts were modified.[4] A new Ratchathewi district was created by carving off the southern part of Phaya Thai in 1989.[5] In 1993, some eastern parts were moved out of the district to the newly-formed Din Daeng,[6] leaving Phaya Thai with only one remaining sub-district, Sam Sen Nai.

Due to the split off of Ratchathewi, Phaya Thai Road is no longer in Phaya Thai District. It runs through Ratchathewi and Pathum Wan. Similarly, Phaya Thai BTS Station is in Ratchathewi, on Phaya Thai Road.

During the reign of King Rama VI, Phaya Thai was an area filled with military cantonments. "Sanam Pao" is another familiar name of the area, owing the original name of Phaholyothin Road, the main thoroughfare through the area.

Administration

The district is divided into two sub-districts (khwaeng).

Number Name Thai name Area (km2) Population

(December 2021)

 Population density

(December 2021)

 Map
1.
 Sam Sen Nai สามเสนใน
4.923
30,476
6,190.53
 Map
6.
 Phaya Thai พญาไท
4.672
36,736
7,648.97
Total
9.595
66,212
6,900.68
Phahonyothin Road in Phaya Thai

The missing numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5 belong to the sub-districts which were split off to form Ratchathewi district.

Places
Old weighing scales in Philatelic Museum
Sam Sen railway station's goods and parcel room (Phaya Thai side)

Phaya Thai is home to many government offices, such as the Government Savings Bank, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. A large portion of the district on its east side is occupied by the Royal Thai Army, including the Army Stadium, and the military-owned television Channel 5. Wat Phai Tan (วัดไผ่ตัน) is the only Buddhist temple in the district.

The population is more concentrated in the area called Saphan Khwai (สะพานควาย) with many shops, apartments, and a BigC shopping center.

The Thai Philatelic Museum was renovated and moved to a building behind the Samsen Nai post office at Saphan Khwai in December 2004. Among the exhibits are awards Thai philatelists received from various international competitions together with photocopies of the winning entries, posters depicting rare Thai stamps, and winning postage stamp designs.

Transportation

There are three BTS skytrain stations in Phaya Thai: Sanam Pao, Ari, and Saphan Khwai. The Bangkok MRT station Bang Sue is in the northwest corner of the district.

Phaya Thai is also served by the Sam Sen railway station of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT), which every train (except the Eastern Line) must pass here before reaching (or departing) from Hua Lamphong railway station. The rail tracks also serve as the dividing line between Phaya Thai's Phaya Thai Sub-district and Dusit's Thanon Nakhon Chai Si Sub-district.

People

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra (2001–2006) was a police officer who began his career at Phaya Thai Police Station. Shinawatra and his political party, Thai Rak Thai were ousted in a coup in September 2006.[lower-alpha 1]

Notes
  1. Phaya Thai Police Station, although its name suggests that it is "Phaya Thai", in fact, the location of the station is in the vicinity of Ratchathewi.[7]

References
  1. "Population and House Report for Year 2017". Department of Provincial Administration, Ministry of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 1 April 2018. (Search page)
  2. พระราชกฤษฎีกาตั้งอำเภอพญาไท พ.ศ. ๒๕๐๙ (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 83 (39 ก special): 1–3. 1 May 1966. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2009.
  3. โชติพานิช, บัณฑิต จุลาสัย, รัชดา (23 September 2018). "เขต พระราชวัง พญาไท". มติชนออนไลน์ (in Thai). Retrieved 21 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. พระราชกฤษฎีกาเปลี่ยนแปลงพื้นที่เขตพญาไท เขตห้วยขวางและเขตบางกะปิ กรุงเทพมหานคร พ.ศ. ๒๕๒๑ (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 95 (48 ก): 180. 2 May 1978. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2012.
  5. ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง เปลี่ยนแปลงพื้นที่เขตพญาไท และตั้งเขตราชเทวี (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 106 (208 ง ฉบับพิเศษ): 9. 24 November 1989. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2012.
  6. ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง เปลี่ยนแปลงพื้นที่เขตพญาไท เขตราชเทวี เขตห้วยขวาง และตั้งเขตดินแดง กรุงเทพมหานคร (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 110 (184 ง ฉบับพิเศษ): 3–6. 10 November 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 June 2012.
  7. "ติดต่อเรา" [Contact us]. Phayathai.metro.police.go.th (in Thai).
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