Phitsanulok (, ; ) is a province of central Thailand. It borders the provinces of Uttaradit to the north, Loei and Phetchabun to the east, Phichit to the south, Kamphaeng Phet to the southwest, and Sukhothai to the west. Its border was shared with Laos (Sainyabuli) to the northeast. Covering an area of , Phitsanulok is the fifteenth-largest province in Thailand. , it has a population of about 840,000, making it the eighth-most populous province in the region.
Settlement in what is now Phitsanulok began in the Stone Age. In the 11th and 12th centuries the area held early city-states such as Song Khwae, Nakhon Thai. From the 13th century onward, Phitsanulok became a major city in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya Kingdom, even serving as the capital city of both. It retained strategic importance during the Thonburi and early Rattanakosin period. After the monthon system was organized in 1897, Phitsanulok became the center of Monthon Phitsanulok, which grouped provinces of the lower northern region.
As a transport hub with a long history, Phitsanulok is the center of lower northern Thailand. It is known for Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, a Buddhist temple where the famous gold-covered statue of the Buddha, Phra Phuttha Chinnarat (พระพุทธชินราช), is located.
History
The lands of present-day Phitsanulok province were inhabited since the Stone Age. The earliest historical records relating to the area indicate that at a time prior to or during the 11th century, the present-day city of Phitsanulok was a small strategic known as Song Khwae (Thai: สองแคว). The Ayutthaya annals call the place Chainat before 1463, where the Sukhothai inscriptions call it Song Khwae. Chusak Satienpattanodom reads Song Khwae as belonging in the 13th century not to Sukhothai but to the realm of Pha Mueang, held by Phaya Khamhaeng Phra Ram, whom he takes for Pha Mueang's younger brother. During the next century, in 1188, Nakhon Thai, near the center of the present Phitsanulok province, was established as the capital city of the Singhanavati Kingdom, an early city-state of Thailand. The year 1188 appears in Simon de La Loubère's account, taken from informants at Ayutthaya, that the ancestors of King Uthong had lived at Nakhon Thai from that date. The Luang Prasert chronicle records the founding of Nakhon Thai in 1477, although it has families fleeing Nakhon Thai for Nan in 1462. Sujit Wongthes and Srisakara Vallibhotama surveyed the town and recorded three earthen walls with moats between them, and traces of settlement on the nearby hills and in caves. They also found Lopburi-style Buddha images, some left unfinished, which Sujit took to have been made at Nakhon Thai.
Later, during Thailand's Sukhothai Period, the city of Phitsanulok emerged as a major city in the east of the Sukhothai Kingdom, and the great temples of Wat Chula Manee, Wat Aranyik and Wat Chedi Yod Thong were constructed. In 1357, the renowned Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat was erected, and the Ayutthaya Period witnessed the construction of several of the province's other chief temples. An Ayutthayan army under Borommarachathirat I took the town in 1378 and received the homage of Maha Thammaracha II. After Sukhothai was divided in the early 15th century, Phitsanulok fell to Maha Thammaracha Boromapan. In 1430 a dispute over the right of a returning forest-order party to ordain was settled by a debate held on two rafts at Song Khwae, which monks of Chaliang won. Dutch records of the 17th century have the northern forest produce, deer hide and timber, collected through Phitsanulok and Kamphaeng Phet. Borommatrailokkanat moved his court there in 1463, merging Chainat and Song Khwae within one wall, and held it until his death in 1488. Phitsanulok served for 25 years as the capital city of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Under the Palace Law the governorship was reserved for the Royal Scion, and successive viceroys of Phitsanulok went on to succeed at Ayutthaya. In 1555, King Naresuan the Great was born in Phitsanulok. Naresuan played a significant role in the history of Thailand, as he expanded the kingdom (then called Siam) to its greatest territorial extent by conquering sizable portions of modern-day Burma and Cambodia.
Khwanmueang Chantarochanee, as reported by Chaipong Samnieng, relates the recovery of the northern towns after they were emptied in 1775 and 1776 to two later movements of people: the Mon migration of 1815 and the crisis of Chao Anouvong in 1826. Mon and Lao culture entered Phitsanulok, Phichai, Sawankhalok, Sukhothai and Tak with them.
In recent times, Phitsanulok province has become an important agricultural center, part of the "bread basket of Thailand", providing rice and other crops to consumers in Thailand and throughout the world. Extensive agricultural development over the last hundred years or so has spawned a modern infrastructure in the urban areas of the province, bringing with it an array of modern roads, universities, hospitals and other conveniences. Over the years, the Nan River and its tributaries have played a substantial role in the history and development of the region by providing a route for transportation, fertile soil for agriculture, and water for irrigation. The river waters have also served as a route for enemy invaders, and have been the source of periodic widespread flooding throughout the province.
Symbols
The provincial seal depicts Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, considered one of the most beautiful Buddha figures in Thailand. The provincial flag is purple with the provincial seal in the middle of the flag. The provincial tree is the tree jasmine, Thai or . The provincial flower is the yellow flame tree, Thai . The provincial animal is the Thai Bangkaew Dog, in Thai . The provincial aquatic animal is the Asian redtail catfish, in Thai . The provincial mascot is the yellow white tail fighting cock, Thai . The provincial motto is, "Beautiful Phra Phuttha Chinnarat. Hometown of King Naresuan. Raft homes of the Nan River. Truly sweet dried bananas. Amazing caves and waterfalls."
Geography Location Phitsanulok province, one of the provinces of Thailand in the lower northern region, is approximately north of Bangkok by road. The province is bordered to the north by Phichai District, Thong Saen Khan District and Nam Pat District of Uttaradit province and Lao People's Democratic Republic. To the east it is bordered by Na Haeo District and Dan Sai District of Loei province, Khao Kho District and Wang Pong District of Phetchabun province. To the south it is bordered by Wang Sai Phun District, Sak Lek District, Sam Ngam District and Mueang Phichit District of Phichit province. To the west it is bordered by Lan Krabue District of Kamphaeng Phet province and Khiri Mat District and Kong Krailat District of Sukhothai province. Its area is , or 6.16% of the area of northern Thailand and 2.05% of area in Thailand.
Topography
Climate
National parks
There are ten national parks in region 11 (Phitsanulok), of which five are in Phitsanulok province. (Visitors in fiscal year 2024) Thung Salaeng Luang National Park (47,395) Namtok Chat Trakan National Park (12,844) Phu Soi Dao National Park (26,811) Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park (223,790) Khwae Noi National Park (4,950)
Wildlife sanctuaries There are six wildlife sanctuaries in region 11 (Phitsanulok), of which two are in Phitsanulok province. Phu Miang–Phu Thong Wildlife Sanctuary Phu Khat Wildlife Sanctuary
Location protected areas Overview protected areas of Phitsanulok National park 1 Khwae Noi 2 Namtok Chat Trakan 3 Phu Hin Rong Kla 4 Phu Soi Dao 5 Thung Salaeng Luang Wildlife sanctuary 6 Phu Kat 7 Phu Miang-Phu Thong
Religion
Buddhism As of 2019 the population of Phitsanulok was 95% Buddhist with some 328 Buddhist temples and 272 samnak song (houses of monks that are not officially registered) in the province. • Mueang Phitsanulok District has 83 temples and 26 samnak song, a few of the 83 temples are:• Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (royal temple with Buddha Chinnarat)• Wat Chulamani (oldest standing temple in Phitsanulok province)• Wat Aranyik (historic temple)• Wat Chan Tawan Tok (with 60 meter high sala under construction) The other eight districts have the following numbers of temples and samnak song: • Nakhon Thai district: 14 temples and 46 samnak song• Chat Trakan district: 7 temples and 26 samnak song• Bang Rakam district: 47 temples and 52 samnak song• Bang Krathum district: 33 temples and 12 samnak song• Phrom Phiram district: 56 temples and 16 samnak song• Wat Bot district: 21 temples and 19 samnak song• Wang Thong district: 50 temples and 43 samnak song• Noen Maprang district: 17 temples and 32 samnak song
Christian There are 50 Christian churches in Phitsanulok province. • Mueang district: 11 churches• Nakhon Thai district: 16 churches• Chat Trakan district: 9 churches• Bang Rakam district: 3 churches• Bang Krathum: 1 church• Phrom Phiram: 4 churches• Wat Bot district: 1 church• Wang Thong district: 2 churches• Noen Maprang district: 3 churches
Muslim Muslims have their Masjid Abubak Pakistan mosque in Mueang Phitsanulok district.
Administrative divisions
Phitsanulok province is divided into nine districts (amphoe). These are further subdivided into 93 subdistricts (tambon) and 1050 villages (muban). As of 26 November 2019 for local government there are: one Phitsanulok Provincial Administrative Organisation - PPOA ( phitsanulok) and 26 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Phitsanulok has city (thesaban nakhon) status, Aranyik has town (thesaban mueang) status and 24 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 76 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Districts, Phitsanulok province # Name Thai Population Tambon Muban1Mueang Phitsanulok291,311201732Nakhon Thai87,772111473Chat Trakan41,3466724Bang Rakam94,643111425Bang Krathum47,3599876Phrom Phiram86,103121237Wat Bot37,6946618Wang Thong121,047111689Noen Maprang57,972777
Demography
Population The population of Phitsanulok province is 865,247, of which Mueang Phitsanulok district is the most populated with 291,311 people. Wang Thong district also has a population exceeding 100,000 people. The remaining seven districts have populations of 35,000 to 95,000, of which Wat Bot district is the least populated district with 37,694 people. + Population 2019 censusDistrictPopulationAreaPopulation density DataProportionkm2mile2Proportionper km2per mile21Mueang291,31133.7%750.8289.97.0%3881,0052Wang Thong121,04714.0%1,687.1651.415.6%721863Bang Rakam94,64310.9%936.0361.48.6%1012624Nakhon Thai87,77210.1%2,220.4857.320.5%401025Phrom Phiram86,10310.0%832.7321.57.7%1032686Noen Maprang57,9726.7%1,029.6397.59.5%561467Bang Krathum47,3595.5%447.0172.64.1%1062748Chat Trakan41,3464.8%1,586.1612.414.7%26689Wat Bot37,6944.3%1,326.2512.012.3%2874 Total865,247100.0%10,815.94,176.0100.0%80207
The population density of Phitsanulok province is 80 people per square kilometer (207 people per mile2), of which Mueang Phitsanulok District has the highest density with 388 people per km2 (1,005 people per mile2) and Chat Trakan District the lowest density with 26 people per km2 (68 people per mile2)
Urban areas The urban population of Phitsanulok province is 274,802 (31.8%). There is one urban area, the city of Phitsanulok, with more than 150,000 inhabitants. The urban area around Bang Rakam has more than 30,000 people. There are also seven urban areas with 7,000 to 13,000 people. There are six urban areas with fewer than 5,500 people, of which Phrom Phiram is the smallest with about 1,100 people.See also: Phitsanulok Local Government