Ban Ko (, ) is a subdistrict (tambon) in the northwest part of Mueang Samut Sakhon district, Samut Sakhon province, Thailand. Local government is split into a subdistrict municipality and a subdistrict administrative organization. It is located 13 km west from Bangkok.
History Originally, Ban Ko was a village (muban) in Tha Sai subdistrict. In the era of second local headman proposed a separation to set up a new subdistrict. In 1925, the government announced the establishment of the areas of Ban Ko, Bang Pla, and Om Rong Hip together to form a subdistrict for the first time, called "Ko Ari" (เกาะอารีย์, ) in the year 1938. Later, the name was changed to "Ban Ko" according to its topography. Ban Bang Pla, village 4 status was upgraded from sanitary district to subdistrict municipality on 24 February 1999, effective on 25 May 1999. The remaining villages (1-3 and 5-8) were upgraded to subdistrict administrative organization - SAO on 1 October 2012.
Geography Neighbouring subdistricts are (from the north clockwise): Amphaeng, Ban Phaeo district; Tha Sao and Don Kai Di, Krathum Baen district; Na Di, Tha Sai, Bang Krachao and Chai Mongkhon, Mueang Samut Sakhon district, Samut Sakhon province. The main watercourse of Samut Sakhon province, Tha Chin River flows into the Gulf of Thailand at Bang Ya Phraek subdistrict. Khlong Khru, a local main khlong (canal), used to be an old course of the Tha Chin river. In the King Rama V's reign, the Tha Chin river was excavated. As a result, this phase of the river became shallow and eventually reduced in size to become a canal. With the topography of Mueang Samut Sakhon close to the mouth of the Bangkok Bay (upper Gulf of Thailand). Therefore, Ban Ko has both mangrove forests and nipa palm forests.
Toponymy The name Ban Ko literally translated as "island hamlet", due to the condition of its area surrounded by waterways. Hence the name. In addition, it is also known as Ko Samut (เกาะสมุทร, , lit "ocean island").
Environment At present, Ban Ko's nipa palm forest is the last remaining. It is like a green space surrounded by highways and houses with factories. The forest is also habitat to Betta mahachaiensis, a bubble-nesting fighting fish endemic to Samut Sakhon and its vicinity (Bang Khun Thian, Samut Prakan, Samut Songkhram). The male fish nests in a shallow puddle beneath the nipa palm tree.
Administration Provincial government The administration of Ban Ko subdistrict (tambon) is responsible for an area that covers and consists of eight villages (muban), as of December 2024: 19,715 people and 11,276 households. No. Villages Thai Pop. 1. Ban Phanthu Wong บ้านพันธุวงษ์ 5,560 2. Ban Wat Ko บ้านวัดเกาะ 709 3. Ban Na Wat บ้านหน้าวัด 458 4. Ban Bang Pla บ้านบางปลา 7,650 5. Ban Siri Mongkhon บ้านศิริมงคล 568 6. Ban Khlong Samae บ้านคลองแสม 458 7. Ban Om Rong Hip บ้านอ้อมโรงหีบ 2,270 8. Ban Pak Bo Yai บ้านปากบ่อใหญ่ 2,045 Total 19,715
Local government The local administration is split into: Bang Pla subdistrict municipality (thesaban tambon) is responsible for village 4 (Ban Bang Pla) with an area of , as of December 2024: 7,650 people of 4,956 households. Ban Ko subdistrict administrative organization - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon - o bo toh) is responsible for village 1-3 and 5-8 with an area of , as of December 2024: 12,065 people of 6,320 households.
Healthcare Health promoting hospitals There are two health-promoting hospitals in Moo4 and Moo7.
Education There are the following primary/secondary schools: Wat Phanthu Wong school - Moo1. Wat Ko school - Moo2. Samut Sakhon Wutthichai school - Moo4. Wat Bang Pla school - Moo4. Wat Siri Mongkhon school - Moo5. Ban Om Rong Hip school - Moo7.
Economy For Bang Pla village 4, there are some 40 small-scale factories and a variety of business types. Of the population of the remaining villages, 53% are engaged in temporary employment, 25 % in fish farming, 15 % in fruit farming, 5 % in trading and 2 % are civil servants.
Religion The following active temples, where Theravada Buddhism is practised by local residents: Temple name Thai Location Wat Phanthu Wong วัดพันธุวงษ์ Moo1 Wat Ko วัดเกาะ Moo2 Wat Bang Pla ซัดบางปลา Moo4 Wat Pa Chai Rangsi วัดป่าชัยรังสี Moo4 Wat Siri Mongkhon วัดศิริมงคล Moo5 Wat Pa Mahachai วัดป่ามาหาไชย Moo7
Transportation Distance to Highway 35 - direction Bangkok is four kilometer. Most people take public buses, the average departure time is about 10-15 minutes per bus. The rest use motorcycles or private cars.
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