Bang Phli district
Bang Phli (Template:Langx, Template:IPA) is a district (amphoe) of Samut Prakan province in Thailand. It is home to Suvarnabhumi Airport (also called (New) Bangkok International Airport), which opened on 28 September 2006 as Thailand's primary airport. The district was part of the once-proposed Nakhon Suvarnabhumi province.
History
Bang Phli appeared as evidence that it has been a habitat since the Khmer era (around 435–1158), because many areas around it are names that are derived from Khmer such as Thap Nang, Nam Daeng, Bang Chalong etc. The Khlong Samrong canal, which is Template:Cvt long, flows through the area and is considered a main watercourse.
Rattanakosin's renowned poet Sunthorn Phu wrote about Khlong Samrong in his work "Nirat Mueang Klaeng" during a visit to his father in Rayong Province. When he arrived here and impressed with the young people that take a boat pass through.<ref name=Bang/>
The name "Bang Phli" came from the assumption that when King Naresuan the Great fought with the enemies that came to invade Ayutthaya. He stopped the army here and have performed a ritual called "Bat Phli" to terrorize the enemies and to be an auspicious for the army.<ref name=Bang>"บางพลี...นามนี้มีที่มา" ("Bang Phli...this name have origins"), Tell the story..Bang Phli .. Thai heritage way .. (Free travel guidebook) Template:Langx</ref>
In the reign of King Rama III, Bang Phli became a community where more people came to live, consisting of a variety of people, such as Laotians, Mons with Teochews and Hainanese. Most Chinese have a career in trading and building houses along the waterfront. Therefore, causing Bang Phli to prosper respectively and raised the status to a district in 1895.<ref name=Bang/>
Geography
Bang Phli district is on the eastern outskirts of Bangkok bisected by the Bang Na-Chonburi Expressway.
Neighbouring districts are Bang Na, Prawet, and Lat Krabang (all in Bangkok) in the north, Bang Sao Thong and Bang Bo to the east, and Mueang Samut Prakan to the south and west.
Administration
The district is divided into six sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 83 villages (mubans). Bang Phli itself is also a sub-district municipality (thesaban tambon) which includes parts of tambons Bang Phli Yai, Bang Pla, and Bang Chao Long. There are another six tambon administrative organizations (TAO) in the district.
| No. | Name | Thai | Villages | Pop.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Bang Phli Yai | บางพลีใหญ่ | 23 | 91,678 |
| 2. | Bang Kaeo | บางแก้ว | 16 | 54,634 |
| 3. | Bang Pla | บางปลา | 15 | 32,751 |
| 4. | Bang Chalong | บางโฉลง | 11 | 41,834 |
| 8. | Racha Thewa | ราชาเทวะ | 15 | 29,602 |
| 9. | Nong Prue | หนองปรือ | Template:03 | Template:02,719 |
The missing geocodes in the table are now form Bang Sao Thong district.
Economy
Bang Phli is home to a number of manufacturing companies including Plan Toys; lingerie company, Triumph International;<ref>Triumph defends Thailand severance deals. Just-style.com. Retrieved on 2013-08-25.</ref> auto parts maker, Yarnphan;<ref>Article: Yarnphan invests two billion baht in expansion. | AccessMyLibrary - Promoting library advocacy. AccessMyLibrary (2004-04-23). Retrieved on 2013-08-25.</ref> Surf Technicians Inc.;<ref>[1]Template:Dead link</ref> windsurfing equipment design company, Natural Corporation;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> chemical manufacturer, Hanwha Chemical alkali soluble resin (ASR) and emulsion plant;<ref>KOREA'S HANWHA CHEMICAL TO INVEST US$18 MLN IN THAILAND.' | AccessMyLibrary - Promoting library advocacy. AccessMyLibrary. Retrieved on 2013-08-25.Template:Dead link</ref> furniture manufacturer, Rockworth;,<ref>Despite realty slump, strong baht, Rockworth eyes growth Template:Webarchive. The Nation (2007-03-23). Retrieved on 2013-08-25.</ref> Hino Motors,<ref name=thaihino1>Template:Cite web</ref> and a Nivea cosmetics production plant.<ref>[2] Template:Webarchive</ref> The first IKEA store in Thailand opened at Mega Bangna on the Bang Na-Bang Pakong Highway in Bang Kaeo in late-2011.
Festivals
Bang Phli is known for its annual Lotus Flower (Rap Bua) Festival, which takes place on the last day of vassa on the fourteenth day of the waxing moon in the eleventh lunar month, usually the full moon in October. A boat carrying a replica of the Luang Poh To Buddha statue from the temple Wat Bang Pli Yai Nai is moved along the Khlong Samrong canal. The people on the banks of the canal throw lotus flowers onto the boat, as donating lotus flowers to Buddha is merit-making.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Attractions
- Bang Phli floating market or Ancient Bang Phli market: an authentic market over 100 years old which still remains the same. It is located on the bank of Khlong Samrong. It was one of the flourishing communities in the past. It is assumed that Chinese opened this market in 1857 to transport goods and people from the east coast to Bangkok. What is interesting about the market are traditional wooden shophouses lined along the Khlong Samrong with a length of 500 m (1640 ft). They were built with Thai mixed Chinese architectures two-storey hipped roof.<ref name=Bang/>
- Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai: an ancient Buddhist temple rim Khlong Samrong next to floating market, where Luang Poh To is enshrined. This Buddha statue has a folklore that is said to float over the water more than 200 years ago along with two other Buddha statues (Luang Poh Ban Laem of Wat Ban Laem and Luang Poh Sothon of Wat Sothonwararam).<ref name=Bang/>
- Wat Bang Phil Yai Klang, also known as Wat Phra Non: another Buddhist temple in pair with Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai, located between Wat Bang Phli Yai Nai and Wat Khong Kharam (Wat Yai Nu), hence the name Wat Bang Phli Yai Klang (Klang in Thai means middle). Highlight of the temple remains at the biggest Buddha reclining posture statue in Thailand named Phra Sakayamunee Si Sumetbophit, with approximately 53 m (173 ft) long.
- Mega Bangna, the first low rise Super Regional shopping center in Southeast Asia.
Health
- Bang Phli Hospital, a general hospital operated by the Ministry of Public Health
- Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute (CNMI), a university hospital operated by the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University
Education
- American School of Bangkok Bangna Campus<ref>"Contact Us Template:Webarchive." The American School of Bangkok. Retrieved on February 28, 2013. "BANGNA CAMPUS (Pre-K to Grade 12)</ref>
- Thai-Chinese International School is in Bang Phli Yai<ref>Home Template:Webarchive. Thai-Chinese International School. Retrieved on 28 February 2013.</ref>