Suphan Buri

Suphan Buri covers 5,358 square kilometres and is bordered by Uthai Thani and Chai Nat to the north, Sing Buri and Ang Thong to the east, Ayutthaya and Nakhon Pathom to the south, and Kanchanaburi to the west. The Tha Chin River (also known as the Suphan Buri River) bisects the southern half of the province, flowing through paddy fields that produce much of the province's rice crop. The Don Chedi monument commemorates King Naresuan the Great's single combat victory over Mingyi Swa, crown prince of Burma, which secured Thai independence in 1593. The province is also historically associated with U-Thong, a pre-Ayutthayan city whose excavated ruins include Mon-era artefacts. With a population of around 849,000, Suphan Buri is a prosperous agricultural province an easy drive north-west of Bangkok.