府
Nakhon Sawan
Nakhon Sawan is a strategic province in lower northern Thailand at the confluence of the Ping and Nan Rivers, which merge here to form the Chao Phraya River. The province contains Bueng Boraphet, the largest natural freshwater lake in Thailand.
Nakhon Sawan covers 9,598 square kilometres and borders Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Phetchabun, Lopburi, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani, and Tak. The meeting of the Ping and Nan Rivers near the provincial capital — known locally as Pak Nam Pho — marks the birthplace of the Chao Phraya, the great river that flows through Bangkok to the Gulf of Thailand. Bueng Boraphet, covering 212 square kilometres directly east of the city, is a vital wetland and bird sanctuary hosting hundreds of migratory species each year. Nakhon Sawan city has a large Thai-Chinese community and stages one of Thailand's most spectacular Chinese New Year (Trut Chin) celebrations. The province has a population of over 1 million and serves as a major commercial and transportation crossroads between northern and central Thailand.