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Pathum Thani Province
Pathum Thani, whose name means 'lotus flower town', is a central Thai province lying immediately north of Bangkok on the low alluvial flats of the Chao Phraya River. With a population of over 1.2 million and a density ranking fourth in the country, it is effectively an extension of the Bangkok metropolitan area.
The province covers 1,520 square kilometres and is criss-crossed by numerous canals (khlongs) that historically fed extensive rice paddies across the flat floodplain. Pathum Thani town was founded around 1650 by Mon settlers and received its present name from King Rama II in 1815. The largest city is Rangsit, which serves as a major commercial and educational hub. The province contains no significant forest, with manufacturing comprising 46.6 percent of its gross provincial product. Notable attractions include Dream World amusement park and Rangsit's many universities, making Pathum Thani one of Thailand's foremost academic centres.