Thailand - Central Region - Chai Nat Province

Chai Nat or Chainat and main town of the same name.

Chai Nat (Chainat) in the centre of the central region of Thailand is little known by tourists and visitors.

Chai Nat (Chainat), which means place of victory, is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River on the flat river plain of the Chao Phraya River in central Thailand. In the south of the province the Chao Phraya Dam (formerly the Chai Nat Dam) holds back the Chao Phraya river. The dam is for both for flood control as well as to divert water into an irrigation system for the rice paddies in the river valley below. The dam is part of the Greater Chao Phraya Project that was completed in 1957. The Chao Phraya Dam and was the first dam to be constructed in Thailand.

Chai Nat province's main city was located at Sankhaburi but in the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV - 1851 - 1868) the population of the main settlement of the province was moved to its present-day location. During the Burma /Siam wars the town it was a strategically important military base to confront with the Burmese arms. As all these battles were successful and eventually the Burmese were defeated in Siam - The city gained the name Chai Nat.

Chai Nat province has an area of about 2,500 sq km - divided into 6 Amphoe (districts) and 2 King Amphoe (minor districts). The districts are further divided into 53 Tambon (sub-districts) containing almost 500 villages. The other districts with distances from Amphoe Muang - Chai Nat to Other Districts by distance are: