Phahonyothin Road Explained

Country:	THA
Type:	R
Route:	1
Map Custom:	yes
Alternate Name:	ถนนพหลโยธิน Thanon Phahon Yothin
Length Km:	1005
Direction A:	South
Direction B:	North
Terminus A:	Bangkok, Victory Monument
Terminus B:	Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, border to
Formed:	Before 1936
Provinces:	Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Phayao

Phahonyothin Road (Thai: ถนนพหลโยธิน,, in Thai pronounced as /tʰā.nǒn pʰā.hǒn jōː.tʰīn/) or Highway 1 is a main road in Bangkok and one of the four primary highways in Thailand, which include Mittraphap Road (Highway 2), Sukhumvit Road (Highway 3), and Phet Kasem Road (Highway 4). It begins at Victory Monument in Bangkok and runs north to the Burmese border, with a total length of 1005km (624miles).

History

left|thumb|Phahonyothin Road passing Chatuchak Park view towards Lat Phrao Square

Phahonyothin Road was originally called "Prachathipat Road" (Thai: ถนนประชาธิปัตย์, Thanon Prachathipat, literally "Democrat Road"), and reached just 22km (14miles) to Don Mueang. In 1938, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram had the road extended from Don Mueang, through Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, and Singburi, making it 162km (101miles) long. The newly lengthened road was renamed Phahonyothin Road, in honor of General Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena (formerly Phot Phahonyothin), the second Prime Minister of Thailand and one of the heads of the 1932 revolution.^[1]

Route

In Bangkok, Phahonyothin Road originates at the northeast corner of Victory Monument on the periphery of Ratchathewi and Phaya Thai districts, then crosses Chatuchak, Bang Khen, Don Mueang, and Sai Mai districts before continuing into Pathum Thani Province, and on through Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, again through Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Phayao and finally Chiang Rai, ending in Mae Sai district, where it connects to Tachileik in Myanmar.

Phaholyothin Road in Bangkok is also a demarcation line between districts or sub-districts in several phases as follows:

1. Thung Phaya Thai (outbound) and Thanon Phaya Thai (inbound) in Ratchathewi district, as a continuation of Phaya Thai Road, from Victory Monument to the bridge over the Khlong Samsen.
2. Phaya Thai (outbound) and Samsen Nai (inbound) in Phaya Thai district throughout the entire area, from the bridge over the Khlong Samsen to the bridge over the Khlong Bang Sue (begins July 26, 2017).^[2]
3. Chatuchak (outbound) and Chom Phon (inbound) in Chatuchak district from the bridge over the Khlong Bang Sue to Ratchayothin Intersection.
4. Lat Yao (outbound) and Chan Kasem (inbound) in Chatuchak district from Ratchayothin to Sena Nikhom Intersections.
5. Lat Yao (outbound) and Sena Nikhom (inbound) in Chatuchak district from Sena Nikhom Junction to Thong Chanya Bridge.
6. Bang Khen district (outbound) and Sai Mai district (inbound) from the bridge over the Khlong Lam Phak Chi to Saphan Mai quarter.
7. Don Mueang district (outbound) and Sai Mai district (inbound) from Saphan Mai quarter to the administrative boundary line between Bangkok and Pathum Thani.

See also

• Thai highway network
• Kunming-Bangkok Expressway

Further reading

• Thomas fuller, "In Isolated Hills of Asia, New Roads to Speed Trade", New York Times, March 31, 2008

References

13.8474°N 100.58°W

Notes and References

1. อรณี แน่นหนา, 2002. นามนี้มีที่มา. ประพันธ์สาส์น: กรุงเทพฯ.
   Orani Naenna, 2002. Naam Ni Mi Thi Ma. Praphansarn: Bangkok. (Brief histories of 129 place names in Bangkok.)
2. Web site: thai. ประกาศกรุงเทพมหานคร เรื่อง เปลี่ยนแปลงพื้นที่แขวงสามเสนใน และตั้งแขวงพญาไท เขตพญาไท. Royal Thai Government Gazette. PDF. Bangkok announcement subject: Changing the area of Samsen Nai Subdistrict and established Phaya Thai Subdistrict, Phaya Thai District. https://web.archive.org/web/20190214213658/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2560/E/215/36.PDF. dead. February 14, 2019.