Ban Pong (town)
Encyclopedia
Ban Pong, is the centre town of Amphoe Ban Pong
in Ratchaburi Province
, Thailand
. It is located roughly 77 kilometers west of Bangkok
.
municipality. The new town, when it was first built, was flooded with Chinese immigrants migrating from Southern China where drought had occurred for four consecutive years in the 1920s. During the Second World War, the town experienced an economic boom due to its location being a hub between Bangkok to the east, Kanchanaburi
to the north and all the provinces in the south of Thailand. All goods transported by rail from Bangkok, Kanchanburi, Burma and the Southern provinces had to make a stop in Banpong.
During the Second World War, the town was used by Japanese Forces as a base in the regoin while they were connecting the railway between Burma and Thailand, with train services running between Banpong and Molemen in Burma during and a few years after the war.
In the 1960s the town once again experience an Economic Boom when several Sugar refineries opened up in the area as the geography of the town is suitable for sugar cane production with the close proximity to Bangkok. Many large Banking and Government institutions located their regional branches here in Banpong.
factory in the town. The half-ruined buildings were partly covered with jungle creepers for many years, but now have been demolished.
Nowadays, the town's economy depends very much on the purchasing power of the workforce in Ban Pong District who engage in various industrial activities. With in the district, there are more than 400 factories within Ban Pong district alone, producing everything from jewelry to car parts. Hence, the town centre remains vibrant and prosperous.
However, due to the lack of vision of the last few mayors of the municipality, the town centre now starts to experience a decline in its importance due to the openings of many Hypermarkets in the outskirt of the town. The mayors have not been able to re-invent the new function of the town centre, hence during the day the town is now quiet with less activities going on than the past.
Amphoe Ban Pong
Ban Pong is a district of Ratchaburi Province, Thailand. It is located in the northeast of the province.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Tha Muang and Tha Maka of Kanchanaburi Province, Kamphaeng Saen and Mueang Nakhon Pathom of Nakhon Pathom Province, and Photharam of Ratchaburi...
in Ratchaburi Province
Ratchaburi Province
Ratchaburi is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom,Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and Phetchaburi...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It is located roughly 77 kilometers west of Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
.
History
The current town was first promoted as a municipality around 100 years ago, when it was moved down the Mae Klong River from the old town, which is now part of Tha PhaTha Pha
Tha Pha is a tambon of Mae Chaem District, in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. In 2005 it had a total population of 4,952 people. The tambon contains 14 villages....
municipality. The new town, when it was first built, was flooded with Chinese immigrants migrating from Southern China where drought had occurred for four consecutive years in the 1920s. During the Second World War, the town experienced an economic boom due to its location being a hub between Bangkok to the east, Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi ) is a town in the west of Thailand and the capital of Kanchanaburi province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327...
to the north and all the provinces in the south of Thailand. All goods transported by rail from Bangkok, Kanchanburi, Burma and the Southern provinces had to make a stop in Banpong.
During the Second World War, the town was used by Japanese Forces as a base in the regoin while they were connecting the railway between Burma and Thailand, with train services running between Banpong and Molemen in Burma during and a few years after the war.
In the 1960s the town once again experience an Economic Boom when several Sugar refineries opened up in the area as the geography of the town is suitable for sugar cane production with the close proximity to Bangkok. Many large Banking and Government institutions located their regional branches here in Banpong.
Economy
There is a large abandoned canningCanning
Canning is a method of preserving food in which the food contents are processed and sealed in an airtight container. Canning provides a typical shelf life ranging from one to five years, although under specific circumstances a freeze-dried canned product, such as canned, dried lentils, can last as...
factory in the town. The half-ruined buildings were partly covered with jungle creepers for many years, but now have been demolished.
Nowadays, the town's economy depends very much on the purchasing power of the workforce in Ban Pong District who engage in various industrial activities. With in the district, there are more than 400 factories within Ban Pong district alone, producing everything from jewelry to car parts. Hence, the town centre remains vibrant and prosperous.
However, due to the lack of vision of the last few mayors of the municipality, the town centre now starts to experience a decline in its importance due to the openings of many Hypermarkets in the outskirt of the town. The mayors have not been able to re-invent the new function of the town centre, hence during the day the town is now quiet with less activities going on than the past.