Pathum Thani Province Guide: History, Towns and Local Products
Pathum Thani means 'city of lotus'. It began as a Mon settlement on the Chao Phraya north of Bangkok and is now a busy province of universities, science museums and markets, crossed by a grid of canals.
This guide explains its Mon roots and how it got its name, the canals that turned the Rangsit plain into farmland, its seven districts and the products of its markets. There is also a short section for producers who want to sell online.
Pathum Thani
City of Lotus and the Rangsit Canals
A Mon river town north of Bangkok, named for the lotus flowers offered to a king, and crossed by the great canals that opened the Rangsit plain.
By the SnapSellGo Thailand Desk · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read
Made in Pathum Thani
Signature goods from Pathum Thani. Shops from the province will appear here.
These cards show what the province is known for. They make way for real products as local sellers join.
Why Pathum Thani is the city of lotus
In the 1770s, King Taksin settled Mon refugees from Burma at Sam Khok, on the Chao Phraya. When King Rama II visited in 1815, the villagers offered him lotus flowers, and he renamed the town Pathum Thani, the city of lotus. Mon temples and traditions remain in the riverside districts.
From the 1890s, a private company dug the Rangsit canals, a grid of waterways that drained and irrigated the plain east of the river and turned it into rice land. Today Pathum Thani is home to Thammasat University's Rangsit campus, the National Science Museum at Khlong Ha and Talad Thai, one of Thailand's largest wholesale fresh produce markets. At Wat Phai Lom, thousands of openbill storks nest in the trees.
City of lotus
Named by King Rama II in 1815.
Mon roots
Settled by Mon refugees in the 1770s.
Rangsit canals
A grid of waterways dug from the 1890s.
Talad Thai
A huge wholesale market for fresh produce.
A short history of Pathum Thani
Pathum Thani's timeline runs from a Mon refuge to a modern hub of science and trade.
- 1770sKing Taksin settles Mon refugees at Sam Khok.
- 1815King Rama II renames the town Pathum Thani after villagers offer him lotus flowers.
- 1890sThe Rangsit canals are dug across the plain.
- TodayThe province hosts universities, science museums and Talad Thai market.
Seven districts north of Bangkok
Pathum Thani has 7 districts and about 1.2 million residents. These are the ones to know first.
| District | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Mueang Pathum Thani | Mon temples and the Chao Phraya riverside. |
| Sam Khok | The first Mon settlement and Wat Phai Lom's storks. |
| Khlong Luang | Thammasat Rangsit, Talad Thai and the science museums. |
| Thanyaburi | Rangsit and its canals. |
| Lat Lum Kaeo | Rice fields and canals in the west. |
Planning a visit: dates and seasons
Pathum Thani's calendar mixes Mon traditions with the seasons of the plain. Here are the key dates.
Made in Pathum Thani: OTOP and local specialities
Thailand's OTOP programme, One Tambon One Product, pins each product to its home sub-district, and Pathum Thani's Mon communities are known for their sweets and dishes, such as khao chae, rice in scented water, served in the hot season.
The canal plain still grows rice, and Talad Thai trades fruit and vegetables from across the country.
The carousel near the top updates itself with listings from Pathum Thani. For sellers, the only cost is the annual shop plan.
Short on time? Wat Phai Lom's storks and a Mon temple on the river. Travelling with kids? The National Science Museum. Love markets? Talad Thai at dawn. Buying local? Mon sweets from the riverside.
Pathum Thani: your questions answered
What does Pathum Thani mean?
It means 'city of lotus'. King Rama II gave the name in 1815 after villagers offered him lotus flowers.
Who founded Pathum Thani?
It began as a settlement of Mon refugees, placed at Sam Khok by King Taksin in the 1770s.
What are the Rangsit canals?
A grid of canals dug from the 1890s across the plain east of the Chao Phraya, which turned it into rice land.
What is Talad Thai?
One of Thailand's largest wholesale markets for fruit and vegetables, in Khlong Luang district.
Sources: Wikipedia entries for Pathum Thani province, Sam Khok district, the Rangsit canals, Wat Phai Lom, Talad Thai and the National Science Museum of Thailand. The months shown are typical; lunar holidays land on different days every year. Cover photo: Chao Phraya River in Pathum Thani by Marek Ślusarczyk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.