Phitsanulok Province Guide: History, Towns and Local Products
Phitsanulok sits where the northern hills meet the central plain, on both banks of the Nan River. Thais know it first for Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, the gilded Buddha of Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, and for King Naresuan, who was born here in 1555.
This guide covers the town's years as a royal capital, the districts between the river and the mountains, the dates that fill its temples, and the bananas and crafts its villages sell.
Phitsanulok
The Chinnarat Buddha and a Royal River Town
A river city on the Nan that once served as Ayutthaya's capital, gave Thailand King Naresuan and keeps one of its most revered Buddha images.
By the SnapSellGo Thailand Desk · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read
Made in Phitsanulok
What to look for in Phitsanulok, from the people who make it.
For now these cards are a guide to Phitsanulok's specialities; live products will take over here.
Why Phitsanulok was a capital between two kingdoms
Phitsanulok grew up as one of the main towns of the Sukhothai kingdom, and it was under Sukhothai rule, in 1357, that Phra Phuttha Chinnarat was cast. When Ayutthaya absorbed the north, the town became its gateway to the upper Nan and Yom valleys, and King Borommatrailokanat moved the royal court here in 1463, ruling from Phitsanulok until his death in 1488.
A century later, Naresuan was born in the town's palace and grew up to govern it before becoming king. East of the city, the forests of Phu Hin Rong Kla tell a more recent story: from 1968 to 1982 they sheltered a base of the Communist Party of Thailand, now a national park.
Phra Phuttha Chinnarat
A gilded Buddha image cast in 1357, kept at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat.
A royal capital
King Borommatrailokanat ruled Ayutthaya from Phitsanulok from 1463 to 1488.
King Naresuan
Born in Phitsanulok in 1555, he later governed the town.
Phu Hin Rong Kla
A former communist base in the hills, now a national park.
Phitsanulok: a timeline
Phitsanulok's past moves from Sukhothai bronze to Ayutthaya politics, then to a Cold War hideout in the hills.
- 1357Phra Phuttha Chinnarat is cast, under the Sukhothai kingdom.
- 1463King Borommatrailokanat moves the court of Ayutthaya to Phitsanulok.
- 1488The king dies in Phitsanulok after 25 years there.
- 1555Naresuan, the future king, is born in the town.
- 1968–1982Phu Hin Rong Kla serves as a base of the Communist Party of Thailand.
Nine districts, from the river to the hills
Phitsanulok has 9 districts and roughly 850,000 residents. These are the ones visitors and buyers tend to know.
| District | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Mueang Phitsanulok | Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, the Nan River front and the old palace site. |
| Bang Krathum | Banana orchards and the sun-dried bananas sold across the country. |
| Nakhon Thai | Hill country and the road up to Phu Hin Rong Kla. |
| Wang Thong | Waterfalls along the road east to Thung Salaeng Luang. |
| Phrom Phiram | Rice fields on the plain north of the city. |
Planning a visit: dates and seasons
Phitsanulok's year turns around its great Buddha and its river. Plan with these in mind.
Local products and what OTOP means here
OTOP lists products by the sub-district that makes them, and in Phitsanulok the best known come from Bang Krathum, where bananas are peeled, flattened and dried in the sun. The town also keeps a tradition of casting Buddha images in bronze, a craft visitors can watch in local foundries.
The plain around the city grows rice, and the markets near Wat Yai sell dried fruit, sweets and temple crafts to the pilgrims who come for the Chinnarat Buddha.
The carousel near the top updates itself with listings from Phitsanulok. For sellers, the only cost is the annual shop plan.
Short on time? Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, early in the morning. Into history? The palace site where Naresuan was born. Love the outdoors? A cool-season night at Phu Hin Rong Kla. Buying local? A box of Bang Krathum sun-dried bananas.
Phitsanulok: your questions answered
What is Phra Phuttha Chinnarat?
A seated, gilded Buddha image cast in 1357 and kept at Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat in Phitsanulok. It is one of the most revered Buddha images in Thailand.
Was Phitsanulok ever a capital?
Yes. King Borommatrailokanat of Ayutthaya moved his court to Phitsanulok in 1463 and ruled from there until his death in 1488.
Which king was born in Phitsanulok?
King Naresuan, born in 1555. He governed Phitsanulok before becoming king of Ayutthaya.
What is Phu Hin Rong Kla?
A national park in the hills of Phitsanulok. From 1968 to 1982 it was a base of the Communist Party of Thailand, and remains of the camp can still be seen.
Sources: Wikipedia entries for Phitsanulok province, Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat (Phitsanulok), Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, Borommatrailokanat, Naresuan and Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park. Check festival dates locally: most follow the lunar calendar. Cover photo: Phra Phuttha Chinnarat by Supanut Arunoprayote, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.