Samut Sakhon

Samut Sakhon is one of the central provinces of Thailand, established by the Act Establishing Changwat Samut Prakan, Changwat Nonthaburi, Changwat Samut Sakhon, and Changwat Nakhon Nayok, Buddhist Era 2489, which came into force on 9 May 1946.Samut Sakhon was formerly called Tha Chin (Chinese Pier) probably because, in the old days, it had been a trading port for a vast number of Chinese junks. In 1548, a City named Sakhon Buri was established at the mouth of the Tha Chin River. It was a center for recruiting troops from various seaside towns. The name of the City was changed to Mahachai when Klong (canal) Mahachai was dug in 1704 to connect the Tha Chin River to the City. Later, the City was renamed Samut Sakhon by King Rama IV but it is still popularly called Mahachai by its residents.