History of Saraburi

Saraburi is certainly among the most important cities to be found in the history of Thailand. It is strongly believed that the city was first established back in 1549 when King Maha Chakkrapha was enjoying his reign as the king of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

The province of Saraburi was initially set up to be a link between Lopburi and Nakhon Nayok and a centralized spot where troops from both cities could mobilize efficiently when the country was ever at war.

The name given to Saraburi is believed to have been given due to being built near a swamp, with ‘Sa’ meaning swamp in Thai and ‘Buri’ meaning town.

Prehistoric Saraburi

Life in Saraburi (though the name had not been given to it yet) actually dates back to the prehistoric times with pottery being discovered that are believed to have been from that period. Additionally, Saraburi is home to two ancient cities that have been unearthed too, each found at Muang Kead Kean and Baan Phai Laosm respectively.

The Dharavadee Era

There is very strong evidence to suggest that the area that is now called Saraburi was actually inhabited during the Dharavadee Era between 9 and 13 B.E. An inscription that was found in Narai Cave are believed to be dated back to 12 B.E whilst the Buddha’s ‘Right’ footprint was recently discovered during the 1994 restoration of the Wat Pra Phutthachai that could be as old as 9 B.E.

Khmer Period

The Khmer era is believed to have begun around 802 A.D with the Khmer Hindu-Buddhist Empire from Cambodia that took over a large portion of Southeast Asia including that of Thailand.

The area of Saraburi was allegedly used to traffic goods to Na Khorn Tom, a Khmer controlled city, via a main road in the area. Saraburi is full of remnants from that area including many temples and shrines that have been built using Khmer architecture.

Ayutthaya Period

The Ayutthaya period is when the name Saraburi was first mentioned and given to the area that now sees regular tourists on a yearly basis. Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom/city that was regarded as one of the world’s biggest cities during the period between 1351 and 1767.

It was during this era that both the name and the city as we know it today of Saraburi.

And Now

Since the Ayutthaya Period, Saraburi has seen many more historical moments such as a Laos community being established after they migrated to Saraburi during the Burmese invasion. Additionally, the city has seen the migration of Thai Yuan people from Northern Thailand and it was also the city at the heart of ‘The Crying Pillar’ story.

In more modern times the city has seen the construction of the mightily impressive Pasak Cholasith Dam and even the introduction of dairy farms in the province of Saraburi due to the King visiting Denmark in 1962 and being impressed with the dairy farms that he saw in the country.

There you have it, a brief history summary of an extensively long history of Saraburi. There is so much more for tourists to learn about this iconic and historic city in Thailand, which is why they should come and see the place for themselves.

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