# Phraek Si Racha

Phraek Si Racha (Thai: แพรกศรีราชา, pronounced) is a tambon (sub-district) in Sankhaburi district, Chai Nat province, central Thailand. It is considered the downtown Sankhaburi where the district office is located.

## History

Phraek Si Racha is a historic place, its history dates back to around 2,500 years ago, before the establishment of Ayutthaya Kingdom. Its name is inscribed in the Ram Khamhaeng Inscription as the vassal state of Sukhothai Kingdom. The terrain is a lowland along the Noi river, a tributary of the Chao Phraya river. This made Phraek Si Racha a water transportation community that could navigate along the Noi river to meet the Chao Phraya in the present-day Chai Nat province, or could travel along other local waterways to the Tha Chin river, where Suphannabhum State (now Suphanburi province) was located. In short, Phraek Si Racha was a passageway for water travel to larger city-states such as Suphannabhum or Ayutthaya, and could exit to the Gulf of Siam via both waterways.
The word Praek is a Mon language meaning "waterway junction" or "confluence". Overall, it means "a town located at the junction of rivers". Assumed that Sankhaburi was probably a name that was changed in the middle Ayutthaya period onwards.
Around Phraek Si Racha, there are many ancient towns from the Dvaravati–Lopburi period, starting from Nakhon Sawan and Chai Nat. Dong Khon (now a sub-district in Sankhaburi), about 4 km (2.5 mi) south, is an ancient town with a moat. In addition, various ancient objects have been found, including many ancient sites, indicating that this place was once a town, such as Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Mahathat, Wat Phraya Phraek, Wat Tanod Lai, etc.
Moreover, its location may also be linked to another city-state mentioned in a 12th-century Chinese document called Chen-li-fu in the Suphanburi basin.
Phraek Si Racha is also believed to be the native land of Khun San, one of the leaders of the villagers' self-defense force in the Bang Rachan Battle during the end of Ayutthaya Kingdom. He was known as a sharpshooter.

## Geography

The main water resource is the Noi river that flows through the eastern edge from north to south. Although it is a lowland along the waterways, it has never experienced flooding problems.

## Administration

The sub-district is administered by two local government bodies are Phraek Si Racha Sub-district Municipality and Sankhaburi Sub-district Municipality.
The area also consists of 16 administrative mubans (villages).
| No. | Name | Thai |
| 01. | Ban Thiang Thae | บ้านเที่ยงแท้ |
| 02. | Ban Tha Rabat | บ้านท่าระบาตร |
| 03. | Ban Tha Rabat | บ้านท่าระบาตร |
| 04. | Ban Tha Rabat | บ้านท่าระบาตร |
| 05. | Ban Chong | บ้านช่อง |
| 06. | Ban Wang Thong | บ้านวังทอง |
| 07. | Ban Don Aranyik | บ้านดอนอรัญญิก |
| 08. | Ban Phraek Si Racha | บ้านแพรกศรีราชา |
| 09. | Ban Khaek | บ้านแขก |
| 010. | Ban Wat Phra Kaew | บ้านวัดพระแก้ว |
| 011. | Ban Wang Yao | บ้านวังยาว |
| 012. | Ban Wang Yao | บ้านวังยาว |
| 013. | Ban Pak Pao | บ้านปักเป้า |
| 014. | Ban Hua Taphan | บ้านหัวตะพาน |
| 015. | Ban Wat Kamphaeng | บ้านวัดกำแพง |
| 016. | Ban Sa Mai Daeng | บ้านสระไม้แดง |

## Population

As of December 2022, it has a total population of 14,586.