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Bangkok Travelbug November 11 – Samut Sakhon – the "Chinese port" October 27, 2011 |
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About Samut Sakhon Samut Sakhon (samut – sea, sakhon – river/sea) is a province adjacent to the western edge of Bangkok and about 40 km from the city centre. It isn’t on the usual tourist circuit and I doubt if many visitors have even heard of it. 
Samut Sakhon city The city is situated near an estuary which used to be a popular port of call for the Chinese trading junks and hence it’s old name Tha Chin or Chinese port. Later when the Mahachai canal was dug to join the river, the city was renamed Mahachai, a name that’s still in use today. Today Mahachai is a sub-district in the city district of Samut Sakhon and is the most populous area. In the reign of King Rama IV (1851 – 1868), the city was given its present name of Samut Sakhon. The river which flows past the city is still called Tha Chin. The Tha Chin River, a tributary of the Chao Phraya River, is one of the major rivers draining water from the Chao Phraya basin* into the Gulf of Thailand. 
Tha Chin River, Samut Sakhon Floods in Thailand – a sombre reminder *Since the end of August 2011, Thailand has been hit by the worst floods in recent history. 62 provinces have been affected in the north, north-eastern and later central regions. At the time of writing, several provinces in the central region are still underwater and the flood waters have inevitably reached the outskirts of Bangkok. The toll in human lives, homes and livelihoods is heavy; 366 dead, homes, shops and 1.4 m ha rice fields destroyed, 8.2 million people affected, 930 factories closed and 200,000 jobs lost. Table of contents The Maeklong Line Travel to Samut Sakhon and the neighbouring province of Samut Songkhram further west and the Maeklong Line comes to mind. This is a quaint railway service linking Thonburi to Samut Sakhon and subsequently to Samut Songkhram. The Maeklong Line was started as a private rail link to bring sea produce from the two coastal provinces to Bangkok. As a private line it was not linked to any of the lines of the State Railway of Thailand. The State Railway of Thailand has since taken over the Maeklong Line. The railway line isn’t continuous; it’s in two branches, another peculiar feature.
The Wong Wian Yai – Mahachai branch of the Maeklong Line consists of the following stations: Wong Wian Yai – Talat Phlu - Wat Sai – Wat Sing – Bang Bon – Khan Kha He – Rang Sa Kae - Rang Pho - Sam Yaek - Phrom Dan Thung Si Thong – Ban Bang Nam Jeud - Khok Kwai Ban Khom – Khlong Chak – Mahachai Note **The stations in italics are not on the map. In some of the stations, the words on the signboards at these stops have faded. The Phrom Dan station is the last in Bangkok, beyond which you would be in Samut Sakhon. Map of the Maeklong Line View Maeklong Line in a larger map This train ride on the Maeklong Line was the highlight of the trip and merits special mention in the following section. Table of contents Train ride to Mahachai The Wong Wian Yai train station is in Somdej Prachao Taksin Road near the busy roundabout where the King Taksin Monument is located. 
King Taksin Monument, Wong Wian Yai It’s hardly noticeably from the main road except for a signboard in Thai. During all the times I’ve passed the place, I hardly it noticed it. 
Entrance to the station is to the left of the green signboard Though in the middle of a busy Bangkok street, it has all the charms of a small town station where commuters were waiting for the train to arrive. It’s my first train ride in Thailand! That’s not counting the tourist train on the Kanchanaburi Death Railway. 
A ride on the Maklong Line gives an insight to the real life in Thailand, about ordinary folks going about their daily lives. The line also passes through parts of Bangkok which few of us would have a chance to see. It’s a simple train, clean with no frills. The carriages were swept and mopped while we waited for departure which was dead on time. We invite you to sit back and enjoy some of the sights along this line to Mahachai. On leaving Wong Wian Yai station, the train passes through Thonburi district before turning south-west through Chom Thong district, then passes between Bang Bon and Bang Khun Thien*** districts before entering Samut Sakhon province. This train ride will take you past canals, small communities, modern and traditional homes, village railway stations and a side of Bangkok rarely seen. 
You will know when you have arrived at Mahachai station, the final destination. It’s a most unusual railway station. 
Mahachai station when trains are not passing, life goes on
Mahachai station shortly after trains arrive or depart
Footnote ***Bang Khun Thien is the only district in Bangkok with direct access to the sea, a 5 km stretch of mangrove swamp where the ecological balance has thankfully been preserved. Please see the Bang Khun Thien Museum Table of contents Mahachai Market and the Fishermen’s Wharf Visitors to Samut Sakhon are left in doubt of the mainstay of the local economy; fish, fish and more fish, cuttlefish, prawns, crabs and clams. Almost everyone seems to be selling seafood of one kind or another. 
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