Sai Yok district
District in Kanchanaburi, Thailand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sai Yok (Thai: ไทรโยค, pronounced [sāj jôːk]) is a district (amphoe) in Kanchanaburi province in western Thailand and is located northwest of Bangkok.
Sai Yok
ไทรโยค | |
|---|---|
A train running through the "Hell Rail Pass"" | |
 District location in Kanchanaburi province | |
| Coordinates: 14°6′56″N 99°8′40″E | |
| Country |  Thailand |
| Province |  Kanchanaburi |
| District | Sai Yok |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,729 km2 (1,054 sq mi) |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• Total | 66,733 |
| • Density | 24/km2 (62/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 71150 |
| Calling code | 034 |
| ISO 3166 code | TH-7102 |
Geography
The district is in the valley of the Khwae Noi River in the Tenasserim Hills area. It borders Myanmar to the south. Along the river the Death Railway runs to Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi.
Sai Yok National Park was created on 27 October 1980 and covers an area of about 500 km2. The most famous sight in the park is the Sai Yok waterfall.
Neighboring districts are (from north clockwise) Thong Pha Phum, Si Sawat, Mueang Kanchanaburi of Kanchanaburi Province and Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar.
Administration
Provincial administration
Sai Yok is divided into seven subdistricts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 57 administrative villages (mubans).
| No. | Subdistrict | Thai | Villages | Pop.[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lum Sum | ลุ่มสุ่ม | 11 | 10,867 |
| 2. | Tha Sao | ท่าเสา | 11 | 14,432 |
| 3. | Sing | สิงห์ | 6 | 5,318 |
| 4. | Sai Yok | ไทรโยค | 8 | 11,235 |
| 5. | Wang Krachae | วังกระแจะ | 9 | 9,822 |
| 6. | Si Mongkhon | ศรีมงคล | 8 | 8,109 |
| 7. | Bongti | บ้องตี้ | 4 | 6,950 |
| Total | 57 | 66,733 |
Local government
Municipalities
As of December 2024 there are: three municipal (thesaban) areas in the district: Sai Yok subdistrict municipality (thesaban tambon) consists of the whole subdistrict Sai Yok, Nam Tok Sai Yok Noi subdistrict municipality (น้ำตกไทรโยคน้อย) covers parts of Tha Sao subdistrict and Wang Pho subdistrict municipality (วังโพธิ์) consists of parts of Lum Sum subdistrict.[3]
| Subdistrict municipality | Pop. | LAO code | website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sai Yok | 11,235 | 05710205 | saiyok |
| Namtok Sai Yok Noi subd.mun. | Pop. | 05710201 | namtoksaiyoknoi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tha Sao | 3,914 |
| Wang Pho subd. municipality | Pop. | 05710202 | wangphocity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lum Sum | 2,120 |
Subdistrict administrative organizations
The non-municipal areas are administered by six subdistrict administrative organizations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon - o bo toh).[3]
| Subdistrict adm.org - SAO | Pop. | LAO code | website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tha Sao SAO | 10,518 | 06710203 | thasao-tmk |
| Wang Krachae SAO | 9,822 | 06710207 | wangkrachae |
| Lum Sum SAO | 8,747 | 06710204 | loomsoom |
| Si Mongkhon SAO | 8,109 | 06710208 | srimongkol |
| Bongti SAO | 6,9502 | 06710206 | bongti |
| Sing SAO | 5,318 | 06710209 | singsaiyok |
Education
- Mahidol University Kanchanaburi campus
- 44 primary schools
- 3 secondary schools[4]
Healthcare
Hospital
Sai Yok district is served by two hospitals:
- Sai Yok Hospital with 58 beds.
- Somdet Phra Piya Maharat Rommani Hospital with 30 beds.
Health promoting hospitals
In the district there are twelve health-promoting hospitals in total, of which;[5]
| 1 Bongti | 1 Lum Bum | 1 Si Mongkhon | 1 Sing |
| 2 Tha Sao | 2 Wang Krachae | 4 Sai Yok |
Religion
Popular culture
- Sai Yok was the location of shooting the Vietnam scenes of the 1978 film The Deer Hunter.
- Sai Yok was mentioned in the song "Mon Sai Yok" (มนต์ไทรโยค - "Magic Of Sai Yok") by the Thai pop rock band The Innocent from an album Yu Hor (อยู่หอ - Stay Dorm) in 1982. The song is about a delightful time in Sai Yok.
Sights
Apart from the nature of the Kwae Noi River valley, the other main attraction is Mueang Sing Historical Park, which shows the westernmost Khmer-style temple complex.