Bang Kapi Subdistrict


Bang Kapi is a khwaeng of Huai Khwang District, Bangkok.

History

Its name "Bang Kapi" after "Thung Bang Kapi", a vast field covers the area from the south of Ayutthaya Province to Bangkok and the east side of Chao Phraya to Nakhon Nayok Rivers in the past. Its landscape was lowlands, there are swamps, grove woods, dense grasses, dense reeds alternately above sea level, only 1–2 m. Therefore, floods occur every year for 3–4 months at a time. It was also the habitat of many kinds of wildlife such as tigers, elephants, barking deers, gaurs, as well as Schomburgk's deers etc. It was a part of "Thung Luang".
In the King Rama III' reign, a khlong Saen Saep was dug for use as a shortcut for transporting military hardware for use in the Siamese–Vietnamese War. It flows through the area of Thung Bang Kapi to the east at Chachoengsao Province. It is regarded as the longest canal in the country, therefore it has various branches, such as Khlong Bang Kapi, Khlong Hua Mak, Khlong Chan, Khlong Tan, Khlong Chao Khun Sing etc. The names of these places have now become the names of the subdistrict administrative districts in Bangkok today. On both sides of the Khlong Saen Saep has also become a settlement for Muslim residents, since they are laborers who play a principle role in canalizing khlong.
The broadness of Thung Bang Kapi covers the areas from Bang Kapi, Wang Thonglang, Lat Phrao to Sukhumvit Roads at present. This field also referred to in the masterpiece tragedy novel Plae Kao by Mai Mueangdoem as the backdrop of the whole story. In 1974, the area together with Huai Khwang was split off from Phaya Thai District as a full district and subdistrict.

Geography

Bang Kapi has most of the area between Phetchaburi and Rama IX Roads. It has 12 communities. The area is bordered by neighbouring subdistricts : Huai Khwang in its district, Phlapphla of Wang Thonglang District, Suan Luang of Suan Luang District, Khlong Tan Nuea of Watthana District, Makkasan of Ratchathewi District.

Places