Nakhon Pathom

Nakhon Pathom (Thai: นครปฐม, pronounced ) is a city (thesaban nakhon) in central Thailand, the former capital of Nakhon Pathom Province. One of the most important landmarks is the giant Phra Pathom Chedi. The city is also home to Thailand’s only Bhikkhunitemple Wat Song Thammakanlayani (วัดทรงธรรมกัลยาณี), which is also open to women from abroad.

Nakhon Pathom houses a campus of Silpakorn University within the former Sanam Chan Palace.

The city is 57 km west of Bangkok.

According to Charles Higham, “Two silver medallions from beneath a sanctuary at Nakhon Pathom, the largest of the moated sites, proclaim that it was ‘the meritorious work of the King of Sri Dvaravati’, the Sanskrit term Dvaravati meaning ‘that which has gates’. The script is in south Indian characters of the seventh century.” Nakhon Pathom was the largest Dvaravati center.^{:301–302,304}