Travel/POI: Thailand 2023.05 -2 Nakhon Nayok 泰國那空那育府

那空那育府 (坤西育府) (Nakhon Nayok, นครนายก) 是泰國中部省份之一，它距曼谷約為107 公里。它的北部為山林，有許多瀑布及溪澗的源流。中部及南部有數條大河流經過。水產豐富，盛產稻米及大象。

省印章上有一頭大象，用鼻子叼著稻穗，象徵著肥沃的稻田，以及有許多大象的森林。背景中的兩堆稻草、樹木和雲彩象徵著這省的自然美景。

省樹、省花是彎子木 (金鳳花樹，黃絲棉樹，毛茛樹)（Cochlospermum relgiosum）。

Nakhon Nayok (นครนายก) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located approximately 107 kilometers from Bangkok. The northern part of the province is surrounded by mountains and forests, featuring many waterfalls and the sources of several streams. Several large rivers flow through the central and southern areas. The province is rich in aquatic resources, rice, and elephants.

The provincial seal depicts an elephant holding an ear of rice with its trunk. This symbolizes the province’s fertile rice fields and its forested areas, which are home to many elephants. In the background, two piles of straw, trees, and clouds represent the natural beauty of the province.

The provincial tree and flower is the silk cotton tree (Cochlospermum religiosum).

朱拉蓬寺 Wat Chulabhorn Wanaram

我們從阿瑜陀耶古城/大城府到那空那育府的中途，在朱拉蓬寺休息吃中飯。旁邊有一條美麗的竹林隧道，在炎熱的夏天裏，走在其中特別清涼舒適。

On the way from the Historic City of Ayutthaya to Nakhon Nayok, we took a break for lunch at Wat Chulabhorn Wanaram. Next to the temple, there is a beautiful bamboo forest tunnel. Walking through it is especially cool and comfortable during the hot summer.

那空那育普蒙特拉度假村 Phumontra Resort Nakhon Nayok

我們住的那空那育普蒙特拉度假村，後面有一條小河，附近還有一個受歡迎的河濱景點 (Kang Sam Chan)。童心未泯地玩水、喝飲料、聊天、大快朵颐，再來打個「小」牌，充份享受度假情趣。

We stayed at Phumontra Resort Nakhon Nayok, which has a small river running behind it. A popular riverfront spot, Kang Sam Chan, is located nearby. We played in the water like children, enjoyed drinks, chatted, feasted, and even played a little Mahjong — fully embracing the fun of vacation.

次日一大早「早鳥隊」又結伴出遊閒逛，我們順著人工河道晨走，水藉地勢向下流，灌溉兩旁的農作物及水果。我還撿到一顆剛從樹上掉下來的芒果，令我興奮不已。

Early the next morning, the "early bird team" headed out together once again. We walked along an artificial river channel, where the water flowed downhill through the terrain, irrigating the crops and fruit trees on both sides. I even picked up a mango that had just fallen from a tree — which made me very excited.

昆丹普拉坎川大壩 เขื่อนขุนด่านปราการชล Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam

吃完早餐後，我們就去昆丹普拉坎川大壩。這個大壩於 2005 年完工，高 93 公尺，長 2720 公尺。蓄水量 2.24 億立方公尺。它是泰國最大的水壩，也是世界上最大、最長的碾壓混凝土（RCC）大壩。

泰王普密蓬啟動了大壩工程，以解決那空那育府長期遭受洪水和乾旱的問題。大壩給那空那育府帶來了以下好處：減少洪水造成的損害、為農業灌溉提供持續供水、為當地社區供水、提供水庫中的魚類資源以及旅遊業和自然景觀。

After breakfast, we visited Khun Dan Prakan Chon Dam (เขื่อนขุนด่านปราการชล), originally named Khlong Tha Dan Dam. Completed in 2005, the dam is 93 meters high and 2,720 meters long, with a storage capacity of 224 million cubic meters of water. It is the largest dam in Thailand and also the longest roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam in the world.

His Majesty King Bhumibol initiated the dam project to address Nakhon Nayok’s long-standing cycle of floods and droughts. The dam provides several key benefits to the province: reducing flood damage, ensuring a consistent water supply for agricultural irrigation, supplying water to local communities, supporting fish stocks in the reservoir, and promoting tourism and appreciation of the natural scenery.