The two great rivers of the Nort, the Ping and the Nan,
join at Nakhon Sawan in the Central Olains to form the Chao Phraya ( river of kings) ,
Thailand's most important waterway.
This vital transportation link drains some of the country's most fertile rice-growing land.
The stretch shown here is actually a canal, built in the 16th century
as a shortcut at a point where the Chao Phraya took a huge meander along what is now Khlong Bangkok Noi and Khlong Bangkok Yai.
Along this busy "royal mile" you can catch glimpses of the Grand Palacem, temples,
and colonial buildings, and experience a flavor of old Bangkok's colorful riverfront.
