Phitsanulok

Phitsanulok (Thai: พิษณุโลก, pronounced [pʰít.sā.nú.lôːk]) is a city municipality in northern Thailand and the capital of Phitsanulok province. It had a city population of 60,827 and an urban population of approximately 200,000 in 2024, making it Thailand's 19th-most populous city proper and one of the major urban centers in the northern region. Located in the geographic center of the province, it occupies the fertile plains along the banks of the Nan River, which flows south to join the Chao Phraya River.

Phitsanulok was founded in the 11th century as a small Khmer outpost called Song Khwae (lit. 'two rivers'). The city served as the second capital of various kingdoms on several occasions; during the late Sukhothai Kingdom, and during the Ayutthaya Kingdom under King Borommatrailokanat, who resided in the city to defend against the Lanna Kingdom. He unified the western and eastern Song Khwae settlements and renamed them "Phitsanulok". Due to its strategic importance as Ayutthaya's northern outpost, the city frequently faced Burmese attacks. When war with the Konbaung dynasty led to Ayutthaya's collapse in 1767, Chaophraya Phitsanulok declared himself king and briefly established Phitsanulok as a capital before it was incorporated into the Thonburi Kingdom. The city maintained its significance throughout the subsequent Rattanakosin period.

Phitsanulok is considered one of the country's oldest cities and is home to Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat, which houses Phra Phuttha Chinnarat, one of the most famous and copied Buddha images in Thailand. The city serves as an educational hub, with Naresuan University being the main higher education institution in the lower northern Thailand. The city's location has made it a transportation hub, with comprehensive public transport services including city buses, a railway station on the Northern Line connecting Bangkok to Chiang Mai, and Phitsanulok Airport offering flights to Bangkok and serving surrounding provinces.