Sharing a border with Bangkok, Nonthaburi once served as a fortress town, but nowadays it is a popular weekend hideaway where local tourists can unwind and discover Ayutthaya-era history. To save time, King Thai Sa constructed the Lat Kret Noi network as a detour on the maritime trade route connecting the Gulf of Siam and the former capital of Ayutthaya.
As a result of erosion and shifting water currents, it turned into the Chao Phraya River as Ko Kret emerged as an island on the opposite side of town. Due to the Thai, Mon, Chinese and Muslim residents who live along the river, this centuries-old borough is a notable example of diversity and multiculturalism.
