Phahonyothin Road

"Phahonyothin" redirects here. For the Thai general, see Phot Phahonyothin.

Thailand Route 1
ทางหลวงแผ่นดินหมายเลข 1
ถนนพหลโยธิน Thanon Phahonyothin
200px
Route information
Part of
Length:	1,005 km (624 mi)
Major junctions
South end:	Bangkok, Victory Monument
North end:	Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, border to Myanmar
Location
Provinces:	Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Phayao
Highway system
Highways in Thailand Motorways

Phahonyothin Road (Thai: ถนนพหลโยธิน, Thanon Phahonyothin) or Thailand Route 1 is a major road in Bangkok and one of the four major highways in Thailand, which include Mittraphap Road (Route 2), Sukhumvit Road (Route 3), and Phetkasem Road (Route 4). It begins at Victory Monument in Bangkok and runs north to the Burmese border, with a total length of 1,005 km (624 mi).

History

File:Mae Sai Pass in Chiang Rai.jpg

Mae Sai Pass

Phahonyothin Road was originally called Prachathipatai Road (Thai: ถนนประชาธิปไตย, Thanon Prachathipatai, literally "Democracy Road"), and reached just 22 km (14 mi) to Don Mueang. In 1938, Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram had the road extended from Don Mueang, through Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, and Singburi, making it 162 km (101 mi) long. The newly lengthened road was renamed Phahonyothin Road, in honor of General Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena (formerly Phot Phahonyothin), the second Prime Minister of Thailand and one of the heads of the 1932 revolution.

Route

Phahonyothin Road

Legend Intersections 20px Victory Monument 20px Top: Phaya Thai Road 20px Left and right:Ratchawithi Road Khlong Sam Sen Si Rat Expressway Pradiphat Road Kamphaeng Phet Road Kamphaeng Phet 3 Road 20px Lat Phrao Intersection Vibhavadi Rangsit Road Utraphimuk Expressway 20px Lat Phrao Road Ratchayothin Kaset 20px Left: Prasoet Manukit Road 20px Right: Ngamwongwan Road Khlong Bang Khen Lak Si Monument 20px Left: Raminthra Road 20px Right: Chaeng Watthana Road 20px Wetchayan Rangsarit Road 20px Ronnaphakat Road Bangkok–Pathum Thani border Lam Luk Ka Road National Memorial 20px Right: Vibhavadi Rangsit Road 20px Rangsit Khlong Rangsit Prayurasak 20px Rangsit-Nakhon Nayok Road 20px Rangsit-Pathum Thani Road 20px Bang Khan 20px (Khlong Luang Road) Pathum Thani–Ayutthaya border 20px Bang Pa-In Kanchanaphisek Road (West) Route 32 Kanchanaphisek Road (East) 20px Wang Noi (Rojana Road) Route 352 Ayutthaya–Sara Buri border Khlong Raphiphathanasak Hin Kong 20px Left: Suwannason Road 20px Right: Route 329 Sara Buri Bypass Road 20px Mittraphap (Route 2) Northeastern Line Pa Sak River Sara Buri Bypass Road 20px Phukae 20px Route 21 Wat Phra Phutthabat 20px Route 3020 Sara Buri–Lop Buri border Phra Narai Monument 20px Top: To Pa Wai Station 20px Right: Narai Maharat Road Route 205 Lop Buri–Nakhon Sawan border Tak Fa 20px Route 11 Northern Line Nakhon Sawan–Chainat border Route 32 Khwaeng Kan Thang 20px Right: Route 340 20px Bottom: Wong To Road 20px Route 3212 20px Tha Nam Oi (Route 32) Chainat]–Nakhon Sawan border 20px Route 333 20px Phayuha Khiri (Route 3008) 20px Nakhon Sawan Bypass Road Chiraprawat 20px Bueng Boraphet Dechatiwong Bridge 20px (Chao Phraya River) Dechatiwong (Sawan Withi Road) 20px Route 117 20px Nakhon Sawan Bypass Road 20px Lat Yao Nakhon Sawan–Kamphaeng Phet border 20px Salok Bat 20px Khanuworalaksa Buri 20px Khlong Khlung Thung Setthi Nakhon Chum 20px Left: Route 101 20px Right: Route 1116 20px Kosamphi Nakhon (Route 104) Kamphaeng Phet–Tak border 20px Mae Sot Intersection (Route 105) Kittikhachon Bridge 20px (Ping River) 20px Route 104 Route 12 Entrance to Bhumibol Dam Tak–Lampang border Mae Phrik (Former) Route 1 to Thoen (Former) Route 1 from Thoen Sop Prap (Former) Route 1 to Ko Kha (Former) Route 1 from Ko Kha 20px Mae Tha 20px Ya Pao 20px 20px Left: Lampang Superhighway 20px 20px Right: Phahonyothin (city route) Northern Thailand / Na Kuam 20px 20px Left: Route 11 (bypass) 20px Right: Route 11 (to Chiang Mai) 20px Bottom right: Phahonyothin (city route) Northern Line Wiang Thong Si Chum Airport 20px Doi Phra Bat 20px Route 11 Khai Surasak Montri (city route) 20px Route 103 Lampang–Phayao border 20px Mae Tam 20px Pratu Chai Mae Chai Phayao–Chiang Rai border (Former) Route 1 to Phan (Former) Route 1 from Phan Lao River 20px Route 118 Wat Rong Khun (Route 1208) 20px Mae Kon 20px Si Sai Mun Pho Khun Intersection Kok River 20px Ban Khu 20px Mae Fa Luang University 20px Mae Chan--Chiang Saen 20px Mae Chan--Mae Salong 20px Pho Kio Thap Yang Checkpoint 20px Huai Khrai (to Doi Tung) Mae Sai Border (Thailand–Burma) Mae Sai River Bridge

In Bangkok, Phahonyothin Road originates in Ratchathewi district and crosses Phaya Thai, Chatuchak, Bang Khen, and Don Mueang districts before continuing into Pathum Thani Province, and on through Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Chainat, again through Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Phayao and finally Chiang Rai, ending in Mae Sai district, where it connects to Tachileik in Myanmar.

See also

• Thai highway network
• Kunming-Bangkok Expressway
• Bangkok/Phahonyothin travel guide from Wikivoyage

Further reading

• Thomas fuller, "In Isolated Hills of Asia, New Roads to Speed Trade", New York Times, March 31, 2008