town, western Thailand. It lies on the deltaic plain of the Chao Phraya River. A prosperous commercial centre, Nakhon Pathom is located 29 miles (47 km) west of Bangkok and has major road and rail connections. It has access to the Chao Phraya delta waterways through a canal from the Nakhon Chai Si River. The town is an old religious (Buddhist) and military centre. According to local tradition, it is the oldest city in Thailand (said to be more than 2,000 years old) and was visited by the Buddha. Artifacts have been found there dating from the 6th century AD. Phra Pathom, the highest stupa in Thailand, rises to 380 feet (116 m). The town also has a campus (arts, education, and science) of the Bangkok-based Silpakorn University (1943).

Nakhon Pathom is situated in a prosperous agricultural region which has rich alluvial soils and receives abundant rainfall that is supplemented by irrigation canals. The area's main products (rice, pigs, coconuts, and grapefruit 【pomelo】) are marketed through nearby Bangkok. Pop. (1992 est.) 79,759.