The Bang Khun Phrom History

Bang Khun Phrom; originally called Ban Lan, Bang Khun Phrom is an area north of the mouth of Bang Lamphu Canal, between Wisut Kasat Road and Krung Kasem Road. It was the settlement of Raman or Mon residents who immigrated to this area during the reign of King Taksin the Great of the Thon Buri period.

In those days, a community was usually named a person who had made a contribution to the area, or the name reflected a source of certain items in abundance, or the main occupation of the locality. Ban Lan got this name because it was the village where local people were engaged mainly in occupations involved with bai lan, or palm leaves.

Palm leaves for producing such items as Tipitaka (Buddhist Scriptures), textbooks for monks, hats, and ngop (a peasant’s hat made of palm leaves shaped like a lampshade for protection against the sun) come mainly from Ban Bang Tanai in Nonthaburi province. Phraya Rachasongkhram, head of the Raman village who had been in government service from the reign of King Rama I, asked royal permission to monopolize the palm leaf planting area in order to turn out these products.

Later, the name of Ban Lan was change to Bang Khun Phrom, when Laung Wisutthiyothamat donated land belonging to his late brother Khun Phrom in the Ban Lan area to build a temple. He dedicated the merit to Khun Phrom, who died while constructing the mondop (square structure with a spire) of the Phra Buddha Bat (the Buddha’s footprint) in Saraburi province. The temple was named Wat Bang Khun Phrom, and Ban Lan was popularly referred to as Bang Khun Phrom Canal, which was later filled in to pave the way for the construction of Phayap Road.

Although the name ‘Ban Lan’ disappeared from the memories of many people at that time, the occupations of producing goods from palm leaves still remained. When local villagers faced a shortage of palm leaves, they had to seek the material form other sources far away. Later, the demand for items made from palm leaves, as well as the number of producers, declined significantly.

Today, Lan Thong Shop, owned by Mrs. Siri Sitthisoradej, was the only outlet engaged in producing goods from palm leaves. The shop intends to pass on and preserve the original occupations of this area and reaffirms that Bang Khun Phrom was once named Ban Lan.