AKE - Tha Jin River Kayak Route

This group lists eleven (11) kayak tracks along the Tha Jin River and covers the whole length of this main waterway. The 439 Km long Tha Jin River branches off from the Chao Phraya River at Makham-Thao Sub-district, Wat Sing District of Chai Nat Province. It flows through Suphanburi, Nakhon Pathom and drains to the Gulf of Thailand at Samut Sakhon Province. The lower river basin is connected to the Mae Klong River basin. Major tributaries of this river are Huai Krasieo and Supanburi Rivers. The Tha Jin River basin is divided into 3 sub-basins. Most of the areas in the river basin are field crop and paddy field. The water resource is utilized mainly for paddy irrigation. Huai Krasieo Dam is the only existing impounding reservoir in the basin. The Tha Jin River basin covers most parts of Supanburi Province.

The Tha Jin River or the River of the Chinese Harbour is known under different regional names. After it splits from Chao Phraya river north of Chai Nat, the waterway is called Makham Thao River. Near Suphan Buri the locals call it the Suphan or Suphan Buri River. Passing Nakhon Pathom the river is called the Nakhon Chai Sri River. Only near its mouth at Samut Sakhon it becomes the Tha Jin River, named after the old name of Samut Sakhon. However, for purposes of discussing the river in its entirety, the name Tha Jin is the conventional choice in most scientific documents.

The Tha Jin River, a tributary of the Chao Phraya River, is recognized as one of the most polluted rivers in Thailand. The Tha Jin River catchment area covers 13,000 square kilometers. The total population in the basin is around 2 million people. As most of the rivers in Thailand, the waterway is used for a wide range of activities including water supply, aquaculture, transportation, and recreation as well as a sink for wastewater discharges. Runoff from agricultural and livestock activities, notably wastewater discharges from intensive agriculture, are significant sources of pollution in the watershed.

Ayutthaya Kayaking Experience [AKE] is a sporting branch of Ayutthaya Historical Research [AHR]. AKE’s objective is to promote kayaking tourism in Ayutthaya, by having a kayak presence on canals and rivers.

Kayaking is the perfect outdoor recreation to explore the city island contours and its surroundings. Any visitor to Ayutthaya - with some kayaking experience or enough sportive stamina - interested in kayaking with AKE is welcome. More information can be found at the AKE’s website: http://AyKaEx.yolasite.com.