Ratchaburi
Thailand's floating market province—Damnoen Saduak (32km King Rama IV canal), major pig farming hub, Dragon Jar pottery village, 100km from Bangkok.
Ratchaburi anchors Thailand's floating market tourism and pig farming economy. Damnoen Saduak—the country's most photographed floating market—operates on a 32-kilometer canal commissioned by King Rama IV in 1866 to connect the Mae Klong and Tha Chin rivers. 200 ancillary canals branch from the main waterway; hundreds of vendors paddle small boats through waterways that once served as commercial arteries before becoming tourist attractions.
Beyond tourism, Ratchaburi ranks among Thailand's largest pig farming provinces—industrial livestock operations supply Bangkok's meat markets. Sugarcane, rice, and vegetable cultivation fill agricultural land between the Tenasserim Range foothills and the central plains. Dragon Jar Village (Ban Moh) preserves traditional pottery techniques; the province's distinctive water jars and ceramics reach markets nationwide.
Located 100 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, Ratchaburi links to Samut Sakhon and Samut Songkhram through canal networks that once formed commercial corridors before highways displaced waterborne trade. Photharam, Pak Tho, and Damnoen Saduak districts host different agricultural specializations. By 2026, Ratchaburi tests whether floating market heritage tourism can expand beyond day-trip destinations into overnight cultural experiences.