Phetchaburi

Phetchaburi (Thai: เพชรบุรี, pronounced [pʰét.t͡ɕʰā.bū.rīː]) or Phet Buri (pronounced [pʰét bū.rīː]) is a town (thesaban mueang) in southern Thailand, capital of Phetchaburi Province. In Thai, Phetchaburi means "city of diamonds" (buri means "city" in Sanskrit language). It is approximately 160 km south of Bangkok, at the northern end of the Thai peninsula. As of 2005, the town had a population of 26,181 and covers the two tambon Tha Rap and Khlong Krachaeng. The Phetchaburi River runs through the middle of the city. The region is mostly flat, save for a single hill (called Khao Wang) on the outskirts of town. The royal palace named Phra Nakhon Khiri (from Sanskrit language, "Phara" from Vara meaning noble or blessed, "nakhon" from nagar from city, "khiri" from giri meaning hill or mountain), and one of the many wats are on top of Khao Wang. The hill and town is the site of an annual festival, called the Phra Nakhon Khiri Fair. It lasts for eight days in early February and includes a sound and light show and classical Thai dance. The official city flower is the leelowadee flower or frangipani. Phetchaburi is known for its traditional Thai desserts. The most well-known is a custard dessert called khanom mor gaeng. Other popular desserts include Portuguese-influenced thong yip, thong yod, and foi thong. In 2021, Phetchaburi was recognized by UNESCO as a creative city of gastronomy.