Square Chimney

Square Chimney is a historical tourist attraction. Located at Moo 10 Ta mai sub district, close to Ta jeen river, Kra tum ban, Samut Sakhorn, it stands nearby the basketball field in Baan Plong Liam school. Made around 1824 in the reign of King Rama 3, the chimney was used in white sugar factory owned by a Portuguese man named Captain Hilt. The chimney is made of bricks and cement on the base 4 meter wide and 4 meter long. On the basement is octagon chimney that each side’s length is about 1 meter and gradually gets slimmer until it reaches 30 meter in height. The distant between the chimney and the river shore used to be 40 meters but because of erosion now it is only 14 meters.It is believed that the Portuguese encouraged local people to grow sugarcane as the soil was rich, suitable for sugarcane. The claim is based on the fact that there are many sugarcane mills in the area which the local called “Rong Heeb”. Later, the landscape had changed as some steams (klong) were connected together. On top of that, there were 3 current flowing in from klong Lad Ta pla , klong Lad Harng pla and klong Lad Koh. So salt water came in flooding sugarcane farms and owners had to abandon their farms. It was in the time when sugarcane was getting less important as rice became the number one product and imported sugarcanes were better in quality than Thai’s. Therefore, many sugar mills went out of business as well as sugarcane mills and the Portuguese sugar factories in Samut Sakorn. The places were desserted until today.Directions: Driving on Petchkasem road until you reach Phuttamonthon sai 4 junction and go straight passing traffic light, turn left for 4 kilometers. You will pass Wat Tha kam and cross Chalerm Prakiat Bridge. Then, you will reach Wat Tian dad-Suan Pak junction. Go straight for 3 kilometers and you will find Wat Tha mai. Continue to drive for 500 meters and then turn right, go straight for 500 meters more and you will arrive at the Square Chimney.