In the year 1522, King Chairachathirat of Ayutthaya commanded a short canal to be cut at Bangkokyai from the mouth of the Bangkoknoi Canal to the mouth of Bangkokyai Canal. This later became part of Chao Phraya River, and today it is the section which flows from Thammasat University to Wat Arun. The part of the Chao Phraya River which formerly ran through area of Bangkok then became known as the Bangkoknoi and Bangkokyai Canal

When it was the part of Chao Phraya River, the Bangkoknoi Canal area was an agricultural zone, and the lifestyle of the community was simple. Changes came after the digging of the new canal; the area became more accessible and this led to an increase in the population of the canal-side community.