It is about 480 km (298 mi) north of Bangkok and was built for the purposes of water storage, hydroelectric power production, flood control, fisheries and saltwater intrusion management.

The dam was named after King Bhumibol Adulyadej and it was Thailand's first multi-purpose project.

In 1972, the Sirikit Dam was completed on the Nan River, one of two major tributaries of the Chao Phraya including the Ping.

The Bhumibol and Sirikit Dams control 22 percent of the Chao Phraya's annual runoff combined.

In off-peak hours, the one pump-turbine returns water back into the Bhumibol (upper) reservoir and when demand is high, the pump serves as a generator for power production.