Surat Thani
| Surat Thani | |
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| — City — | |
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| Coordinates: 12°36′31″N 102°16′14″E / 12.60861°N 102.27056°E | |
| Country |  Thailand |
| Province | Surat Thani Province |
| District | Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 128,179 |
Surat Thani (Thai: สุราษฎร์ธานี, IPA: [surâːt tʰaːniː], Pronunciation) is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. It is the capital of the province Surat Thani. The city has a population of 128,179 (2009), and an area of 68.97 square kilometers. The city's population density is 1,858.47 inhabitants per km².
Suran Thani is near the mouth of the river Tapi on the Gulf of Thailand. The city offers no major tourist attractions in itself, and is thus mainly known to tourists as a transfer to the nearby popular Ko Samui island. It forms the regional commercial center, with a seaport dealing in the main products of the province, rubber and coconuts.
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[edit] History
The city received its name, which means City of Good People, by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1915. The name was given to the city due to the intense devotion of the locals to Buddhism. Previously the city was known as Bandon, meaning Village on higher ground.
On December 21 1930 Surat Thani became a sanitary district (sukhaphiban),[1] which was upgraded to a town (thesaban mueang) on December 7 1935, with a municipal area of 2.67 km².[2] The area of the municipality was enlarged to 6.95 km² on October 14 1958,[3] and on December 22 1994 it was further enlarged to 68.97 km².[4] On May 4 2007, the town was upgraded to city status (thesaban nakhon).[5]
Since 1969 Surat Thani is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Surat Thani, responsible for about 6000 Catholic Christians in southern Thailand.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Rail
Surat Thani is connected with Bangkok by the southern railway. Surat Thani Railway Station is the main station of province located in Phunphin, about 15 km from the actual city Surat Thani.
[edit] Road
Asian highway AH2 also passes the city at Phunphin.
[edit] Air
- Surat Thani International Airport, is about 30 km from the city by road.
[edit] Water
Some ferries to Ko Samui are provided in the downtown, the main ferry pier is located at Don Sak, 40 km east (about 60 km by road) on the coast of Gulf of Thailand.
[edit] Administration
The town covers the tambon Talad and Bang Kung, and parts of the tambon Khlong Chanak, Bang Chana, Bang Baimai and Makham Tia, all part of the Mueang Surat Thani district. The town is subdivided into 45 communities (chumchon).
[edit] References
- ^ "พระบรมราชโองการ ประกาศ ใช้พระราชบัญญัติจัดการสุขาภิบาล จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี มณฑลนครศรีธรรมราช" (in Thai) (PDF). Royal Gazette 47 (ก): 271–273. December 21 1930. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2473/A/271.PDF.
- ^ "พระราชกฤษฎีกาจัดตั้งเทศบาลเมืองสุราษฎร์ธานี จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี พุทธศักราช ๒๔๗๘" (in Thai) (PDF). Royal Gazette 51 (ก): 1758–1762. December 10 1935. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2478/A/1758.PDF.
- ^ "พระราชกฤษฎีกาเปลี่ยนแปลงเขตเทศบาลเมืองสุราษฎร์ธานี จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี พ.ศ. ๒๕๐๑" (in Thai) (PDF). Royal Gazette 75 (79 ก): 555–558. October 14 1958. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2501/A/079/555.PDF.
- ^ "พระราชกฤษฎีกาเปลี่ยนแปลงเขตเทศบาลเมืองสุราษฎร์ธานี จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี (ฉบับที่ ๒) พ.ศ. ๒๕๓๗" (in Thai) (PDF). Royal Gazette 111 (59 ก): 29–32. December 21 1994. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2537/A/059/29.PDF.
- ^ "ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง เปลี่ยนแปลงฐานะเทศบาลเมืองสุราษฎร์ธานี อำเภอเมืองสุราษฎร์ธานี จังหวัดสุราษฎร์ธานี เป็นเทศบาลนครสุราษฎร์ธานี" (in Thai) (PDF). Royal Gazette 124 (Special 67 ง): 15. June 4 2007. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2550/E/067/15.PDF.
[edit] External links
- Surat Thani City Website (Thai only)
- Surat Thani travel guide from Wikitravel
