Provinces of Thailand
Provinces of Thailand จังหวัดของประเทศไทย Changwat khong prathet thai | |
---|---|
Category | Subordinate province |
Location | Kingdom of Thailand |
Number | 76 Provinces 2 Special Administrative Divisions |
Populations | 190,399 Ranong – 2,639,226 Nakhon Ratchasima (2017)[1] |
Areas | 417 km2 (161 sq mi) Samut Songkhram – 20,494 km2 (7,913 sq mi) Nakhon Ratchasima |
Government | |
Subdivisions |
Thailand is a unitary state that is divided into 76 provinces (Thai: จังหวัด, RTGS: changwat, pronounced [t͡ɕāŋ.wàt]) and two special administrative areas, one representing the capital Bangkok and another the city of Pattaya.[2]: 15 [3][4] The provinces are part of the provincial government, while Bangkok and Pattaya are part of local government.
The provinces
Name | Capital | Population 2017[1] |
Area (km2) |
Population Density |
Largest Metropolitan Area | Abbr. [citation needed] |
ISO[5] | FIPS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bangkok (special administrative area) |
Bangkok (Thai: กรุงเทพมหานคร) | 5,682,415[6] | 1,565 | 3,630.9[7] | Bangkok Metropolitan Area | BKK | TH-10 | TH40 |
Amnat Charoen | Non Nam Thaeng (Thai: โนนหนามแท่ง) | 378,107 | 3,161 | 119.6 | Amnat Charoen | ACR | TH-37 | TH77 |
Ang Thong | Ang Thong (Thai: อ่างทอง) | 281,187 | 968 | 290.5 | Ang Thong | ATG | TH-15 | TH35 |
Bueng Kan | Bueng Kan (Thai: บึงกาฬ) | 423,032 | 4,306 | 98.2 | Bueng Kan | BKN | TH-38 | TH81 |
Buriram | Buriram (Thai: บุรีรัมย์) | 1,591,905 | 10,322 | 154.2 | Buriram | BRM | TH-31 | TH28 |
Chachoengsao | Chachoengsao (Thai: ฉะเชิงเทรา) | 709,889 | 5,351 | 132.7 | Chachoengsao | CCO | TH-24 | TH44 |
Chai Nat | Chai Nat (Thai: ชัยนาท) | 329,722 | 2,470 | 133.5 | Chai Nat | CNT | TH-18 | TH32 |
Chaiyaphum | Chaiyaphum (Thai: เมืองชัยภูมิ) | 1,139,356 | 12,778 | 89.2 | Chaiyaphum | CPM | TH-36 | TH26 |
Chanthaburi | Chanthaburi (Thai: จันทบุรี) | 534,459 | 6,338 | 84.3 | Chanthaburi | CTI | TH-22 | TH48 |
Chiang Mai | Chiang Mai (Thai: เชียงใหม่) | 1,746,840 | 20,107 | 86.8 | Chiang Mai | CMI | TH-50 | TH02 |
Chiang Rai | Chiang Rai (Thai: เชียงราย) | 1,287,615 | 11,678 | 110.2 | Chiang Rai | CRI | TH-57 | TH03 |
Chonburi | Chonburi (Thai: ชลบุรี) | 1,509,125 | 4,363 | 345.8 | Chonburi | CBI | TH-20 | TH46 |
Chumphon | Chumphon (Thai: ชุมพร) | 509,650 | 6,009 | 84.8 | Chumphon | CPN | TH-86 | TH58 |
Kalasin | Kalasin (Thai: กาฬสินธุ์) | 986,005 | 6,947 | 141.9 | Kalasin | KSN | TH-46 | TH23 |
Kamphaeng Phet | Kamphaeng Phet (Thai: กำแพงเพชร) | 729,133 | 8,607 | 84.7 | Kamphaeng Phet | KPT | TH-62 | TH11 |
Kanchanaburi | Kanchanaburi (Thai: กาญจนบุรี) | 887,979 | 19,483 | 45.6 | Kanchanaburi | KRI | TH-71 | TH50 |
Khon Kaen | Khon Kaen (Thai: ขอนแก่น) | 1,805,910 | 10,886 | 165.9 | Khon Kaen | KKN | TH-40 | TH22 |
Krabi | Krabi (Thai: กระบี่) | 469,769 | 4,709 | 99.8 | Krabi | KBI | TH-81 | TH63 |
Lampang | Khelang Nakhon (Thai: เขลางค์นคร) | 746,547 | 12,534 | 59.5 | Lampang | LPG | TH-52 | TH06 |
Lamphun | Lamphun (Thai: ลำพูน) | 405,918 | 4,506 | 90.0 | Lamphun | LPN | TH-51 | TH05 |
Loei | Loei (Thai: เลย) | 641,666 | 11,425 | 56.0 | Loei | LEI | TH-42 | TH18 |
Lopburi | Lopburi (Thai: ลพบุรี) | 757,273 | 6,200 | 122.0 | Lopburi | LRI | TH-16 | TH34 |
Mae Hong Son | Mae Hong Son (Thai: แม่ฮ่องสอน) | 279,088 | 12,681 | 22.0 | Mae Hong Son | MSN | TH-58 | TH01 |
Maha Sarakham | Maha Sarakham (Thai: มหาสารคาม) | 963,072 | 5,292 | 182.0 | Maha Sarakham | MKM | TH-44 | TH24 |
File:Seal of the Mukdahan Province.png Mukdahan | Mukdahan (Thai: มุกดาหาร) | 350,782 | 4,340 | 80.8 | Mukdahan | MDH | TH-49 | TH78 |
Nakhon Nayok | Nakhon Nayok (Thai: นครนายก) | 259,342 | 2,122 | 122.2 | Nakhon Nayok | NYK | TH-26 | TH43 |
Nakhon Pathom | Nakhon Pathom (Thai: นครปฐม) | 911,492 | 2,168 | 420.4 | Bangkok Metropolitan Area | NPT | TH-73 | TH53 |
Nakhon Phanom | Nakhon Phanom (Thai: นครพนม) | 718,028 | 5,513 | 130.2 | Nakhon Phanom | NPM | TH-48 | TH73 |
Nakhon Ratchasima | Nakhon Ratchasima (Thai: นครราชสีมา) | 2,639,226 | 20,494 | 128.8 | Nakhon Ratchasima | NMA | TH-30 | TH27 |
Nakhon Sawan | Nakhon Sawan (Thai: นครสวรรค์) | 1,065,334 | 9,598 | 111.0 | Nakhon Sawan | NSN | TH-60 | TH16 |
Nakhon Si Thammarat | Nakhon Si Thammarat (Thai: นครศรีธรรมราช) | 1,557,482 | 9,943 | 156.6 | Nakhon Si Thammarat | NRT | TH-80 | TH64 |
Nan | Nan (Thai: น่าน) | 479,838 | 11,472 | 41.8 | Nan | NAN | TH-55 | TH04 |
Narathiwat | Narathiwat (Thai: นราธิวาส) | 796,239 | 4,475 | 177.9 | Narathiwat | NWT | TH-96 | TH31 |
Nong Bua Lam Phu | Nong Bua Lam Phu (Thai: หนองบัวลำภู) | 511,641 | 3,859 | 132.6 | Nong Bua Lam Phu | NBP | TH-39 | TH79 |
Nong Khai | Nong Khai (Thai: หนองคาย) | 521,886 | 3,027 | 172.4 | Nong Khai | NKI | TH-43 | TH17 |
Nonthaburi | Nonthaburi (Thai: นนทบุรี) | 1,229,735 | 622 | 1,977.1 | Bangkok Metropolitan Area | NBI | TH-12 | TH38 |
Pathum Thani | Pathum Thani (Thai: ปทุมธานี) | 1,129,115 | 1,526 | 739.9 | Bangkok Metropolitan Area | PTE | TH-13 | TH39 |
Pattani | Pattani (Thai: ปัตตานี) | 709,796 | 1,940 | 365.9 | Pattani | PTN | TH-94 | TH69 |
Phang Nga | Phang Nga (Thai: พังงา) | 267,491 | 4,171 | 64.1 | Thai Mueang | PNA | TH-82 | TH61 |
Phatthalung | Phatthalung (Thai: พัทลุง) | 524,857 | 3,424 | 153.3 | Phatthalung | PLG | TH-93 | TH66 |
Phayao | Phayao (Thai: พะเยา) | 477,100 | 6,335 | 75.3 | Phayao | PYO | TH-56 | TH41 |
Phetchabun | Phetchabun (Thai: เพชรบูรณ์) | 995,331 | 12,668 | 79.0 | Phetchabun | PNB | TH-67 | TH14 |
Phetchaburi | Phetchaburi (Thai: เพชรบุรี) | 482,375 | 6,225 | 77.5 | Phetchaburi | PBI | TH-76 | TH56 |
Phichit | Phichit (Thai: พิจิตร) | 541,868 | 4,531 | 119.6 | Phichit | PCT | TH-66 | TH13 |
Phitsanulok | Phitsanulok (Thai: พิษณุโลก) | 865,368 | 10,816 | 80.0 | Phitsanulok | PLK | TH-65 | TH12 |
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya | Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya (Thai: พระนครศรีอยุธยา) | 813,852 | 2,557 | 318.3 | Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya | AYA | TH-14 | TH36 |
Phrae | Phrae (Thai: แพร่) | 447,564 | 6,539 | 68.4 | Phrae | PRE | TH-54 | TH07 |
Phuket | Phuket (Thai: ภูเก็ต) | 402,017 | 543 | 740.4 | Phuket | PKT | TH-83 | TH62 |
Prachinburi | Prachinburi (Thai: ปราจีนบุรี) | 487,544 | 4,762 | 102.4 | Kabin Buri | PRI | TH-25 | TH74 |
Prachuap Khiri Khan | Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thai: ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) | 543,979 | 6,368 | 85.4 | Hua Hin | PKN | TH-77 | TH57 |
Ranong | Ranong (Thai: ระนอง) | 190,399 | 3,298 | 57.7 | Ranong | RNG | TH-85 | TH59 |
Ratchaburi | Ratchaburi (Thai: ราชบุรี) | 871,714 | 5,196 | 167.8 | Ratchaburi | RBR | TH-70 | TH52 |
Rayong | Rayong (Thai: ระยอง) | 674,393 | 3,552 | 189.9 | Rayong | RYG | TH-21 | TH47 |
Roi Et | Roi Et (Thai: ร้อยเอ็ด) | 1,307,911 | 8,299 | 157.6 | Roi Et | RET | TH-45 | TH25 |
File:Seal of Sa Kaeo Province.png Sa Kaeo | Sa Kaeo (Thai: สระแก้ว) | 561,938 | 7,195 | 78.1 | Sa Kaeo | SKW | TH-27 | TH80 |
Sakon Nakhon | Sakon Nakhon (Thai: สกลนคร) | 1,138,609 | 9,606 | 118.5 | Sakon Nakhon | SNK | TH-47 | TH20 |
Samut Prakan | Samut Prakan (Thai: สมุทรปราการ) | 1,310,766 | 1,004 | 1,305.5 | Bangkok Metropolitan Area | SPK | TH-11 | TH42 |
Samut Sakhon | Samut Sakhon (Thai: สมุทรสาคร) | 568,465 | 872 | 651.9 | Bangkok Metropolitan Area | SKN | TH-74 | TH55 |
Samut Songkhram | Samut Songkhram (Thai: สมุทรสงคราม) | 193,902 | 417 | 465.0 | Samut Songkhram | SKM | TH-75 | TH54 |
Saraburi | Saraburi (Thai: สระบุรี) | 642,040 | 3,576 | 179.5 | Saraburi | SRI | TH-19 | TH37 |
Satun | Satun (Thai: สตูล) | 319,700 | 2,479 | 129.0 | Satun | STN | TH-91 | TH67 |
Sing Buri | Sing Buri (Thai: สิงห์บุรี) | 210,088 | 822 | 255.6 | Sing Buri | SBR | TH-17 | TH33 |
Sisaket | Sisaket (Thai: ศรีสะเกษ) | 1,472,031 | 8,840 | 166.5 | Sisaket | SSK | TH-33 | TH30 |
Songkhla | Songkhla (Thai: สงขลา) | 1,424,230 | 7,394 | 192.6 | Hat Yai | SKA | TH-90 | TH68 |
Sukhothai | Sukhothai (Thai: สุโขทัย) | 599,319 | 6,596 | 91.0 | Sukhothai | STI | TH-64 | TH09 |
Suphan Buri | Suphan Buri (Thai: สุพรรณบุรี) | 852,003 | 5,358 | 159.0 | Suphan Buri | SPB | TH-72 | TH51 |
Surat Thani | Surat Thani (Thai: สุราษฎร์ธานี) | 1,057,481 | 12,891 | 82.0 | Surat Thani | SNI | TH-84 | TH60 |
Surin | Surin (Thai: สุรินทร์) | 1,397,180 | 8,124 | 171.0 | Surin | SRN | TH-32 | TH29 |
Tak | Tak (Thai: ตาก) | 644,267 | 16,407 | 33.0 | Mae Sot | TAK | TH-63 | TH08 |
Trang | Trang (Thai: ตรัง) | 643,072 | 4,918 | 130.8 | Trang | TRG | TH-92 | TH65 |
Trat | Trat (Thai: ตราด) | 229,649 | 2,819 | 80.0 | Trat | TRT | TH-23 | TH49 |
Ubon Ratchathani | Ubon Ratchathani (Thai: อุบลราชธานี) | 1,869,633 | 15,745 | 118.7 | Ubon Ratchathani | UBN | TH-34 | TH75 |
Udon Thani | Udon Thani (Thai: อุดรธานี) | 1,583,092 | 11,730 | 135.0 | Udon Thani | UDN | TH-41 | TH76 |
Uthai Thani | Uthai Thani (Thai: อุทัยธานี) | 329,942 | 6,730 | 49.0 | Uthai Thani | UTI | TH-61 | TH15 |
Uttaradit | Uttaradit (Thai: อุตรดิตถ์) | 457,092 | 7,839 | 58.3 | Uttaradit | UTD | TH-53 | TH10 |
Yala | Yala (Thai: ยะลา) | 527,295 | 4,521 | 116.6 | Yala | YLA | TH-95 | TH70 |
Yasothon | Yasothon (Thai: ยโสธร) | 539,542 | 4,162 | 129.6 | Yasothon | YST | TH-35 | TH72 |
The land area of Thailand is 513,114 km2.[8] The population of Thailand is 65,118,726.[9]
Thailand portal |
Governance
Administrative divisions of Thailand | ||||||||
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Provincial divisions | ||||||||
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Local divisions | ||||||||
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Note: † Special administrative area | ||||||||
Thailand's national government organisation is divided into three types: central government (ministries, bureaus and departments), provincial government (provinces and districts) and local government (Bangkok, Phatthaya City, provincial administrative organisations, etc.).
A province, as part of the provincial government, is administered by a governor (ผู้ว่าราชการจังหวัด) who is appointed by the Minister of Interior. Bangkok, as part of the local government, is administered by a corporation called Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The corporation is led by the Governor of Bangkok (ผู้ว่าราชการกรุงเทพมหานคร) who is directly elected by the citizens of Bangkok.
The provinces are named by their original main city, which is not necessarily still the most populous city within the province today. Also, in several provinces the administration has been moved into a new building outside the city.
History
Before 1892
Many provinces date back to semi-independent local chiefdoms or kingdoms, which made up the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The provinces were created around a capital city (mueang), and included surrounding villages or satellite towns. The provinces were administered either by a governor, who was appointed by the king or by a local ruling family, who were descendants of the old kings and princes of that area and had been given this privilege by the central king. De facto the king did not have much choice but to choose someone from the local nobility or an economically strong man, as against these local power groups the administration would have become impossible. The governor was not paid by the king, but instead financed himself and his administration by imposing local taxes himself. Every province was required to send an annual tribute to Bangkok.
The provinces were divided into four different classes. The first-class were the border provinces. The second-class were those that once had their own princely house. Third-class were provinces that were created by splitting them from other provinces. Fourth-class were provinces near the capital. Additionally tributary states like the principalities of Lan Na, the Laotian kingdoms of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, Cambodia, or the Malay sultanate Kedah were also part of the country, but with more autonomy than the provinces. In this Mandala system the semi-independent countries sometimes were tributary to more than one country.
New provinces were created when the population of an area outgrew the administration, but also for political reasons. If a governor became too dominant in a region former satellite cities were elevated to provincial status, as was the case with Maha Sarakham Province.
Reforms of the provincial administration started in the 1870s under increased pressure from the colonial states of the United Kingdom and France. Agents were sent, especially to border areas, to impose more control on the provinces or tributary states.
Administrative reform of 1892
At the end of the 19th century King Chulalongkorn reformed the central government. In 1892 the ministry, which previously had many overlapping responsibilities, was reorganized with clear missions as in Western administrations. Prince Damrong Rajanubhab became minister of the Ministry of the North (Mahatthai), originally responsible for the northern administration. When the Ministry of the South (Kalahom) was dissolved in 1894, Prince Damrong became Minister of the Interior, responsible for the provincial administration of the whole country.
Starting in 1893 the already existing commissionaireships in some parts of the country were renamed "superintendent commissioner" (khaluang Thesaphiban), and their area of responsibility was called a monthon. In strategically important areas the monthon were created first, while in other areas the provinces kept their independence a bit longer. Several smaller provinces were reduced in status to a amphoe (district) or even lower to a tambon (sub-district) and included in a neighboring province, sometimes for administrative reasons, but sometimes to remove an uncooperative governor.
In some regions rebellions broke out against the new administrative system, usually induced by the local nobility fearing their loss of power. The most notable was the Holy Man Rebellion in 1902 in Isan. It was initially a messianic doomsday sect, but it also attacked government representatives in the northeast. The provincial town Khemarat was even burned by the rebels. After a few months the rebellion was beaten back.[10]
After 1916, the word changwat became common to use for the provinces, partly to distinguish them from the provincial capital city (mueang or amphoe mueang), but also to stress the new administrative structure of the provinces.[11]
When Prince Damrong resigned in 1915, the whole country was divided into 19 monthon (including the area around Bangkok, which was under the responsibility of another ministry until 1922), with 72 provinces.
In December 1915 King Vajiravudh announced the creation of regions (phak), each administered by a viceroy (upparat), to cover several monthon. Until 1922 four regions were established, however in 1925 they were dissolved again. At the same time several monthon were merged, in an attempt to streamline administration and reduce costs.
Since 1932
The monthons were dissolved when Thailand transformed from an absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy in 1932, making the provinces the top level administrative division again. Several smaller provinces were also abolished at that time. During World War II, several provinces around Bangkok were merged. These changes were undone after the war. Also the occupied area from French Indochina was organized into four provinces: Phra Tabong, Phibunsongkhram, Nakhon Champasak and Lan Chang. The current province of Sukhothai was at first known as Sawankhalok. It was renamed Sukhothai in 1939 (which is why the railway system goes to Sawankhalok city and not Sukhothai city). The province, Kalasin, was reestablished in 1947 after having been dissolved in 1932.
In 1972 Phra Nakhon and Thonburi Provinces were merged to form the special administrative area of Bangkok, which combines the tasks of the provinces with that of a municipality, including having an elected governor.
Starting in the second half of the 20th century some provinces were newly created by splitting them off from bigger provinces. In 1975, Yasothon Province was split off from Ubon Ratchathani. In 1977, Phayao province was created from districts formerly part of Chiang Rai. In 1982, Mukdahan was split off from Nakhon Phanom. In 1993 three provinces were created: Sa Kaeo (split from Prachinburi), Nong Bua Lamphu Province (split from Udon Thani), and Amnat Charoen (split from Ubon Ratchathani). The newest province is Bueng Kan, which was split off from Nong Khai effective 23 March 2011.
See also
References
- ^ a b "Population in Thailand as of 31 December 2017" (PDF). Government Gazette. 135. Ratchakitcha Society: 22–25. 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
- ^ Thailand Disaster Management Reference Handbook (PDF). Hawaii: Center for Excellence in Disaster Management & Humanitarian Assistance (CFE-DM). May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "ประกาศสำนักทะเบียนกลาง เรื่อง จำนวนราษฎรทั่วราชอาณาจักร ตามหลักฐานการทะเบียนราษฎร ณ วันที่ 31 ธันวาคม 2558" [Announcement of the Central Registry. The number of people throughout the Kingdom. The evidence of registration as of 31 December 2015]. Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA). Retrieved 28 May 2018.
- ^ "The World Factbook: Thailand". U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
- ^ "ISO 3166-2:TH".
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(help) - ^ "ระบบสถิติทางทะเบียน".
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(help) - ^ "Bangkok updated population as of 2017" (PDF).
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(help) - ^ Thailand Human Development Report 2014 by UNDP Table 0, Basic Data
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-08. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
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suggested) (help)CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Tej Bunnag (1969). The Provincial Administration of Siam from 1892 to 1915. p. 273ff.
- ^ ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง ทรงพระกรุณาโปรดเกล้า ฯ ให้เปลี่ยนคำว่าเมืองเรียกว่าจังหวัด (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 33 (0 ก): 51–53. 1916-05-28.
Further reading
- Tej Bunnag (1977). The Provincial Administration of Siam, 1892–1915: the Ministry of the Interior under Prince Damrong Rajanubhab. Kuala Lumpur; New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-580343-4.
External links