Provinces of Thailand

Thailand

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Thailand is divided into 76 provinces (Thai: จังหวัด, changwat, singular and plural, pronounced [tɕ͡āŋ.wàt]), which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 77th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 76 provinces. The name of the provinces are the same as that of their respective capital cities. The only 6 provinces whose capitals are not the biggest cities in their provinces are Tak (Mae Sot is the biggest city), Pathum Thani (Rangsit is the biggest city), Songkhla (Hat Yai is the biggest city), Chonburi (Pattaya is the biggest city), Narathiwat (Su-ngai Kolok is the biggest city) and Prachuap Khiri Khan (Hua Hin is the biggest city).

Bangkok is both the highest population and the highest population density. The biggest province by area is Nakhon Ratchasima, the smallest Samut Songkhram. Ranong has the lowest population number, while Mae Hong Son has the lowest population density (facts according to the year 2000 census).

Each province is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The only exception is Bangkok, whose governor is elected by its population.

Thailand is subdivided into 878 districts (amphoe, อำเภอ). The fifty districts of Bangkok are called khet (เขต), but even in official documents they are sometimes misidentified as amphoe. The number of districts in each provinces varies, from three in the smallest provinces to fifty in Bangkok. Further subdivision levels are tambon (subdistricts) and finally, muban (villages). In Bangkok the tambon are called khwaeng.

List of provinces

A clickable map of Thailand exhibiting its provinces.

Seal	Name	Capital	Population	Area (km²)	Density	HDI	ISO
	Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) Special Governed District	Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon)	9,100,000	1,568.7	5,801	0.933	TH-10
	Samut Prakan Province	Samut Prakan	1,126,485	1,004.1	1,121.9	0.825	TH-11
	Nakhon Nayok Province	Nakhon Nayok	241,081	2,122.0	113.6	0.758	TH-26
	Nakhon Sawan Province	Nakhon Sawan	1,090,379	9,597.7	113.6	0.752	TH-60
	Nonthaburi Province	Nonthaburi	1,039,619	622.3	1,670.6	0.743	TH-12
	Pathum Thani Province	Pathum Thani (The largest city is Rangsit)	853,649	1,525.9	559.4	0.805	TH-13
	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province	Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya	769,126	2,556.6	300.8	0.729	TH-14
	Ang Thong Province	Ang Thong	269,419	968.4	278.2	0.720	TH-15
	Lopburi Province	Lopburi	745,506	6,199.8	120.2	0.742	TH-16
	Sing Buri Province	Sing Buri	232,766	822.5	283	0.739	TH-17
	Chainat Province	Chainat	359,829	2,469.7	145.7	0.756	TH-18
	Saraburi Province	Saraburi	575,053	3,576.5	160.8	0.798	TH-19
	Uthai Thani Province	Uthai Thani	304,122	6,730.2	45.2	0.704	TH-61
	Kamphaeng Phet Province	Kamphaeng Phet	674,027	8,607.5	78.3	0.725	TH-61
	Sukhothai Province	Sukhothai	593,264	6,596.1	89.9	0.738	TH-64
	Phitsanulok Province	Phitsanulok	792,678	10,815.8	73.3	0.724	TH-65
	Phichit Province	Phichit	572,989	4,531.0	126.5	0.693	TH-66
	Phetchabun Province	Phetchabun	965,784	12,668.4	76.2	0.745	TH-67
	Samut Songkhram Province	Samut Songkhram	204,177	416.7	490	0.762	TH-75
	Samut Sakhon Province	Samut Sakhon	466,281	872.3	534.5	0.758	TH-74
	Nakhon Pathom Province	Nakhon Pathom	815,122	2,168.3	375.9	0.682	TH-73
	Suphan Buri Province	Suphan Buri	855,949	5,358.0	159.8	0.744	TH-72
	Chonburi Province	Chonburi (The largest city is Pattaya)	1,040,865	4,363.0	238.6	0.889	TH-20
	Rayong Province	Rayong	522,133	3,552.0	147	0.761	TH-21
	Chanthaburi Province	Chanthaburi	480,064	6,338.0	75.7	0.754	TH-22
	Trat Province	Trat	219,345	2,819.0	77.8	0.675	TH-23
	Chachoengsao Province	Chachoengsao	635,153	5,351.0	118.7	0.708	TH-24
	Prachinburi Province	Prachinburi	406,732	4,762.4	85.4	0.755	TH-25
	Sa Kaeo Province	Sa Kaeo	485,632	7,195.1	67.5	0.688	TH-27
	Nakhon Ratchasima Province	Nakhon Ratchasima	2,565,117	20,494.0	125.2	0.815	TH-30
	Buriram Province	Buriram	1,493,359	10,322.9	144.7	0.729	TH-31
	Surin Province	Surin	1,375,257	8,124.1	169.3	0.751	TH-32
	Sisaket Province	Sisaket	1,405,500	8,840.0	159	0.734	TH-33
	Ubon Ratchathani Province	Ubon Ratchathani	1,803,754	16,112.6	111.9	0.800	TH-34
	Yasothon Province	Yasothon	561,430	4,161.7	134.9	0.782	TH-35
	Chaiyaphum Province	Chaiyaphum	1,095,360	12,778.3	85.7	0.748	TH-36
	Amnat Charoen Province	Amnat Charoen	359,360	3,161.2	113.7	0.712	TH-37
N/A	Bueng Kan Province	Bueng Kan	385,053	4,305	89.4	---	TH-38
	Nong Bua Lamphu Province	Nong Bua Lamphu	482,207	3,859.0	125	0.714	TH-39
	Khon Kaen Province	Khon Kaen	1,733,434	10,886.0	159.2	0.850	TH-40
	Udon Thani Province	Udon Thani	1,467,158	11,730.3	125.1	0.885	TH-41
	Loei Province	Loei	607,083	11,424.6	53.1	0.731	TH-42
	Nong Khai Province	Nong Khai	498,651	3,027	164.7	0.755	TH-43
	Maha Sarakham Province	Maha Sarakham	947,313	5,291.7	179	0.729	TH-44
	Roi Et Province	Roi Et	1,256,458	8,299.4	151.4	0.732	TH-45
	Kalasin Province	Kalasin	921,366	6,946.7	132.6	0.718	TH-46
	Sakon Nakhon Province	Sakon Nakhon	1,040,766	9,605.8	108.3	0.705	TH-47
	Nakhon Phanom Province	Nakhon Phanom	684,444	5,512.7	124.2	0.778	TH-48
	Mukdahan Province	Mukdahan	310,718	4,339.8	71.6	0.728	TH-49
	Chiang Mai Province	Chiang Mai	1,649,457	20,107.0	82.03	0.904	TH-50
	Lamphun Province	Lamphun	413,299	4,505.9	91.7	0.729	TH-51
	Lampang Province	Lampang	782,152	12,534.0	62.4	0.748	TH-52
	Uttaradit Province	Uttaradit	464,474	7,838.6	59.3	0.711	TH-53
	Phrae Province	Phrae	492,561	6,538.6	75.3	0.702	TH-54
	Nan Province	Nan	475,614	11,472.1	41.5	0.705	TH-55
	Phayao Province	Phayao	502,780	6,335.1	79.4	0.722	TH-56
	Chiang Rai Province	Chiang Rai	1,129,701	11,678.4	96.7	0.716	TH-57
	Mae Hong Son Province	Mae Hong Son	248,748	12,681.3	19.6	0.704	TH-58
	Tak Province	Tak (The largest city is Mae Sot)	486,146	16,406.6	29.6	0.735	TH-63
	Ratchaburi Province	Ratchaburi	791,217	5,196.5	152.3	0.726	TH-70
	Kanchanaburi Province	Kanchanaburi	849,361	19,483.2	43.6	0.733	TH-71
	Phetchaburi Province	Phetchaburi	435,377	6,225.1	69.9	0.798	TH-76
	Prachuap Khiri Khan Province	Prachuap Khiri Khan (The largest city is Hua Hin)	494,299	6,367.6	77.6	0.868	TH-77
	Nakhon Si Thammarat Province	Nakhon Si Thammarat	1,519,811	9,942.5	152.9	0.769	TH-80
	Krabi Province	Krabi	336,210	4,708.5	71.4	0.805	TH-81
	Phang Nga Province	Phang Nga	234,188	4,170.0	56.2	0.758	TH-82
	Phuket Province	Phuket	348,504	543.0	641.82	0.921	TH-83
	Surat Thani Province	Surat Thani	990,592	12,891.5	76.8	0.849	TH-84
	Ranong Province	Ranong	161,210	3,298.0	48.9	0.678	TH-85
	Chumphon Province	Chumphon	446,206	6,009.0	74	0.710	TH-86
	Songkhla Province	Songkhla (The largest city is Hat Yai)	1,324,915	7,393.9	179.2	0.681	TH-90
	Satun Province	Satun	247,875	2,479.0	100	0.655	TH-91
	Trang Province	Trang	595,110	4,917.5	121	0.692	TH-92
	Phatthalung Province	Phatthalung	498,471	3,424.5	145.6	0.713	TH-93
	Pattani Province	Pattani	595,985	1,940.4	307.1	0.698	TH-94
	Yala Province	Yala	415,537	4,521.1	91.9	0.687	TH-95
	Narathiwat Province	Narathiwat (The largest city is Su-ngai Kolok)	662,350	4,475.0	148	0.636	TH-96

History

Before 1892

Many provinces date back to semi-independent local chiefdoms or kingdoms, which made up the Ayutthaya kingdom. As today, 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 local 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 wasn't paid by the king, but instead financed himself and his administration by imposing taxes by himself, thus effectively a kleptocracy. 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 recently by splitting them from other provinces. Fourth class were provinces near the capital. Additionally tributary states like the principalities of Lannathai, the Laotian kingdoms of Vientiane and Luang Prabang, Cambodia, or the Malay sultanate Kedah were also part of the country, but with an even higher 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 in the founding of the 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. Especially to the areas near the borders commissionaries were sent to have a stronger control on the provinces or tributary states.

Administrative reform of 1892

At the end of the 19th century King Chulalongkorn reformed the central government drastically. In 1892 the ministry, which previously had many overlapping responsibilities, was reorganized with clear areas 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 commissionarships in some parts of the country were renamed to superintendent commissioner (khaluang thesaphiban), and their area of responsibility was called 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 (subdistrict) and included in a neighboring province, sometimes for administrative reasons, but sometimes also 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, which even though it was at first a messianic doomsday sect, it also attacked government representative in the North-East. The provincial town Khemarat was even burned by the rebels. After a few months the rebellion fought back.

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.^[1]

When Prince Damrong resigned in 1915, the whole country was subdivided into 19 monthon (including the area around Bangkok, which was however 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 the administration and reduce the costs.

Since 1932

The monthon were finally 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 together, which was however undone after the war. The current province of Sukhothai was at first known as Sawankhalok; it was renamed to Sukhothai in 1939 (which is why the railway system goes to Sawankhalok city and not Sukhothai city). Also the province Kalasin was reestablished in 1947, after being dissolved in 1932.

In 1972 the two provinces Phra Nakhon and Thonburi 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. 1993 three provinces were created: Sa Kaeo (split from Prachinburi), Nongbua Lamphu (split from Udon Thani), and Amnat Charoen (split from Ubon Ratchathani). The newest province is Bueng Kan, which was split off fron Nong Khai effective March 23 2011.

See also

• Subdivisions of Thailand
• Seals of The Provinces of Thailand
• Amphoe
• Tambon
• List of Provinces of Thailand (with census data)
• ISO 3166-2:TH

References

• 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 0195803434. 
• Department of Provincial Administration
• Provinces of Thailand at statoids.com

Notes

1. ^ "ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง ทรงพระกรุณาโปรดเกล้า ฯ ให้เปลี่ยนคำว่าเมืองเรียกว่าจังหวัด" (in Thai). Royal Gazette 33 (0 ก): 51–53. 1916-05-28. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2459/A/51.PDF. 

External links

• Pronunciation of provinces in Thailand at www.forvo.com
• Reference Thailand