Surat Thani province: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

Surat Thani
สุราษฏร์ธานี

Statistics
Capital:	Surat Thani
Area:	12,891.5 km² Ranked 6th
Inhabitants:	869,410 (2000) Ranked 23rd
Pop. density:	67 inh./km² Ranked 66th
ISO 3166-2:	TH-84
Map

Surat Thani (often in short Surat, Thai สุราษฏร์ธานี) is the largest of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means City of Good People, the title given to the city by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI). Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong.

Geography

Geographically the center of the province is the coastal plain of the Tapi river, mostly grassland and some mangrove. In the west are limestone mountains mostly covered with forests. The Khao Sok National Park is located in these mountains. Many islands in the Gulf of Thailand belong to the district, including the tourist island Ko Samui and the Ko Angthong marine national park. To the east are the Bantat hills. The main rivers of the Surat Thani province are Tapi River and Phum Duang River, which drain into the Bandon Bay.

The area of Surat Thani was already inhabited in prehistoric times by Semang and Malayan tribes. Founded in the 3rd century, until the 13th century the Srivijaya kingdom dominated the Malay Peninsula and much of the island of Java from there. The city Chaiya contains several ruins from Srivijaya times, and was probably a regional capital of the kingdom. Some Thai historians even claim that it was the capital of the kingdom itself for some time, but this is generally disputed.

After the fall of the Srivijaya it was divided into the three cities Chaiya, Thatong, and Kirirat. In 1915 King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) reorganized the administration and merged the two previous provinces Chaiya and Kanchanadit, and moved the administration to Surat Thani (till then Ban Don). Surat Thani also became the capital of the Monthon Chumpon, which was then renamed to Monthon Surat Thani. In 1933 the monthon was dissolved, so the province became the first level administrative subdivision.

The seal of the province shows the pagoda of Phra Boromathat Chaiya, which is believed to have been built 1200 years ago. The provincial symbolic flower is the Bua Pud (Rafflesia kerrii), a parasitic plant with one of the biggest flowers of all plants. The provincial tree is the Ton Kiam (Cotylelobium melanoxylon).

The province is subdivided into 18 districts (Amphoe) and one sub-district (King Amphoe). The districts are further subdivided into 131 communes (tambon) and 1028 villages (mubaan).

Provinces of Thailand

North: Chiang Mai | Chiang Rai | Kamphaeng Phet | Lampang | Lamphun | Mae Hong Son | Nakhon Sawan | Nan | Phayao | Phetchabun | Phichit | Phitsanulok | Phrae | Sukhothai | Tak | Uthai Thani | Uttaradit North-East: Amnat Charoen | Buriram | Chaiyaphum | Kalasin | Khon Kaen | Loei | Maha Sarakham | Mukdahan | Nakhon Phanom | Nakhon Ratchasima | Nongbua Lamphu | Nong Khai | Roi Et | Sakhon Nakhon | Sisaket | Surin | Ubon Ratchathani | Udon Thani | Yasothon Central: Ang Thong | Ayutthaya | Bangkok | Chainat | Kanchanaburi | Lopburi | Nakhon Nayok | Nakhon Pathom | Nonthaburi | Pathum Thani | Phetchaburi | Prachuap Khiri Khan | Ratchaburi | Samut Prakan | Samut Sakhon | Samut Songkhram | Saraburi | Sing Buri | Suphanburi South: Chumphon | Krabi | Nakhon Si Thammarat | Narathiwat | Pattani | Phang Nga | Phattalung | Phuket | Ranong | Satun | Songkhla | Surat Thani | Trang | Yala East: Chachoengsao | Chanthaburi | Chonburi | Rayong | Prachinburi | Sa Kaeo | Trat