Colonel William A. Phillips

Chanthaburi (Thai: จันทบุรี, pronounced [tɕān.tʰá(ʔ).bū.rīː]; Chong: จันกะบูย chankabui,[5] lit.'Lady Chan, who wears a pan on her head'[6]) is one of seven provinces (changwat) in eastern Thailand, on the border with Battambang and Pailin of Cambodia, on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Trat in the east and Rayong, Chonburi, Chachoengsao, and Sa Kaeo to the west and north.

History

Tuek Daeng fort, built by French troops during the Paknam crisis

The indigenous people of the Chanthaburi region are the Chong. The Chong have lived in the area since the Ayutthaya Kingdom, and are thought to have been early inhabitants of Cambodia, possibly pre-dating the Khmer. In Chanthaburi province, the Chong predominantly inhabit the districts of Khao Khitchakut, Pong Nam Ron, and Makham.[7]

After the Paknam crisis in 1893, French colonial troops occupied Chanthaburi, returning it in 1905 when Thailand gave up ownership of the western part of Cambodia. A significant minority of Chanthaburi citizens are ethnic Vietnamese, who came there in three waves: first in the 19th century during anti-Catholic persecutions in Cochin China; a second wave in the 1920s to 1940s fleeing French Indochina; and a third wave after the communist victory in Vietnam in 1975.[citation needed] The town of Chanthaburi has been the seat of a Bishop of Chanthaburi since 1944.

Chanthaburi once used to be an important source of gemstones, especially rubies and sapphires. While the Chantaboon Waterfront Community was developed over three centuries ago during the reign of King Narai along the banks of the River Mae Nam Chantaburi. It was an essential transportation and trade hub. Over the years, the Chantaboon Waterfront Community had lost its sheen. However, in the recent decade, the locals with the help of Thai officials have contributed to its revival as a major destination for cultural tourism.

Geography

Hat Chao Lao, the famed and most beautiful beach in Chanthaburi

While the southern part of the province is on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand and thus is mostly coastal alluvial plains, the interior of the province is mountainous. The Chanthaburi Mountains in the north has the highest elevation in the province, the 1,675 m high Khao Soi Dao Tai peak. The main river of the province is the Chanthaburi River. The total forest area is 2,076 km2 (802 sq mi) or 32.4 percent of provincial area.[8]
Together with the neighboring province, Trat, Chanthaburi is a center of gemstone mining, especially rubies and sapphires.[9] Tropical fruits are also among the main products of the province. In 2000, it produced nearly 380,000 tonnes of durian, which was 45.57 percent of Thailand's durian production, approximately 27 percent of the entire world's production.[10][11]

National parks

There area four national parks, along with three other national parks, make up region 2 (Si Racha) of Thailand's protected areas.

Wildlife sanctuaries

There are three wildlife sanctuaries, along with one other wildlife sanctuary, make up region 2 (Si Racha) of Thailand's protected areas.

Symbols

The provincial seal shows the moon surrounded by an aura. Inside the moon disc is a rabbit, as in Thai folklore the dark areas on the moon (maria) form the shape of a rabbit. The seal symbolizes the peace and tranquility of the province. The moon also refers to the meaning of the province, "City of Moon", from Chantha- (Thai: จันท-, lit. 'moon') and buri (Thai: บุรี, lit. 'city').

The flag of the province also shows the seal in the middle, a white rabbit on a yellow moon disc, on a blue disc. The background of the flag is red, with the name of province in yellow written below the seal.[14]

The provincial tree is Diospyros decandra. The provincial flower is an orchid (Dendrobium friedericksianum).[15] The brackish water fish flagfin prawn goby (Mahidolia mystacina) is the provincial fish.

The provincial slogan is "Magnificent waterfalls, fruit city, good breeding peppercorns, loads of gems, Chanthabun mat, fertile nature, gathering place of King Taksin the Great's Liberation Army".

Administrative divisions

Map of Chanthaburi with 10 districts

Provincial government

The province is divided into 10 districts (amphoes). These are further subdivided into 76 subdistricts (tambons) and 690 villages (mubans).

  1. Mueang Chanthaburi
  2. Khlung
  3. Tha Mai
  4. Pong Nam Ron
  5. Makham
  6. Laem Sing
  7. Soi Dao
  8. Kaeng Hang Maeo
  9. Na Yai Am
  10. Khao Khitchakut

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are:[16] one Chanthaburi Provincial Administration Organisation (transl. tha – transl. ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 47 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Chanthaburi, Chanthanimit, Khlung, Tha Chang and Tha Mai have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 42 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 34 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]

Transportation

Roads

Highway 3 (Sukhumvit Road) passes near Chanthaburi and connects to Rayong, Pattaya, Chonburi, and Bangkok to the northwest and Trat to the southeast. Route 317 connects Chanthaburi to Sa Kaeo.[17]

Air

There is no airport in Chantaburi. The nearest airport is Trat Airport, 66 km from the center of Chanthaburi.

Human achievement index 2022

Health Education Employment Income
63 27 45 29
Housing Family Transport Participation
49 38 70 38
Province Chanthaburi, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6323 is "somewhat low", occupies place 49 in the ranking.

Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.[3]

Rank Classification
  1–13 "High"
14–29 "Somewhat high"
30–45 "Average"
46–61 "Somewhat low"
62–77 "Low"

Health

Chanthaburi's main hospital is Prapokklao Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.

Local food

Mu chamuang
  • Mu chamuang (หมูชะมวง): a curry is made from pork belly, herbs and sour grape apple shimba Chamuang (Garcinia cowa) leaves which is a popular dish of Chanthaburi and other provinces in eastern region.[18]
  • Kuaytiew mu liang (ก๋วยเตี๋ยว​หมูเลียง): stewed pork noodles in Rĕw (Amomum villosum) herbal thicken soup which is unique local food.[19]
  • Khanom khuai ling (ขนมควยลิง): traditional dessert of Chanthaburi with a long history, its name literally means "monkey's dick snack".[20]
  • Kuaytiew sen chan pad pu (ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเส้นจันท์ผัดปู): a kind of Pad thai that uses Chanthaburi's rice noodles stir-fried with crab meat.[21]

References

  1. ^ Advancing Human Development through the ASEAN Community, Thailand Human Development Report 2014, table 0:Basic Data (PDF) (Report). United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Thailand. pp. 134–135. ISBN 978-974-680-368-7. Retrieved 17 January 2016, Data has been supplied by Land Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, at Wayback Machine.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)[dead link]
  2. ^ a b "ร่ยงานสถิติจำนวนประชากรและบ้านประจำปี พ.ศ.2561" [Statistics, population and house statistics for the year 2018]. Registration Office Department of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior. stat.bora.dopa.go.th (in Thai). 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  3. ^ a b "ข้อมูลสถิติดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี 2565 (PDF)" [Human Achievement Index Databook year 2022 (PDF)]. Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) (in Thai). Retrieved 12 March 2024, page 20{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  4. ^ "Gross Regional and Provincial Product, 2019 Edition". <>. Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). July 2019. ISSN 1686-0799. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  5. ^ องค์ บรรจุน. สยามหลากเผ่าหลายพันธุ์. กรุงเทพฯ: มติชน, 2553, หน้า 128 (in Thai)
  6. ^ ชอง จันทะบูย ฤาลมหายใจเฮือกสุดท้าย. OK Nation (in Thai). 19 October 2012. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  7. ^ Pholdhampalit, Khetsirin (22 June 2019). "Chantaburi on the table". The Nation. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2019.
  8. ^ "ตารางที่ 2 พี้นที่ป่าไม้ แยกรายจังหวัด พ.ศ.2562" [Table 2 Forest area Separate province year 2019]. Royal Forest Department (in Thai). 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021, information, Forest statistics Year 2019{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  9. ^ Chao Khong Ran. "ตำนานพลอยเมืองจันท์" [Legend of Chan rubies]. luckyjewelista (in Thai).
  10. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 March 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. ^ a b c d "ข้อมูลพื้นที่อุทยานแห่งชาติ ที่ประกาศในราชกิจจานุบกษา 133 แห่ง" [National Park Area Information published in the 133 Government Gazettes]. Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (in Thai). December 2020. Archived from the original on 3 November 2022. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  13. ^ a b c "ตาราง 5 พื้นที่เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่า พ.ศ. 2562" [Table 5 Wildlife Sanctuary Areas in 2019] (PDF). Department of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Plant Conservation (in Thai). 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  14. ^ "ตราประจำจังหวัดจันทบุรี" [Provincial seal]. M-culture.go.th (in Thai).
  15. ^ "ดอกเหลืองจันทบูร ดอกไม้ประจำจังหวัดจันทบุรี" [Yellow Chantaboon flower the provincial flower]. panmai.com (in Thai). 12 July 2019.
  16. ^ "Number of local government organizations by province". dla.go.th. Department of Local Administration (DLA). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019. 6 Chanthaburi: 1 PAO, 5 Town mun., 42 Subdistrict mun., 34 SAO.
  17. ^ "ประเภทของทางหลวง" [Types of highway]. Highwayweigh.go.th (in Thai).
  18. ^ "หมูชะมวง" [Mu chamuang]. RBRU e-Culture (in Thai).
  19. ^ "ก๋วยเตี๋ยวหมูเลียง" [Mu liang noodles]. RBRU e-Culture (in Thai).
  20. ^ "ไม่ได้ทะลึ่งนะ ชื่อแบบนี้จริงๆ 'ขนมxxxลิง' ไฮไลต์เด็ดขนมแปลกเมืองจันท์" [Not assuming a name like this 'Khanomxxxling' highlight of Chanthaburi's weird dessert]. Thai Rath (in Thai). 11 July 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  21. ^ "ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเส้นจันท์ผัดปู" [Kuaytiew sen chan pad pu]. RBRU e-Culture (in Thai).

External links

12°36′37″N 102°06′10″E / 12.61028°N 102.10278°E / 12.61028; 102.10278