Krabi ( th, กระบี่, ) is the main town in the province of
Krabi (''
thesaban mueang
Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system.
The m ...
'') on the west coast of southern
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
at the mouth of the
Krabi River
The Krabi River ( th, แม่น้ำกระบี่, , ) is a river in Southern Thailand. The Krabi river is 5 kilometres long, as it is the main channel within a larger estuary to the Andaman Sea. The other two main channels are the Yuan R ...
where it empties in
Phang Nga Bay. As of 2020, the town had a population of 32,644. The town is the capital of
Krabi Province and the 10
Krabi city sub-districts. Tourism is an important industry. Krabi is south of Bangkok by road.
History
At the start of the
Rattanakosin period in the late eighteenth century, when the capital was finally settled at
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
, an elephant
kraal
Kraal (also spelled ''craal'' or ''kraul'') is an Afrikaans and Dutch word, also used in South African English, for an enclosure for cattle or other livestock, located within a Southern African settlement or village surrounded by a fence of t ...
was established in Krabi by order of Chao Phraya Nakhon (Noi), the governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat, which was by then a part of the Thai Kingdom. He sent his vizier, the Phra Palad, to oversee this task, which was to ensure a regular supply of elephants for the larger town. So many followers immigrated in the steps of the Phra Palad that soon Krabi had a large community in three different boroughs: Pakasai, Khlong Pon, and Pak Lao. In 1872, King Chulalongkorn elevated these to town status, called Krabi, a word that preserves in its meaning the monkey symbolism of the old standard. The town's first governor was Luang Thep Sena, though it continued for a while as a dependency of Nakhon Si Thammarat. This was changed in 1875, when Krabi was raised to a fourth-level town in the old system of Thai government. Administrators then reported directly to the central government in Bangkok, and Krabi's history as an entity separate from other provinces had begun.
Administration
The town covers the ''
tambon
''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district ('' amphoe'') and province ('' changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 '' khwaen ...
'' Paknam and Krabi Yai of Krabi District, and is divided into 10 communities (''
chumchon'').
Climate
Facing the Andaman Sea, like
Phuket
Phuket (; th, ภูเก็ต, , ms, Bukit or ''Tongkah''; Hokkien:普吉; ) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. It consists of the island of Phuket, the country's largest island, and another 32 smaller islands o ...
, Krabi has a
tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ...
, and is subject to a ten-month rainy season between March and December, often with sustained heavy rains for days at a time during the monsoons. Krabi's highest ever recorded temperature was on 26 March 1998. Its lowest temperature was recorded on 11 January 2009: .
Demographics
Since 2005, the population of Krabi has been greatly increasing.
Tourism
Much of the province has been given over to several national parks. Top destinations are
Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park,
Ao Nang
Ao Nang ( th, อ่าวนาง, ) is a resort town and one of the ten subdistricts (tambon) of Mueang Krabi District, Krabi, Thailand.
Geography
Ao Nang is a central point of the coastal province of Krabi, Thailand
Thailand ( ...
,
Railay, and
Ko Phi Phi
The Phi Phi Islands ( th, หมู่เกาะพีพี, , ) are an island group in Thailand between the large island of Phuket and the Straits of Malacca coast of Thailand. The islands are administratively part of Krabi Province. Ko Phi P ...
. The province includes over 80 smaller islands such as
Ko Lanta and
Phi Phi, well-known to adventurers, yachtsmen, scuba-divers, snorkelers, and day-trippers from Phuket. Krabi's beaches attract both native Thai people and foreigners alike.
Ko Lanta National Park, also in Krabi Province, includes several coral-fringed islands with well-known diving sites. The largest island, Ko Lanta Yai, is the site of park headquarters, and is also home to
"Chao Le", or sea gypsies, who sustain themselves largely through fishing. The islands are best visited during the drier months of October through April.
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving over water. It is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is a low-to-the-water, canoe-like boat in which the paddler sits faci ...
, sailing, bird watching, snorkeling are also among top activities. In the interior, two predominantly mainland national parks,
Khao Phanom Bencha National Park and
Than Bokkhorani, offer inland scenic attractions including waterfalls and caves, and opportunities for trekking, bird watching, and eco-tours.
The rock faces at Railay Beach near Ao Nang have attracted climbers from all over the world and each year are the venue for the Rock and Fire Festival in mid April. There are several rock climbing schools at Railay Beach. The rock is limestone and has characteristic pockets, overhangs and faces. Railay has numerous multi-pitch areas most of which start from the beach itself. A famous example is "Humanality". In addition, deep water soloing is popular on the numerous nearby rocky islands accessible by
long-tail boat
The long-tail boat, ( th, เรือหางยาว, , ) is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable powerplant. A craft designed to carry passengers on a ...
. Another popular destination is the Fossil Shell Beach located at Ban Laem Pho. The beach is famous for its fossilized snail shells, dwellers of the freshwater swamp that covered this area some 40 million years ago.
Transport
Since 1999 the town has been served by the international
Krabi Airport. Passing through the town is
Phetkasem Road (Thailand Route 4).
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
Populated places in Krabi province
Cities and towns in Thailand