Narathiwat Province
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Narathiwat ( th, นราธิวาส,
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
: Menara) is one of the southern
provinces A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
(''changwat'') of
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 bo ...
. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Yala and Pattani. To the south it
borders A border is a geographical boundary. Border, borders, The Border or The Borders may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film and television * ''Border'' (1997 film), an Indian Hindi-language war film * ''Border'' (2018 Swedish film), ...
the
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
n state of
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in the ...
and
Perak Perak () is a state of Malaysia on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula. Perak has land borders with the Malaysian states of Kedah to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, and Selangor to the south. Thailand's ...
. The southern railway line ends in this province, which is one of the nation's four provinces that border Malaysia. The province features a range of cultures as well as natural resources, and is relatively fertile. Narathiwat is about 1,140 kilometers south of
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, 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 estima ...
and has an area of . Seventy-five percent of the area is jungle and mountains and has a tropical climate.


Geography

Narathiwat province is on the
Gulf of Thailand The Gulf of Thailand, also known as the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet in the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. It is around in l ...
, on the
Malay Peninsula The Malay Peninsula (Malay: ''Semenanjung Tanah Melayu'') is a peninsula in Mainland Southeast Asia. The landmass runs approximately north–south, and at its terminus, it is the southernmost point of the Asian continental mainland. The area ...
. The Bang Nara is the main river and enters the
Gulf of Thailand The Gulf of Thailand, also known as the Gulf of Siam, is a shallow inlet in the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. It is around in l ...
at the town of Narathiwat. Narathat Beach, the most popular in the province, is near the estuary. The total forest area is or 26.6 percent of provincial area.


National parks

There are three national parks, along with two other national parks, make up region 6 (Pattani branch) of Thailand's protected areas. *
Budo–Su-ngai Padi National Park Budo–Su-ngai Padi National Park ( th, อุทยานแห่งชาติบูโด-สุไหงปาดี) is a national park in Narathiwat Province, Thailand. It is part of Sankala Khiri mountain range, the southernmost subrang ...
is in the
Sankalakhiri mountain range The Titiwangsa Mountains ( Malay: ''Banjaran Titiwangsa,'' بنجرن تيتيوڠسا, ), also known as ''"Banjaran Besar"'' (Big Range) by locals, is the chain of mountains that forms the backbone of the Malay Peninsula. The northern section ...
. Established on 17 June 1999, the park covers an area of 213,125 rai ~ , extending into neighbouring Yala and Pattani provinces. The main attraction is Pacho Waterfall. *
Namtok Si Po National Park Nam tok ( th, น้ำตก) is a Thai and Lao word meaning waterfall. It can refer to: *Nam Tok Railway Station, terminus of the Burma Railway *For waterfalls in Thailand see :Waterfalls of Thailand In Thai and Lao cuisine, the term Nam tok is ...
, *
Ao Manao–Khao Tanyong National Park AO, aO, Ao, or ao may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Adults Only, an entertainment rating * AO Music (AOmusic), a world-music fusion group consisting of Jay Oliver, Miriam Stockley and others * Ao: The Last Hunter, a 2010 prehistoric d ...
,


Toponymy

The former name of Narathiwat was Menara ( Jawi: ), meaning 'minaret' or 'tower' in
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
, the pre-Islamic name is unknown. This became Bang Nara ( th, บางนรา) or Bang Nak ( th, บางนาค) in Thai, but was changed to Narathiwat by King
Rama VI Vajiravudh ( th, วชิราวุธ, , 1 January 188126 November 1925) was the sixth monarch of Siam under the Chakri dynasty as Rama VI. He ruled from 23 October 1910 until his death in 1925. King Vajiravudh is best known for his efforts ...
in 1915. "Narathiwat", from the
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
(Nara+adhivāsa), means ''the residence of wise people''.


History

Historically, Narathiwat was the part of the semi-independent
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
Sultanate of Patani Patani, or the Sultanate of Patani ( Jawi: كسلطانن ڤطاني) was a Malay sultanate in the historical Pattani Region. It covered approximately the area of the modern Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and part of the north ...
, paying tribute to the Thai kingdoms of Sukhothai and Siamese
Ayutthaya Kingdom The Ayutthaya Kingdom (; th, อยุธยา, , IAST: or , ) was a Siamese kingdom that existed in Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day Thailand. The Ayutthaya Kingdom is conside ...
. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, the Sultanate of Patani gained full independence but returned under Thai control during the reign of King
Rama I Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now Tha ...
(r. 1782–1809), 18 years later, and in the early–1800s was divided into seven smaller kingdoms. In 1909, Narathiwat was fully integrated into Siam as part of Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 negotiated with the
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
. Along with Yala, Narathiwat was then part of ''Monthon Pattani''.


Demographics

Narathiwat is one of four Thai provinces (along with Yala, Pattani, and
Satun Satun (, , ms, Setul) is a town (''thesaban mueang'') in southern Thailand, capital of the Satun Province. It covers the whole ''tambon'' Phiman of Mueang Satun. Satun lies 985 km south of Bangkok. As of 2005 it has a population of 21,498 ...
) with a predominantly Muslim population; 82% are Muslim and 17.9% are Buddhist. Also 80.4% speak the Patani Malay as their first language. Narathiwat Malays are very similar in ethnicity and culture to the Malays of
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in the ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
. In 1963, the Thai government launched the ''Nikhom Sang Ton Eng Pak Tai'' ('self-development community in the south') program to move families from Thailand's northeastern and central provinces to the Sukhirin and Chanae Districts of Narathiwat. A total of 5,633 families were relocated to Narathiwat, where each family was rewarded with 18
rai RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana (; commercially styled as Rai since 2000; known until 1954 as Radio Audizioni Italiane) is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many ter ...
of land. In Phukhao Thong Subdistrict , most
inhabitants Domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal law," which includes the law that governs a person's status and their property. It is independent of a person's nationality. Although a domicile may change from time to time, a person has only one ...
migrated from the Northeast region. They speak
Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provin ...
and are 90% Theravadin Buddhists in what is a predominantly Muslim province. The inhabitants of Narathiwat are largely farmers and fishermen.Tasanasuwan, P. (1991). ''Changwat kong rao sib see changwat pak tai ur province 14 provinces in the South'' Bangkok: Thai Watana Panitch Narathiwat is an area with various religious places of historical significance.


Symbols

The provincial seal shows a sailing boat with a
white elephant A white elephant is a possession that its owner cannot dispose of, and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is a metaphor used to describe an object, construction project, sch ...
on the sail. A white elephant is a royal symbol, and was put on the seal to commemorate the white elephant ''Phra Sri Nararat Rajakarini'' which was caught here and presented to the king. The provincial symbol is the longkong fruit (''
Lansium parasiticum ''Lansium parasiticum'', commonly known as langsat (), lanzones (), or longkong in English; duku in Indonesian or dokong in Terengganu Malay, is a species of tree in the Mahogany family with commercially cultivated edible fruits. The species ...
''). The provincial tree is the Chengal (''
Neobalanocarpus heimii ''Neobalanocarpus'' is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Dipterocarpaceae. The single species, ''Neobalanocarpus heimii'', is a tropical hardwood tree. Common names for the tree and its wood products include ''chengal'', ''chan ta khien'' ...
''), and the provincial flower is the '' Odontadenia macrantha''.


Administrative divisions


Provincial government

Narathiwat is divided into 13 districts (''
amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...
''), which are further divided into 77 subdistricts (''
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 ''khwaeng'' ...
'') and 551 villages ('' muban'').


Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Narathiwat Provincial Administration Organisation (') and 16 municipal (''thesaban'') areas in the province. Narathiwat, Sungai Kolok and Tak Bai have town (''
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 mu ...
'') status. Further 13 subdistrict municipalities (''
thesaban tambon 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 mu ...
''). The non-municipal areas are administered by 72 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations – SAO (''ongkan borihan suan tambon'').


Transportation


Air

Narathiwat Airport Narathiwat Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานนราธิวาส) is an airport in Narathiwat Province, Thailand. Serving the Narathiwat Province Narathiwat ( th, นราธิวาส, Malay: Menara) is one of the so ...
has a direct flight from and to Bangkok daily, operated by Air Asia, departing from Bangkok in the morning and leaving Narathiwat for Bangkok in the afternoon. It also has
Thai Smile THAI Smile Airways is a Thai regional airline and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thai Airways International headquartered in Bangkok. History On 20 May 2011, the Thai Airways board announced plans to create a new lower-cost airline, at the time ...
from Narathiwat to Suvanrabhumi airport.https://www.thaismileair.com/en/booking


Rail

Although there is no direct access to Mueang Narathiwat District, Narathiwat's main railway station and nearest to Mueang District is
Tanyong Mat Railway Station Tanyong Mat railway station is a railway station located in Tanyong Mat Subdistrict, Ra-ngae District, Narathiwat, Thailand. The station is a class 1 railway station located 1099.503 km from Thon Buri railway station Thon Buri railway sta ...
, on the Southern Line, in
Ra-ngae District Ra-ngae ( th, ระแงะ, ) is a district (''amphoe'') in Narathiwat province, southern Thailand. History Mueang Ra-ngae was divided from Pattani in the reign of King Rama I by Vice-King Boworn Maha Surasinghanat. The governor position w ...
. Other major stations along the line in Narathiwat include Rueso, Su-ngai Kolok, Su-ngai Padi and Cho-airong. Distance to Narathiwat by rail is roughly 1100 kilometres from Bangkok Railway Station.


Health

Narathiwat is mostly served by public hospitals. Its main hospital is
Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital () is the main hospital of Narathiwat Province, Thailand and is classified under the Ministry of Public Health (Thailand), Ministry of Public Health as a general hospital. It has a CPIRD Medical Education Center ...
and the province has one university hospital which is Galyanivadhanakarun Hospital of the
Faculty of Medicine, Princess of Naradhiwas University The Faculty of Medicine, Princess of Naradhiwas University () is a medical school located in Narathiwat Province, Narathiwat, southern Thailand. The 18th medical school established in Thailand, founded in 2005, the Medical School is run in collabo ...
.


Human achievement index 2017

Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the
Human achievement index Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
(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.


Recent history

There has been growing violence in southern Thailand since 4 January 2004, especially in the majority Muslim provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, and Pattani. Most of the inhabitants of these provinces are ethnic
Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...
s, though the cities are mainly Thai, Thai Chinese, and Indian. Violent
mujahideen ''Mujahideen'', or ''Mujahidin'' ( ar, مُجَاهِدِين, mujāhidīn), is the plural form of ''mujahid'' ( ar, مجاهد, mujāhid, strugglers or strivers or justice, right conduct, Godly rule, etc. doers of jihād), an Arabic term th ...
activity has happened since the 1980s, but this lessened when
Thaksin Shinawatra Thaksin Shinawatra ( th, ทักษิณ ชินวัตร; ; ; Chinese: 丘達新; cnr, Taksin Šinavatra; born 26 July 1949), is a Thai businessman, politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987, a ...
became prime minister in 2001. Most of the violence has been directed towards the minority Buddhist population in the province.


Religious sites


Central Mosque of Narathiwat

The important religious site for Muslims is the central mosque of Narathiwat. This
mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
is on Pitchitbamrung Road,
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 ''khwaeng'' ...
Bangnark,
Amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...
Muang, about 1 kilometer from the provincial town. This mosque is the center for Thai Muslims who come to worship on Fridays. It was built in 1981 in a three-storied Arabian-style building with a high tower and a domed roof as other mosques. The tower is used to call Muslims to prayer.Government of Narathiwat. (2000). ''Narathiwat Thailand'' rochure Narathiwat: Author.


Khao Kong Buddhist Park

A minority of the people in Narathiwat are Buddhist. Although a minority, there are Buddhist temples in the same amphoe as the mosque. These include Khao Kong Buddhist Park, which occupies an area of 142 rai () in Tambon Lamphu about nine kilometers from town on the Narathiwat-
Rangae Ra-ngae ( th, ระแงะ, ) is a district ('' amphoe'') in Narathiwat province, southern Thailand. History Mueang Ra-ngae was divided from Pattani in the reign of King Rama I by Vice-King Boworn Maha Surasinghanat. The governor position ...
Road.


Phra Buddha Thaksin Ming Mongkol

The main attraction in this site is a southern
Buddha image Buddhist art is visual art produced in the context of Buddhism. It includes depictions of Gautama Buddha and other Buddhas and bodhisattvas, notable Buddhist figures both historical and mythical, narrative scenes from their lives, mandalas, and ...
, the golden "Pra Buddha Thaksin Ming Monkol", which is seated in the lotus position and giving posture. "This mountaintop Buddha image which is considered to be the most beautiful and largest (17 meters wide and 24 meters high) outdoor Buddha image in southern Thailand is decorated in the South Indian style". It is highly respected by locals and Buddhists in the south.


Notable residents

*
Attachai Anantameak Attachai Anantameak ( th, อรรถชัย อนันตเมฆ; born April 22, 1965, in Narathiwat Province, Narathiwat) is a Thai actor and Dissident, political activist and a member of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictator ...
, actor and political activist *
Naraporn Chan-o-cha Naraporn Chan-o-cha ( th, นราพร จันทร์โอชา, ; née Rotchanachan; born 20 June 1954) is a Thai educator. She was an associate professor at the Faculty of Arts of Chulalongkorn University. She is the wife of Prayut ...
, Spouse of Prime Minister of Thailand


References


External links

*http://www.narathiwat.go.th/ Website of province (Thai)
Province page from the Tourist Authority of ThailandSouthern Comforts; Narathiwat Province (article in ''The Nation'')
Golden Jubilee Network province guide
currently 404--> {{Coord, 6, 25, 44, N, 101, 49, 26, E, type:adm1st_region:TH, display=title Provinces of Thailand Gulf of Thailand