Suphan Buri province

Suphan Buri
สุพรรณบุรี
Province
(clockwise from top left) Don Chedi Memorial, Wat Pa Lelai Worawihan, Buddhist heaven and hell park at Wat Phai Rong Wua, Chinese village replica at the Dragon Descendants Museum, Phu Toei National Park, Giant Dragon Statue of Dragon Descendants Museum near the Suphan Buri Tutelary Shrine
Flag of Suphan Buri
Flag
Official seal of Suphan Buri
Seal
Nickname: 
Suphan
Motto(s): 
สุพรรณบุรี เมืองยุทธหัตถี วรรณคดีขึ้นชื่อ เลื่องลือพระเครื่อง รุ่งเรืองเกษตรกรรม สูงล้ำประวัติศาสตร์ แหล่งปราชญ์ศิลปิน ภาษาถิ่นชวนฟัง
("Suphan Buri. City of the elephant battle. Famed literature. Renowned amulets. Prosperous agriculture. Amazing history. Home of scholars and artists. Listen to the local language.")
Map of Thailand highlighting Suphan Buri province
Map of Thailand highlighting Suphan Buri province
CountryThailand
CapitalSuphan Buri
Government
 • GovernorNatthapat Suwanprateep (since October 2020)
Area
[1]
 • Total5,358 km2 (2,069 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 39th
Population
 (2018)[2]
 • Total848,720
 • RankRanked 29th
 • Density158/km2 (410/sq mi)
  • RankRanked 24th
Human Achievement Index
[3]
 • HAI (2022)0.6599 "high"
Ranked 12th
GDP
[4]
 • Totalbaht 87 billion
(US$3.0 billion) (2019)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code
72xxx
Calling code035
ISO 3166 codeTH-72
Websitewww.suphanburi.go.th

Suphan Buri (Thai: สุพรรณบุรี, pronounced [sù.pʰān būrīː]) located in the central region of Thailand, is one of the country's 76 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), the first-level administrative divisions. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom and Kanchanaburi. As of 2018 the province counted a population of around 848,700, representing about 1.28% of the country's population.[5]

Toponymy

The word suphan originates from the Sanskrit word Suvarna (Devanagari: सुवर्ण), meaning 'gold', and the word buri from Sanskrit purī (Devanagari: पुरी), meaning 'town' or 'city'. Hence the name of the province literally means 'city of gold'.

Geography

The terrain of the province is mostly low river plains, with small mountain ranges in the north and the west of the province. The southeastern part with the very low plain of the Tha Chin River is paddy rice farming area. The total forest area is 631 km2 (244 sq mi) or 11.7 percent of provincial area.[6] There is one national park, Phu Toei National Park, with an area of 317 km2 (122 sq mi), which, along with eight other national parks, make up region 3 (Ban Pong) of Thailand's protected areas. [7]: 86 

History

See also: History of Thailand, Dvaravati, and Suphan Buri

Suphan Buri might be the site of the legendary Suvarnabhumi, which is mentioned in very old Buddhist writings.[8] However the first confirmed historical settlement was in the Dvaravati period, when the city was known as Mueang Thawarawadi Si Suphannaphumi ('the Dvaravati city of Suvarnabhumi').[9] Its founding took place c. 877–882. In the era of Angkorian king Jayavarman VII, an inscription called Prasat Phra Khan (จารึกปราสาทพระขรรค์) was made which mentions the name of Suvarnapura.[10] Later it was called U Thong, and was once believed to be the home city of Prince U Thong, the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. King Khun Luang Pha Ngua gave it the current name. Suphan Buri was a border city, and the site of several battles with the neighbouring Burmese.

Suphan Buri people speak in a distinct Central Thai dialect, which is believed to be the form spoken during the Ayutthaya period.

Economy

The province is Thailand's largest producer of water chestnuts (Thai: ลูกแห้ว, RTGS: luk haeo), grown mainly in Mueang Suphan Buri, Sam Chuk, and the Si Prachan Districts of the province. About half of the province's 3,000 rai of cultivated water chestnuts are found in Tambon Wang Yang of Si Prachan. The vegetable was registered as a geographical indication (GI) product of Suphan Buri in 2017.[11] The Thai dessert thapthim krop (Thai: ทับทิมกรอบ), with water chestnuts as its main ingredient, was named one of the world's best 50 desserts in 2019 by CNN Travel.[12]

Symbols

The provincial seal shows the elephant battle between King Naresuan the Great and the crown prince of Burma in 1592, which took place in Suphan Buri.

The provincial tree is the ebony tree makleua (มะเกลือ, scientific name Diospyros mollis). Boeseman croaker (Boesemania microlepis) is the provincial aquatic animal, ปลาม้า.

Administrative divisions

Map of 10 districts

Provincial government

The province is divided into 10 districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 110 subdistricts (tambons) and 977 villages (mubans).

  1. Mueang Suphan Buri
  2. Doem Bang Nang Buat
  3. Dan Chang
  4. Bang Pla Ma
  5. Si Prachan
  1. Don Chedi
  2. Song Phi Nong
  3. Sam Chuk
  4. U Thong
  5. Nong Ya Sai

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are:[13] one Suphan Buri Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 45 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Suphan Buri and Song Phi Nong have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 43 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 81 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]

Health

Suphan Buri's main hospital is Chao Phraya Yommarat Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.

Transportation

Suphan Buri Railway Station

Rail

Suphan Buri is at the end of a 157 kilometres (98 mi) branch line of the State Railway of Thailand's Southern Line, officially terminating at Suphan Buri railway station. The branch meets the main line at Nong Pladuk Junction near Ban Pong.

Roads

Route 340 passes through Suphan Buri, leading north to Chai Nat and south to Bang Bua Thong. Route 321 leads west and then south to Nakhon Pathom. Route 329 leads east to Bang Pahan. Route 3195 leads north-east to Ang Thong.

Human achievement index 2022

Health Education Employment Income
27 45 17 16
Housing Family Transport Participation
39 17 72 31
Province Suphan Buri, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6599 is "high", occupies place 12 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"

Notable people

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 "รายงานสถิติจำนวนประชากรและบ้านประจำปี พ.ศ.2561" [Statistics, population and house statistics for the year 2018]. Registration Office Department of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior (in Thai). 31 December 2018. 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 80{{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. ^ "Population of the entire kingdom, following the evidence from the population registration on the 31st of December 2019" (PDF). Royal Thai Government Gazette. 30 January 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 16, 2020. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  6. ^ "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)
  7. ^ "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. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  8. ^ The Siam Society: Miscellaneous Articles Written for the JSS by His Late Highness Prince Damrong. The Siam Society, Bangkok, B.E. 2505 (1962). William J. Gedney, "A Possible Early Thai Route to the Sea", Journal of the Siam Society, Volume 76, 1988, pp.12-16.[1]
  9. ^ Manit Vallibhotama, "Muang U-Thong", Muang Boran Journal, Volume 14, no.1, January–March 1988, pp.29-44. Warunee Osatharom, Muang Suphan Through Changing Periods, Bangkok, Thammasat University Press, 2004.
  10. ^ เข้าใจถิ่นเข้าใจเที่ยว สุพรรณบุรี, การท่องเที่ยวแหงประเทศไทย, 2547, p.7 ISBN 978-974-7177-14-5 or Appriciate the Locality, Travel Knowaladgableably, Suphan Buri Tourism Authority of Thailand, 2000, p.7 ISBN 978-974-7177-45-9; * Wārunī ʻŌsathārom. Mư̄ang Suphan bon sēnthāng kan̄plīanplǣng thāng prawattisāt Phutthasattawat thī 8 - ton Phutthasattawat thī 25 (History, development, and geography of the ancient city of Suphan Buri Province, Central Thailand, 8th-25th B.E.), Samnakphim Mahāwitthayālai Thammasāt, Krung Thēp, 2547.
  11. ^ Karnjanatawe, Karnjana (28 May 2020). "Step into the mud". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  12. ^ Smith, Jen Rose (4 June 2019). "50 of the world's best desserts". CNN Travel. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Number of local government organizations by province". dla.go.th. Department of Local Administration (DLA). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019. 64 Suphan Buri: 1 PAO, 2 Town mun., 43 Subdistrict mun., 81 SAO.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Suphanburi Province.

14°28′28″N 100°7′6″E / 14.47444°N 100.11833°E / 14.47444; 100.11833