Central Thailand
Central Thailand (central plain) is one of the regions of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. It is separated from northeast Thailand (Isan) by the Phetchabun mountain range. The Tenasserim Hills separate it from Myanmar to the west. In the north it is bounded by the Phi Pan Nam Range, one of the hilly systems of northern Thailand. The area was the heartland of the Ayutthaya Kingdom (at times referred to as Siam), and is still the dominant area of Thailand, containing as it does, the world's most primate city, Bangkok.
Central Region
ภาคกลาง | |
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From upper-left to lower-right: Lumphini Park; Wat Chaiwatthanaram; Fishing, Bueng Boraphet; Wat Mahathat Sukhothai Historical Park; Khao Kho National Park | |
Central Region in Thailand | |
Largest city | Bangkok |
Provinces | 21 Provinces
1 Special administrative area
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Area | |
• Total | 91,798.64 km2 (35,443.65 sq mi) |
Population (2015) | |
• Total | 20,183,134 |
• Density | 220/km2 (570/sq mi) |
Language | Thai • others |
Definition
The grouping of Thai provinces into regions follow two major systems, in which Thailand is divided into either four or six regions. In the six-region system, commonly used in geographical studies, central Thailand extends from Sukhothai and Phitsanulok Provinces in the north to the provinces bordering the Gulf of Thailand in the south, excluding the mountainous provinces bordering Myanmar to the west and the coastal provinces of the east. The four-region system includes provinces only as far north as Chai Nat, Sing Buri, and Lopburi, and extends west and east to the borders of Myanmar and Cambodia.
Administrative divisions
The central region is divided into 22 provinces, which includes the following:
- Greater Bangkok: Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram
- North Central Thailand region: Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Phetchabun, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Uthai Thani
- South Central Thailand region: Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Chainat, Lopburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, Sing Buri; Suphanburi
Central Thailand, as defined by the four-region system, is divided into 26 provinces. Especially for statistical purposes these are divided into four groups:[1]
- Greater Bangkok: Bangkok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon
- Sub-Central Thailand region: Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Chainat, Lopburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, Sing Buri
- Western Thailand region: Kanchanaburi, Phetchaburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi, Samut Songkhram, Suphanburi
- Eastern Thailand region: Chachoengsao, Chanthaburi, Chonburi, Prachinburi, Rayong, Sa Kaeo, Trat
The eastern region is sometimes listed as a separate region distinct from central Thailand – sometimes only the four coastal provinces, sometimes the above list excluding Nakhon Nayok. None of these regions are political subdivisions, they are only geographical or statistical groupings.
References
- List according to Wolf Donner, Thailand, ISBN 3-534-02779-5
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Central Thailand. |
- Central (Thailand) travel guide from Wikivoyage