Mae Hong Son Province

Salween River at Mae Sam Laep, Sop Moei District. Left is Myanmar.

Mae Hong Son Province is approximately 924 kilometres (574 mi) north of Bangkok by road. To the north and west it connects to a total of three states in the Union of Burma, namely the southern portion of Shan State, Kayah State, and Kawthoolei State, via the Dawna Range, and the Salween and Moei Rivers. These formations serve as natural boundaries between the countries. To the south, it borders the district of Tha Song Yang and Tak, via the rivers Yuam and Ngao, which serve as a provincial boundary. To the east it borders the districts of Wiang Haeng, Chiang Dao, Mae Taeng, Mae Chaem, Hot and Omkoi in Chiang Mai Province, via the central and east sections of the Thanon Thongchai mountain ranges, which serve as a boundary between the two provinces.

Every district in Mae Hong Son Province shares a common border, measuring approximately 483 kilometres in total length, with Myanmar. The common border consists of approximately 326 km (203 mi) of land boundary and 157 km (98 mi) of river boundary (not counting the Salween, 127 km (79 mi), and Moei, 30 km (19 mi)).[6]

Most of the areas of Mae Hong Son Province are the complex mountain ranges of the Thai highlands, parts of which are still covered with rain forest. Of the approximately 6,976,650 rai of national forest reserves, it is estimated that 88% is forested.[7]

The Daen Lao Range, in the northernmost portion of the province, marks the northern boundary between Thailand and Burma, while the Dawna Range in the west serves as the boundary between Thailand and Burma. The Thanon Thongchai Range in the east of the province serves as the boundary between the provinces of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai. The highest point of the province is Doi Mae Ya (ยอดเขาแม่ยะ), in the Pai District in the province's northeast, at 2,005 metres (6,578 ft) elevation.[8]

Mae Hong Son Province has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification category Aw). Winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until May. Mansoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm. Temperature statistics: It's maximum temperature is 44.6 °C (112.3 °F) on 28 April 2016 and the lowest temperature is 3.9 °C (39.0 °F). The highest average temperature is 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) on 25 December 1999 and the minimum average temperature is 18.0 °C (64.4 °F). The average relative humidity is 96.99% and the minimum relative humidity is 20%. Annual rainfall is 1,064.9 millimeters and on 23 April 1968 was for 24 hour the rainfall 130.4 mm. The number of rainy days was 130 days for a year.[9]
Weather box Mae Hong Son and Weather box Mae Sariang

There are four national parks and one proposed national park, with total area of 3,411 km² (8,834 mi²).[10]

• Huai Nam Dang National Park, 1,252 km² (3,243 mi²)
• Salawin National Park, 721 km² (1,867 mi²)
• Tham Pla-Namtok Phu Suea National park, 630 km² (1,631 mi²)
• Namtok Mae Surin National park, 396 km² (1,026 mi²)
• Mae Ngao National park (postponed), 412 km² (1,067 mi²)

There are six sanctuaries, with a total area of 3,684 km² (9,541 mi²).[11]

• Lum Nam Pai Wildlife Sanctuary, 1,180 km² (3,056 mi²)
• Salawin Wildlife Sanctuary, 955 km² (2,474 mi²)
• Mae Lao-Mae Sae Wildlife Sanctuary, 514 km² (1,331 mi²)
• Doi Wiang La Wildlife Sanctuary, 466 km² (1,207 mi²)
• Mae Yuam Fang Khwa Wildlife Sanctuary, 292 km² (756 mi²)
• Sun Pan Dam Wildlife Sanctuary, 277 km² (717 mi²)

There are 31 water reservoirs with total capacity of 12.31 million cubic meters:

• Huai So Tue, capacity 1,880,000 m³
• Huai Fai Kho, capacity 950,000 m³
• Huai Mae Hong Son, cap. 734,000 m³.
• Huai Mae Salap, cap. 700,000 m³.

There are 617 groundwater wells, which are used to mine groundwater for general use.[12]

Among the minerals that have been discovered in the province are limestone, coal, lignite, lead, zinc, tin, tungsten, antimony, fluoride, and feldspar. The mineral area is approximately 2,440 km² (19% of provincial area).[13]

The province is divided into seven districts (amphoes). These are further divided into 45 subdistricts (tambons) and 415 villages (mubans).[18]

As of 26 November 2019 there are:[19] one Mae Hong Son Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and seven municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Mae Hong Son has town (thesaban mueang) status. There are a further six subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 42 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations (SAO) (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[3]

Shan people is the largest population group in the province. They migrated from Shan State in Myanmar. Further there are seven hill tribes which consists of 63% of the provincial population: Karen, Lahu, Lisu, Lua, Miao, Chinese Yunnan and Pa-O people.

The Karen are not a single group, but rather a mix of closely related tribes. Among the smallest of the Karen tribes in Thailand are Kayan Lahwi. This group's women are recognized by the large brass rings they wear around their necks. Population density is 22 persons per km², the lowest of all provinces.[20]

• Tai Yai people speak their own language. The written language with round alphabets is like Mon and Burmese script.
• Karen and Chinese Haw have their own spoken and written language.
• Lahu, Lisu and Lua people have their own spoken language, but their written language uses the Latin alphabet.[21]

Most inhabitants, 77.5%, are Buddhists, followed by Christians at 20.9%, and Muslims at 0.5%. About 1.1% believe in animism and other religions.[22]

Higher educational institutions are:

• Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, Mae Hong Son campus.[24]
• Mae Hong Son Community College.[25]
• Nawamintrachinaracha Industrial and Community Education College.
• Mae Sariang Industrial and Community Education College.

There are eight secondary schools in Mae Hong Son.[26]

Every district has a hospital. There are also 72 subdistrict health-promoting hospitals. There are 63 public health centers, 10 insect-induced disease control centers, 15 malaria clinics, 21 community malaria centers and one health service (Thanyarak Mae Hong Son hospital).[27]

There are four major roads in the province:[28]

• Hot District of Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son, distance 345 km
• Mae Tang District of Chiang Mai Province to Mae Hong Son, distance 246 km.
• Mae Sot District of Tak Province to Mae Hong Son.
• Mae Chaem District of Chiang Mai Province to Khun Yuam District of Mae Hong Son Province, distance 90 km.

Two bus companies (Prem Pracha Transport Co and Sombat Tour Co.) operate four bus services:[29]

• Bangkok - Mae Hong Son, distance is 928 km, travel time is 17 hours.
• Chiang Mai - Mae Sariang - Mae Hong Son, distance is 359 km, travel time is eight hours.
• Chiang Mai (Pai District) - Mae Hong Son, distance is 250 km, travel time is six hours.
• Mae Sot District of Tak Province - Mae Sariang District of Mae Hong Son.

Bangkok Airways provides daily flights between Chiang Mai International Airport and Mae Hong Son Airport.[30] From 2011 until April 2017 Kan Air provided flights between Chiang Mai International Airport and Pai Airport.

Mae Hong Son is supplied with electricity from power stations in Chiang Mai Province (Districts Chom Thong, Hot and Mae Taeng), along with eight power plants in Mae Hong Son Province:[31]

• Pha Bong Dam Hydro Plant
• Mae Sa Nga Dam Hydro Plant
• Mae Sariang Hydro Plant
• Mae Hong Son Diesel Power Plant
• Pha Bong Solar Power Plant

In 2015, 83% of households were electrified and the remainder were without electricity.[32]

As of 2018 there were 65,153 households, of which 2.1% used telephones, 15.2% used computers with no internet connection, and 45.5% used computers with internet. As of 2018 there were 182,615 people aged six years and older, of which 22.2% used computers, 38.9% the internet, and 81.3% used mobile phones.[33]