Phetchabun Province

Phetchabun (Thai: เพชรบูรณ์, pronounced [pʰét.t͡ɕʰā.būːn]) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat) lies in lower northern Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Loei, Khon Kaen, Chaiyaphum, Lopburi, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, and Phitsanulok.

Phetchabun

เพชรบูรณ์
Province
Khao Kho National Park at sundown
Flag
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Mueang Makham Wan
(city of sweet tamarinds)
Map of Thailand highlighting Phetchabun Province
Coordinates: 16°20′N 101°06′E
CountryThailand
CapitalPhetchabun
Government
 • GovernorPhibun Hatthakitkoson (since October 2016)
Area
 • Total12,668 km2 (4,891 sq mi)
Area rankRanked 9th
Population
 (2018)[2]
 • Total994,540
 • RankRanked 22nd
 • Density79/km2 (200/sq mi)
 • Density rankRanked 63rd
Human Achievement Index
 • HAI (2017)0.6239 "somewhat high"
Ranked 16th
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code
67xxx
Calling code056 & 043
ISO 3166 codeTH-67
Websitewww.phetchabun.go.th

Geography and climate

Phetchabun is in the lower northern region of Thailand, in the area between the northern and the central region. The province lies in the broad fertile river valley of the Pa Sak River, with mountains of the Phetchabun mountain range to the east and west.

Khao Kho National Park, Nam Nao National Park, and Tat Mok National Park are all in the province, either entirely or partially.

Phetchabun especially Khao Kho is a place with good weather and cold all year round. Therefore received the nickname "Switzerland of Thailand".[4]

Toponymy

The word phetcha originates from the Sanskrit word vajra meaning "diamond" (or weapon of Indra), and the word bun from Sanskrit purna meaning "full", "perfect" or "whole". Hence the name of the province literally means "perfect diamond".

Initially, the province was called "Phe-cha-buth" as "Phuenchapura", which means the city that has plenty of crops.[5] The reason is that the province is very fertile and has ample resources. Because of the fertility of the land, Phetchabun has always been agriculturally productive area.

History

Phetchabun was established by two kingdoms: the Sukhothai Kingdom, and the Ayutthaya Period of the King Narai.

In the Thesaphiban administrative reforms at the beginning of the 20th century, the province, together with Lom Sak Province to the north, formed monthon Phetchabun. As it was the smallest monthon, it was also the first monthon to be dissolved in 1915, after being temporarily administered from Monthon Phitsanulok between 1903 and 1907. Lom Sak Province was abolished and merged into Phetchabun in 1932.

During the period between 1968-1982 communist insurgents established bases in the mountains in the province. From hidden locations they fought occasional skirmishes against the Thai Army.

Symbols

The provincial seal shows a diamond on a mountain, as diamonds are found in the province. In the foreground are tobacco plants, as it is one of the crops grown in the province. The provincial tree is the tamarind. Craspedacusta sowerbyi, a rare species of freshwater jellyfish is the provincial aquatic animal. Because Phetchabun is one of the few places in the world, that is the habitat of this species of invertebrates.[6]

Economy

Tourism is considered the main industry of the province.

Phu Thap Boek, the highest mountain in the province. It is a well-known tourist destination and the largest cabbage growing place in the country.[7]

Transport

Road

Phetchabun is 346 kilometres from Bangkok by using Route 1 and Route 21.

Air

Phetchabun is served by Phetchabun Airport. Nok Air serves the airport with flights to Bangkok.[8]

Administrative divisions
Map of 11 districts

The province is divided into 11 districts (amphoe). These are further divided into 117 subdistricts (tambon) and 1261 villages (muban).

  1. Mueang Phetchabun
  2. Chon Daen
  3. Lom Sak
  4. Lom Kao
  5. Wichian Buri
  6. Si Thep
  1. Nong Phai
  2. Bueng Sam Phan
  3. Nam Nao
  4. Wang Pong
  5. Khao Kho

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are:[9] one Phetchabun Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 25 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Phetchabun, Wichian Buri and Lom Sak have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 22 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 102 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]

Human achievement index 2017
Health Education Employment Income
35 49 39 14
Housing Family Transport Participation
18 24 43 14
Province Phetchabun, with an HAI 2017 value of 0.6239 is "somewhat high", occupies place 16 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]

RankClassification
  1 - 15"high"
16 - 30"somewhat high"
31 - 45"average"
45 - 60"somewhat low"
61 - 77"low"
Road to Khao Kho

Local products
  • Sweet tamarind
  • Arabica coffee
  • Khao lam
  • Black galingale
  • Stevia tea
  • Thai vermicelli rice noodles
  • Cabbage
  • Grilled chicken

Notable people

Notes

Reports (data) from Thai government are "not copyrightable" (Public Domain), Copyright Act 2537 (1994), section 7.

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.
  2. "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. Human achievement index 2017 by National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB), pages 1-40, maps 1-9, retrieved 14 September 2019, ISBN 978-974-9769-33-1
  4. "เที่ยวเขาค้อ "สวิสเซอร์แลนด์เมืองไทย" แดนแห่งขุนเขาและทะเลหมอก ณ เมืองเพชรบูรณ์" [Travel to Khao Kho, "Switzerland of Thailand" land of mountains and sea of mist in Phetchabun]. Tong Tua Thai.com (in Thai).
  5. Thanarutleasakon, k. (2002). Pra – wat – tai – sart – Thai – ched– sib – hoke – jung -wat [Thai history of 76 provinces]. Bangkok : One World Publishing.
  6. "สัตว์น้ำประจำจังหวัดเพชรบูรณ์" [Provincal aquatic animal]. 4.fisheries.go.th (in Thai). 2018-02-11. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  7. "กะหล่ำปลีสีเขียว ๆ ยังมีให้ดูที่ภูทับเบิก" [Green cabbages are also available at Phu Tub Berk]. Ch3 (in Thai). 2017-03-28. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
  8. https://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/279004/nok-air-adds-phetchabun-from-june-2018/
  9. "Number of local government organizations by province". dla.go.th. Department of Local Administration (DLA). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019. 38 Phetchabun: 1 PAO, 3 Town mun., 22 Subdistrict mun., 102 SAO.
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