Ratchaburi Province

Ratchaburi Province is a medium-sized province with an area of about 5,196 square kilometres (2,006 sq mi). The eastern part of the province contains the flat river plains of the Mae Klong, crisscrossed by many khlongs. The most famous tourist spot in this area is the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. The west of the province is more mountainous, and includes the Tenasserim Hills. As the mountains are made mostly of limestone, there are several caves containing stalactites. Some caves are inhabited by large colonies of bats, and it is an impressive sight when they swarm out in the evening to feed. Other caves like the Khao Bin are accessible for visitors.

The main river of the western part is the Phachi River. On the left bank of the Phachi is the Chaloem Phrakiat Thai Prachan National Park.

The area of Ratchaburi Province is divided into three parts. First, the border in the west which is shared with Myanmar and is about 60 kilometres (37 mi) long. The second contains the Tenasserim mountains and forests with an elevation of about 200–300 meters. The central area of the province is rich in wetlands due to river flow. Ratchaburi has important natural resources are forest which it have area about 38 percent of the province. Moreover, it has minerals such as tin, tantalum, feldspar, quartz, limestone, and marlstone.[5]

The history of the city of Ratchaburi dates back to the Dvaravati period, when it was an important city of the Mon Kingdom. Of the city of Khu Bua nearby only ruins remains. According to legend it dates back to the mythical Suvannabhumi Kingdom predating Dvaravati.

"Ratchaburi" means 'the land of the king'.[6] Ratchaburi dates back to ancient times and was important during the Dvaravati period. The city of Ratchburi is on the banks of the Mae Klong River and was a town of the Suvarnabhumi Kingdom.

Hill tribes, mostly Karen living near the Myanmar border, make up about one percent of the population. Some Mon, Lawa, Lao, Chinese and Khmer minorities live in the province.[7]

Ratchaburi is 98.3 percent Buddhist.[8]^{:Table 4}

The provincial seal shows the royal sword above the royal sandals on a phan, as the name Ratchaburi means 'city of the king'. The name derives from the fact that King Rama I was born here. The provincial slogan is "Beautiful women of Photharam, beautiful women of Baan Pong, the city of earthenware jars, shadow plays at Wat Khanon, magnificent caves, floating market at Damnoen, bats, delicious Yii Sok fish". The provincial flower is the Pink Shower Tree (Cassia bakeriana), and the provincial tree is Wrightia pubescens.[9] Jullien's golden carp (Probarbus jullieni) is a provincial fish, same as neighbouring province Kanchanaburi. Since it is a fish that has good taste and had abounding in the Mae Klong River in the past, but is now in a critically endangered.[10]

Ratchaburi Hospital is the main hospital of the province.

Health	Education	Employment	Income
49	22	52	23
Housing	Family	Transport	Participation
40	74	32	47
Province Ratchaburi, with an HAI 2017 value of 0.5713 is "somewhat low", occupies place 53 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]

Map with provinces and HAI 2017 rankings

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  Khao Bin cave
• 
  Wat Khlong, the largest ruin of Khu Bua
• 
  Bus terminal by Mae Klong, Ban Pong
• 
  Muban Chombueng Rajabhat University, a branch of Rajabhat University in Chom Bueng
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  The Scenery Vintage Farm, resort of Suan Phueng
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  Sign of Nong Pladuk Junction Railway Station, the junction station of southern railway line and the starting point of death railway
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  Chet Samian Railway Station, Photharam
• 
  Ratchaburi Shadow Puppet Museum in Wat Khanon, Photharam
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  Chaloem Phrakiat Rama 9 Road, Ban Pong
• 
  Corridor of Ratchaburi National Museum

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

• Ratchaburi travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Ratchaburi Thai Only
• English Website of Province Archived May 6, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
• Ratchaburi Samanachan Archived March 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine

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