Surat Thani
Encyclopedia
Surat Thani is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani
, Surat Thani Province
, southern Thailand
. It is the capital of the province Surat Thani
. The city has a population of 128,179 (2009), and an area of 68.97 square kilometers. The city's population density is 1,858.47 inhabitants per km².
Suran Thani is near the mouth of the river Tapi
on the Gulf of Thailand
. The city offers no major tourist attractions in itself, and is thus mainly known to tourists as a transfer to the nearby popular Ko Samui
island. It forms the regional commercial center, with a seaport dealing in the main products of the province, rubber and coconuts.
(Rama VI) in 1915. The name was given to the city due to the intense devotion of the locals to Buddhism
. Previously the city was known as Bandon, meaning Village on higher ground.
On December 21 1930 Surat Thani became a sanitary district (sukhaphiban
), which was upgraded to a town (thesaban mueang) on December 7 1935, with a municipal area of 2.67 km². The area of the municipality was enlarged to 6.95 km² on October 14 1958, and on December 22 1994 it was further enlarged to 68.97 km². On May 4 2007, the town was upgraded to city status (thesaban nakhon).
Since 1969 Surat Thani is the seat of the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Surat Thani
, responsible for about 6000 Catholic Christians in southern Thailand.
is the main station of province located in Phunphin
, about 15 km from the actual city Surat Thani.
Talad and Bang Kung, and parts of the tambon Khlong Chanak, Bang Chana, Bang Baimai and Makham Tia, all part of the Mueang Surat Thani district
. The town is subdivided into 45 communities (chumchon).
Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani
Mueang Surat Thani is the capital district of Surat Thani Province in southern Thailand.-Geography:The district is located at the mouth of the Tapi River into the Bandon Bay of the Gulf of Thailand...
, Surat Thani Province
Surat Thani Province
Surat Thani is the largest of the southern provinces of Thailand, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means City of Good People, the title given to the city by King Vajiravudh ....
, southern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. It is the capital of the province Surat Thani
Surat Thani Province
Surat Thani is the largest of the southern provinces of Thailand, on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means City of Good People, the title given to the city by King Vajiravudh ....
. The city has a population of 128,179 (2009), and an area of 68.97 square kilometers. The city's population density is 1,858.47 inhabitants per km².
Suran Thani is near the mouth of the river Tapi
Tapi River, Thailand
The Tapi river is the longest river in southern Thailand. The river originates at the Khao Luang, and has a wide estuary into the Gulf of Thailand at Bandon Bay near the town of Surat Thani. It has a length of 230 km....
on the Gulf of Thailand
Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand , also known in to Malays as Teluk Siam literally meant Gulf of Siam, is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.-Geography:...
. The city offers no major tourist attractions in itself, and is thus mainly known to tourists as a transfer to the nearby popular Ko Samui
Ko Samui
Ko Samui island of Surat Thani Province , or often, simply Samui as it is referred to by locals, is an island off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus in Thailand, close to the mainland Surat Thani town. It is Thailand's second largest island, with an area of 228.7 km2 and a population of over...
island. It forms the regional commercial center, with a seaport dealing in the main products of the province, rubber and coconuts.
History
The city received its name, which means City of Good People, by King VajiravudhVajiravudh
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramentharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Phra Bat Somdet Phra Ramathibodi Si Sintharamaha Vajiravudh Phra Mongkut Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama VI was the sixth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri, ruling from 1910 until his death...
(Rama VI) in 1915. The name was given to the city due to the intense devotion of the locals to Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
. Previously the city was known as Bandon, meaning Village on higher ground.
On December 21 1930 Surat Thani became a sanitary district (sukhaphiban
Sukhaphiban
Sukhaphiban were an administrative division of Thailand.Sanitary districts were the first sub-autonomous entities established in Thailand. A first such district was created in Bangkok by a royal decreee of King Chulalongkorn in 1897...
), which was upgraded to a town (thesaban mueang) on December 7 1935, with a municipal area of 2.67 km². The area of the municipality was enlarged to 6.95 km² on October 14 1958, and on December 22 1994 it was further enlarged to 68.97 km². On May 4 2007, the town was upgraded to city status (thesaban nakhon).
Since 1969 Surat Thani is the seat of the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
Diocese of Surat Thani
Diocese of Surat Thani
The Diocese of Surat Thani in southern Thailand was founded in 1969, when it was split off from the Diocese of Ratchaburi by the papal bull Qui Regno Christi. It is a suffragan diocese of the Archdiocese of Bangkok...
, responsible for about 6000 Catholic Christians in southern Thailand.
Rail
Surat Thani is connected with Bangkok by the southern railway. Surat Thani Railway StationSurat Thani Railway Station
Surat Thani Railway Station is the main railway station in Surat Thani Province. It is located on S.R.T. Southern Railway line km. 635+106, on the east bank of Tapi River in Tha Kham town, Phun Phin district. Surat Thani Station first opened in 1915, and was originally named Phun Phin Station...
is the main station of province located in Phunphin
Phunphin
Phunphin is a district in the province Surat Thani in the south of Thailand. The town Tha Kham as the central town of the district has 22,478 citizens in an area of 14.2 square kilometer.-Geography:...
, about 15 km from the actual city Surat Thani.
Air
- Surat Thani International AirportSurat Thani AirportSurat Thani Airport is situated in the Phunphin district, Surat Thani province, Thailand. The airport, which is located 21 km west of Surat Thani, is also the Wing 7 Airforce base...
, is about 30 km from the city by road.
Water
Some ferries to Ko Samui are provided in the downtown, the main ferry pier is located at Don Sak, 40 km east (about 60 km by road) on the coast of Gulf of Thailand.Administration
The town covers the tambonTambon
Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...
Talad and Bang Kung, and parts of the tambon Khlong Chanak, Bang Chana, Bang Baimai and Makham Tia, all part of the Mueang Surat Thani district
Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani
Mueang Surat Thani is the capital district of Surat Thani Province in southern Thailand.-Geography:The district is located at the mouth of the Tapi River into the Bandon Bay of the Gulf of Thailand...
. The town is subdivided into 45 communities (chumchon).
External links
- Surat Thani City Website (Thai only)