This article is written like a travel guide. (May 2015) |
Phatthalung (Thai: พัทลุง, pronounced [pʰát̚.tʰā.lūŋ]) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand.[5] Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Satun, and Trang. Phatthalung is essentially a landlocked province, one of the only two in southern Thailand, the other being Yala.[6]
Phatthalung
พัทลุง | |
|---|---|
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Southern Thai | พัทลุง (pronounced [pāt̚.tʰàʔ.lûŋ]) เมืองลุง (pronounced [mɯ̀aːŋ.lûŋ]) |
 Wang Chao Mueang Phatthalung | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Motto(s): เมืองหนังโนราห์ อู่นาข้าว พราวน้ำตก แหล่งนกน้ำ ทะเลสาบงาม เขาอกทะลุ น้ำพุร้อน ("The City of Nora. Rich in rice paddies. Dazzling waterfalls. Source of water birds. Beautiful lakes. Ok Thalu Mountain. Hot water springs.") | |
 Map of Thailand highlighting Phatthalung province | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Capital | Phatthalung |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Kukiat Wongkraphan (since 2017) |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,424 km2 (1,322 sq mi) |
| • Rank | Ranked 58th |
| Population (2018)[2] | |
• Total | 525,044 |
| • Rank | Ranked 51st |
| • Density | 153/km2 (400/sq mi) |
| • Rank | Ranked 28th |
| Human Achievement Index | |
| • HAI (2022) | 0.6242 "low" Ranked 63rd |
| GDP | |
| • Total | baht 36 billion (US$1.2 billion) (2019) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 93xxx |
| Calling code | 074 |
| ISO 3166 code | TH-93 |
| Website | www |
Geography
edit
The province is on the Malay Peninsula. It borders to the east the large and shallow Songkhla Lake, and to the west the Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain range. Khao Pu–Khao Ya National Park is at the border with Trang.[7] Forests cover 628 km2 (242 sq mi), or 16.3 percent of the province's area.[8]
History
editPhatthalung was formerly known as Mardelong (Jawi: مردلوڠ) in Malay, especially during the time when the region came under Malay-Muslim influence.[9]
Phatthalung became one of twelve royal cities during the reign of King Ramathibodi I of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century. At the end of the 18th century, King Rama I submitted the city to the Ministry of Defense, which was responsible for all the southern provinces. In 1896, during the administrative reforms of King Chulalongkorn, Phatthalung became part of the Monthon Nakhon Si Thammarat. In 1924, King Rama VI ordered to move the city of Phatthalung to the present-day Khuha Sawan Subdistrict.
Symbols
editThe provincial seal shows the 177 meter high Phu Khao Ok Thalu mountain, the symbol of the province. The provincial tree and flower is the sweet shorea (Shorea roxburghii). The provincial aquatic life is the tinfoil barb (Barbonymus schwanenfeld), also known locally as pla lam-pam (Thai: ปลาลำปำ), the eponymous of the striking local water source Songkhla Lake, or known in Phatthalung as Lam Pam Lake or Thale Noi and Phatthalung Lake.
Transport
editAir
editPhatthalung does not have an airport. The nearest airport is Trang Airport, which is 66 km from the center of Phatthalung.
Rail
editThe main station in the province is the Phatthalung Railway Station.
Administrative divisions
editProvincial government
editPhatthalung is divided into 11 districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 65 subdistricts (tambons) and 626 villages (mubans).
 |
Number | Name | Thai |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mueang Phatthalung | เมืองพัทลุง | |
| 2 | Kong Ra | กงหรา | |
| 3 | Khao Chaison | เขาชัยสน | |
| 4 | Tamot | ตะโหมด | |
| 5 | Khuan Khanun | ควนขนุน | |
| 6 | Pak Phayun | ปากพะยูน | |
| 7 | Si Banphot | ศรีบรรพต | |
| 8 | Pa Bon | ป่าบอน | |
| 9 | Bang Kaeo | บางแก้ว | |
| 10 | Pa Phayom | ป่าพะยอม | |
| 11 | Srinagarindra | ศรีนครินทร์ |
Local government
editAs of 26 November 2019 there are:[10] one Phatthalung Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 49 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Phatthalung has town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 48 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 24 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]
Demographics
editReligion in Phattalung
The majority of the province's populace are Thai Buddhists. Muslims account for 11.1 percent of the population. Many of Phatthalung's Muslims have some ethnic Malay ancestry, but over the centuries they had intermarried with the Thais and adopted Thai cultural norms.[11]
Tourism
editSights
editPhraya Thukkharat (Chuai) Monument (อนุสาวรีย์พระยาทุกขราษฎร์ (ช่วย)) - Phraya Thukkharat was a former monk known as Phra Maha Chuai. During the Nine Armies War in the reign of King Rama I, then Phra Maha Chuai had assisted Phraya Phatthalung, who had led a force of villagers to defeat an invading Burmese army. Later, when he had left the monkhood, he was awarded the royal title Phraya Thukkharat and was an assistant to the city's ruler.[12]
Culture
edit- Manora or Nora (มโนราห์หรือโนรา) A local performing art in the south. It was an influence from the south of India, together with Lakhon Chatri (theatrical show by males). However, some dancing patterns were changed to match folk cultures in each province. There are 12 major dancing patterns. The patterns are done to lyrics sung by the dancers, either impromptu or composed in advance.
- Talung (ตะลุง) (shadow plays) is a popular folk performance of the south. Talung puppets are made of dried cattle hide, cut beautifully into the characters of each shadow play. The puppets are usually painted black and each of them is held firmly between split bamboo slats called "mai tap". A puppet's mouth and hands will move in accordance with the narration. A Talung ensemble comprises the puppet masters (who are also the vocalists) and a band, totalling no more than eight persons. The musical instruments include pipes, drums, phon (a special kind of drum), and a gong.
- Khaeng Phon Lak Phra (แข่งโพนลากพระ) A type of Chak Phra or Lak Phra, a religious tradition in the south, but in Phatthalung it has different characteristics from other provinces. This festival is held on the full moon of the 11th month according to the Thai lunar calendar. The festival celebrates the ending of the Buddhist lent (Wan Ok Phansa). According to local tradition, the believers carry the Buddha statues from the temples to the river and back. Several parades are held. In every parade drummers that represent one of the shrines in the city participate. In addition to the colored parades, various culture events take place like; drumming contests between the temples, dance shows, Buddha parades contests, water sports contests on Songkhla Lake, various exhibitions, etc. The type of drum used is called "Taphon" or simply "Phon". Hence the name of the festival.
Human achievement index 2022
edit| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
|
|
|
|
| 66 | 26 | 70 | 56 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
|
 |
|
|
| 50 | 74 | 19 | 15 |
| Province Phatthalung, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6242 is "low", occupies place 63 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]
| Rank | Classification |
| 1 - 13 | "high" |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" |
| 30 - 45 | "average" |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |
Economy
editPhatthalung is the home of real-world Implementation of LoRaWAN Internet of things this consist of devices with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the LoRaWAN or other communication networks and provided to people for free. This system called "The People's Network" by installed LoRaWAN Gateway running by start-up company named Southern IoT.
| Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings |
|
References
edit- ^ 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-08-01. Retrieved 17 January 2016, Data has been supplied by Land Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, at Wayback Machine.
{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ a b "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. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ a b "ข้อมูลสถิติดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี 2565 (PDF)" [Human Achievement Index Databook year 2022 (PDF)]. Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) (in Thai). Retrieved 12 March 2024, page 49
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ "Gross Regional and Provincial Product, 2019 Edition". <>. Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC). July 2019. ISSN 1686-0799. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ "About Phatthalung". Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Archived from the original on 26 November 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ http://www.siewlianlim.com/uploads/7/1/1/3/7113499/the_role_of_shadow_puppetry_in_the_development_of__phatthalung.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Khao Pu-Khao Ya National Park". Department of National Parks (DNP) Thailand. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2015.
- ^ "ตารางที่ 2 พี้นที่ป่าไม้ แยกรายจังหวัด พ.ศ.2562" [Table 2 Forest area Separate province year 2019]. Royal Forest Department (in Thai). 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021, information, Forest statistics Year 2019
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ C. Skinner (1985). The Battle for Junk Ceylon: The Syair Sultan Maulana. Foris Publications. p. 272. ISBN 90-6765-066-8.
- ^ "Number of local government organizations by province". dla.go.th. Department of Local Administration (DLA). 26 November 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
34 Phatthalung: 1 PAO, 1 Town mun., 48 Subdistrict mun., 24 SAO.
- ^ William Chambers (publisher), Robert Chambers (1898). Chambers's Journal. W. & R. Chambers. p. 539.
- ^ "Phraya Thukkharat (Chuai) Monument". Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). Retrieved 2019-02-05.
External links
edit
Phatthalung travel guide from Wikivoyage- Website of the province (Thai only)
- Phattalung provincial map, coat of arms and postal stamp Archived October 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
