Chumphon Province
Encyclopedia
Chumphon is one of the southern provinces
Provinces of Thailand
Thailand is divided into 76 provinces , which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 77th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 76 provinces. The name of the provinces are...

 (changwat) of 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...

, at the shore of 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:...

. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Prachuap Khiri Khan
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchaburi in the north and Chumphon in the south. To the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar....

, 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 ....

 and Ranong
Ranong Province
Ranong is one of the southern provinces of Thailand, on the coast of the Andaman Sea. It is the province with the fewest citizens. Neighboring provinces are Chumphon, Surat Thani and Phang Nga...

. To the west it also borders the Burmese province of Tanintharyi.

Geography

Chumphon is located on the Isthmus of Kra, the narrow landbridge connecting the Malay Peninsula
Malay Peninsula
The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula is a peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land mass runs approximately north-south and, at its terminus, is the southern-most point of the Asian mainland...

 with the mainland of Thailand. To the west are the hills of the Phuket mountain range
Phuket mountain range
The Phuket mountain range is a mountain range in the Kra Isthmus, Thailand.-Geography:This chain of hills is one of the southern sections of the central cordillera, the mountain chain which runs from Tibet through all of the Malay peninsula....

 and its northern continuation, the Tenasserim chain, while the east is the more flat land at the coat to 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 main river is the Lang Suan, which originates in Phato district.

History

The southern part of the province was originally a separate province named Lang Suan. It was incorporated into Chumphon in 1932.

In November 1989 the typhoon Gay
Typhoon Gay (1989)
Typhoon Gay was a powerful tropical cyclone which caused significant damage in Chumphon Province of Thailand and eastern India in November 1989. It was the worst typhoon to affect the Malay peninsula in 35 years...

hit the province hard - 529 people were killed, 160,000 became homeless, 7130 km² (2,753 sq mi) of farm land was destroyed. Gay is the only tropical storm on record which reached Thailand with typhoon wind strength.

Etymology

There are two different theories on the origin of the name Chumphon. According to one, it originates from Chumnumporn (lit. accumulation of forces) which derives from the fact that Chumphon was a frontier city to the Burmese. Another theory claims the name derives from a local tree named Maduea Chumphon (มะเดื่อชุมพร, Ficus glomerata), found abundant in the province. This tree is therefore also depicted in the seal of the province.

Symbols

The provincial seal
Seals of The Provinces of Thailand
-Present-day provinces of Thailand:This list includes all the seals of the Provinces of Thailand. It also includes the special administrative area of the capital, Bangkok.-Former Provinces:-External links:*...

 shows an angel
Apsara
An Apsara , also known as Vidhya Dhari or Tep Apsar in Khmer, Accharā or A Bố Sa La Tư , Bidadari , Biradali , Widodari and Apson , is a female spirit of the clouds and waters in...

 giving blessings to the people standing between two Cluster Fig trees (Ficus glomerata), which is also the provincial tree. The provincial flower is the Indian shot (Canna indica
Canna indica
Canna indica L. is a species of the Canna genus, belonging to the family Cannaceae, a native of the Caribbean and tropical Americas that is also widely cultivated as a garden plant...

), and the finger banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....

 is another provincial symbol.

Administrative divisions

Chumphon is subdivided into 8 districts (amphoe
Amphoe
An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the provinces, and are analogous to a county seat...

). These are further subdivided into 70 subdistricts (tambon
Tambon
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...

) and 674 villages (muban
Muban
Muban is the lowest administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as village, they are the subdivision of tambon. As of 2008, there are 74944 administrative villages in Thailand. As of the 1990 census, the average village consisted of 144 households or 746 persons.A muban does not...

). Chumphon
Chumphon
Chumphon is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Chumphon Province and the Mueang Chumphon district. The city is located about 463 kilometers away from Bangkok...

 and Lang Suan
Lang Suan (town)
Lang Suan is a town in southern Thailand. As of 2006 it has a population of 11,822 and covers the whole subdistrict Lang Suan and parts of Khan Ngoen, Pho Daeng, Laem Sai and Wang Tako, all within Lang Suan district....

 are the two towns (thesaban mueang), there are further 12 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon).
  1. Mueang Chumphon
    Amphoe Mueang Chumphon
    Mueang Chumphon is the capital district of Chumphon Province, southern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Sawi of Chumphon Province, Kra Buri of Ranong Province, Tha Sae and Pathio of Chumphon Province again.-Administration:The district is subdivided into 17 subdistricts , which are...

  2. Tha Sae
    Amphoe Tha Sae
    Tha Sae is a district in the northwestern part ofChumphon Province, southern Thailand.-History:Mueang Tha Sae was under Mueang Chumphon, with its governor having the rank Phra. King Chulalongkorn downgraded Mueang Tha Sae to a district of Chumphon province. In 1920 the government downgraded Tha...

  3. Pathio
    Amphoe Pathio
    Pathio is a district in the northern part ofChumphon Province, southern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Mueang Chumphon, Tha Sae of Chumphon Province and Bang Saphan Noi of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province...

  4. Lang Suan
    Amphoe Lang Suan
    -History:Lang Suan was originally a Mueang reporting directly to Bangkok. During the thesaphiban reforms at the end of the 19th century it was put under Monthon Chumphon...



  1. Lamae
    Amphoe Lamae
    Lamae is a district in the southern part of Chumphon Province, southern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Tha Chana of Surat Thani Province, Phato and Lang Suan of Chumphon province...


  2. Phato
    Amphoe Phato
    -History:Originally Patho was a district of Mueang Lang Suan, which was abolished and included into Chumphon province in 1932. In 1938 Phato was reduced to a minor district...


  3. Sawi
    Amphoe Sawi
    Sawi is a district in the central part of Chumphon Province, southern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Thung Tako, Lang Suan of Chumphon Province, La-un, Kra Buri of Ranong Province and Mueang Chumphon of Chumphon Province again...


  4. Thung Tako
    Amphoe Thung Tako
    Thung Tako is a district in the central part of Chumphon Province, southern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Lang Suan and Sawi of Chumphon Province...



Climate

Sights

Prince of Chumphon Shrine (ศาลเจ้าพ่อกรมหลวงชุมพร) At the shrine stands the monument of Admiral Phra Borommawong Thoe Kromluang Chumphon Khet Udomsak. There is a museum with exhibits about the admiral’s biography and things which he used. A large torpedo-ship named the Royal Chumphon is also here.

Hat Sai Ri (หาดทรายรี) This long smooth white sand and extensive beach is shaded by majestic pine trees and affords some spectacular views of nearby islands. For historical interest, a monument commemorating Admiral Prince of Chumphon is located nearby.

Khao Chao Mueang (เขาเจ้าเมือง) The district’s highest observation point offering panoramic views of the coast and far out into the distant archipelago are rivaled only by the peace and tranquility offered by the secluded beach located at the base of the mountain.

Ao Thung Makham (อ่าวทุ่งมะขาม) The bays look like a line of 2 semicircles. Roughly in the middle lies a peninsula where rocks, large and small, are scattered surround in a mysterious fashion. This peninsula serves as the bays divider.

Ko Samet (เกาะเสม็ด) One of the group of islands which belongs to the Chumphon’s National Marine Park.This island is at Mu 1 Tambon Pak Nam, about 8 km (5 mi) from Chumphon city.

The National Museum of Chumphon (พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติชุมพร) Established in 1995 at Khao Samkaew, the museum provides an overview of province, ranging from prehistory through to the present.

Khao Phang Forest Park (วนอุทยานเขาพาง) Within the national park, there are a great variety of tropical trees, making the park a shady and restful sojourn for nature lovers and a must for students of forestry.

Wat Chao Fa Sala Loi (วัดเจ้าฟ้าศาลาลอย) At this temple lived Luang Pho Song Chanthasaro, a famous religious teacher who died at the age of nearly 100 years and his body still remains undecayed.

Ko Tao- there is a Ko Tao near to Chumphon town but this not to be confused with the larger inhabited Ko Tao, in the Samui-phangngan group, which is in Surat thani provence and famous for being a former political prison and now water sports haven.

Somdech Phra Srinagarindra Park (สวนสมเด็จพระศรีนครินทร์ฯ ) The park consists of a hill by a rivers. Flowers and plants decorate the area at the foot of the hill. There is also a monument to the present King’s mother.

Tham Khao Ngoen (ถ้ำเขาเงิน) The cave’s interior looks like a big hall or tent. There is a chimney going through the top. The cave’s wall is also inscribed with his Majesty’s initial Chor.Por.Ror.

Tham Khao Kriab (ถ้ำเขาเกรียบ) There are many stalagmites inside. There is a monk residence at the foot of the hill from which 370 steps leading to the cave begin.

Ko Phithak (เกาะพิทักษ์) This island is in Tambon Bang Nam Chuet and is one kilometer from the shore. The island has beautiful rocks and many fishing villages.

Namtok Thap Chang (น้ำตกทับช้าง) This is the most beautiful waterfall in Khlong Phrao National Park. The waterfall is about 65 km (40 mi) from the city center. It is surrounded with various varieties of trees, and many different types of animals live here.

Hat Arunothai (หาดอรุโณทัย) The serene beach, is lined with pine trees affording shady resting places. There is also a shrine-memorial to Prince Chumphon erected here.

Tham Rap Ro (Wat Thep Charoen) ถ้ำรับร่อ (วัดเทพเจริญ) This foothill temple cave actually consists of two adjacent caves, Ai Tay and Sai, which are both, according to legend, purported to contain hidden treasure, The Ai Tay Cave houses an old Buddha image known affectionately as Luang Pho Lak Mueang, or the town god’s revered grandfather.

Hin Chang Spirit House (ศาลเจ้าพ่อตาหินช้าง) Between kilometers 453 and 454 on the Phetchakasem highway in Mu. 2 Tambon Salui, a spirit house was installed for the revered god of the stone elephant image.

Wat Tha Kwan Mueang (วัดท่าควนเมือง) It is a fascinating temple perched on top of a limestone hill. Besides possessing a commanding view amid tranquil surrounding, the temple’s stupas house revered Buddha’s relics.

Wat Phra Thart Sawi (วัดพระธาตุสวี) At the front of the temple next to Sawi River stands a shrine where a human-size effigy is kept. People in Sawi District call this shrine “San Phra Suea Mueang”

Hat Sai Ri Sawi (หาดทรายรี สวี) It is the most beautiful in the district. It is in Mu 8, Tambon Tha Hin. It is a large sand beach parallel to a long line of many coconut trees.

Tham Thip Prida (ถ้ำทิพย์ปรีดา) This area is a rocky mountain with a stream flowing past the front. This mountain has about 40 beautiful caves, some of which contain pools.

Ko Khai ( เกาะไข่) The island’s beauty, however, lies below the surface of the crystal clear water. It is encircled by colorful coral reefs teeming with fish and other marine life.

Hat Thung Wua Laen (หาดทุ่งวัวแล่น) is perhaps Chumphon’s most popular beach. Both native swimmers and experts will enjoy this beach as its fine white sands slope gently into the sea. Sea fans, marine flowers sponges and a tremendous variety of reef fish make the scenery below the surface of the water every bit as spectacular as the beach itself.

Ko Chorakhe( เกาะจระเข้) Although “Chorakhe” means “crocodile” in Thai.

Ko Ngam Yai and Ko Ngam Noi (เกาะง่ามใหญ่และเกาะง่ามน้อย) This pair of adjacent islands is located 17 kilometers off the southern part of Thung Wua Laen Bay. It is known among locals for the swallows’ nests which are harvested there for export.

Namtok Heo Lom (น้ำตกเหวโหลม) These scenic falls are a perfect fresh water adjunct to Chumphon’s beaches and islands.

Khlong Ruea Homestay (โฮมสเตย์บ้านคลองเรือ) The home stay surrounded by rainforest. Learn to the way of life the villager and nature.

Por Ta Chongdong Summit (ยอดเขาพ่อตาโชงโดง) is about 1,000 meters high from the sea and cover with the very old ancestors. This summit is the natural place for study the biology and ecology of the rainforest, and good point to see Mos, Fern, and sunset viewpoint of Andaman sea.

Por Ta Mangkre Summit (ยอดเขาพ่อตามังเคร) covers with the green filed, wide life animals and the beautiful Mangkre flower.

Khao Thung-Klong Pi waterfall (เขาทุ่ง-น้ำตกคลองปิ) This large mountain is the main waterway of Lang Suan river. Almost area still be the fully rainforest, and enjoy the beautiful view point 50 meters in height of Khlong Pi waterfall.

Haew Ta Jan-Haew Phlu Nang waterfall (น้ำตกเหวตาจันทร์-น้ำตกเหวพลูหนัง) A walking trip to see the fresh atmosphere, natural, and gully.

Watershed forest mountain (สัมผัสยอดเขา) Hiking trail to the top of mountain in the forest of Phato. Overview looking to the both side of Andaman sea and Ao Thai (Gulf of Thailand).

Tham Khao Plu Hot Spring (บ่อน้ำร้อนถ้ำเขาพลู) There are 3 hot spas here at the foot of the mountain slope. In the vicinity, there are also 4 caves with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Wildlife such as squirrels, pig-tailed monkeys and birds of different species are scattered around the area.

Hat Tawan Chai (หาดตะวันฉาย) This is a large long beach parallel to the line of coconut palms.

Activities

Raptor Watching Festival (เทศกาลดูเหยี่ยวอพยพ) In the southern coastline of Chumphon, especially in October every year, the raptors flew pass Thailand to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia or to Australia. Specifically, Chumphon, Thailand.

Visit Fruits Garden (เยี่ยมชมสวนผลไม้) A variety of tropical fruit gardens, Such as orange (Cho-gun), Papaya, Mangoesteen, Durian, Dragon fruits, and orchid flower garden.

Snorkeling and Diving (ดำน้ำชมปะการัง) There are 44 islands located of coral reef range, Amazing with beautiful sea-world in Gulf of Thailand (Ao Thai).

Hiking trail and white water rafting in Phato (เดินป่าและล่องแพ อำเภอพะโต๊ะ) In the rainforest of Phato. It is the beginning of river. Which runs through pass the mountain, fruits gardens, to Lang Suan river.

Fireflies Sightseeing (ล่องเรือชมหิ่งห้อย) The both side of Thatapao river. When the sundown from the day. This river covered with the fireflies stayed on Lamphu tree and other trees along the river. It seem to be a great magic light from these bugs.

Bird Watching (ดูนก) Chumphon province connected conastline, Therefore many kinds of bird are living in the mangrove forest are and also flying pass this coastline from Thailand to Malaysia, Indonesia or Singapore.

IPSC Shooting Sport (ยิงปืนระบบรณยุทธ) Extremely sport, shooting game in Chumphon. It provides the shooting stadium (outdoor-indoor), restaurant, swimming pool, fitness center and the professional trainer. Located Arparkorn Rd. (Mueang Chumphon-Hat Thungwaulaen, Pathio), 2 km (1 mi) from the Government center of Chumphon.

Local Products

Fresh Fruits and Fruit Products
Coffee bean
Seafood
Dried Spa
Cashew Nut Bakery
Artificial Flowers

Festivals

Phato Rafting (งานเทศกาลล่องแพพะโต๊ะ) Held during February to April. Highlights include competitions’ mini-marathon race and rafting.

Lang Suan’s Fruits Fair (งานวันผลไม้เมืองหลังสวน) This fair is organized annually around August. The fruit market here exhibits a variety of fruits and there is a fruits contest.

Traditional Boats Procession and Boat Race (งานประเพณีแห่พระแข่งเรือ) Originally, this event began in King Rama III’s period around 1844. The festival, commencing annually in October, comprises boats beautifully decorated and carrying Buddha images from various temples.

Celebration in Honouring Prince of Chumphon Shrine (งานเทิดพระเกียรติ กรมหลวงชุมพรเขตรอุดมศักดิ์) Held annually during December 19-25th, honours the Father of the Royal Thai Navy, Admiral Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak, whose life and work has been exhibited in this fair.

Chumphon Sea-World Fair (งานเปิดโลกทะเลชุมพร) The Fair is to promote local incomes and tourism as well as to conserve the natural resources of Chumphon. It is annually held in March at Hat Sai Ri. The activities include a fishing competition, exhibition and contest of pictures of related interesting places as well as mini marathon racing contest etc.

Chumphon King’s and Princess’cups boats race (งานแข่งเรือยาวชิงถ้วยพระราชทานพระบาทสมเด็จพระเจ้าอยู่หัวและสมเด็จพระเทพรัตนราชสุดาฯ สยามบรมราชกุมารี) Held annually on August at the Khlong Hua Wang-Phanang Tak, Tambon Na Cha-ang around Nong-Yai area. Boats competing the race for the King’s and the Princess’s cups are beautifully decorated and are from different parts of the country.

External links


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