| Statistics | |
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| Capital: | Narathiwat |
| Area: | 4,475.0 km² Ranked 50th |
| Inhabitants: | 662,350 (2000) Ranked 36th |
| Pop. density: | 148 inh./km² Ranked 24th |
| ISO 3166-2: | TH-96 |
| Governor: | Thanon Vejkorakanont (since October 2009) |
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Narathiwat (Thai: นราธิวาส) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Yala and Pattani. To the south it borders the Malaysian state of Kelantan.
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Geography
Narathiwat province is located on the Gulf of Thailand, on the Malay Peninsula. The Bang Nara is the main river and enters the Gulf of Thailand at the town of Narathiwat. Narathat beach, the most popular in the province, is near the estuary.
Budo - Su-ngai Padi National Park is located within the Sankalakhiri mountain range. Established in 1974, the park covers an area of 294 km², extending into neighbouring Yala and Pattani province. The main attraction is Pacho Waterfall.[1]
Etymology
The original name of Narathiwat was Menara (Jawi: منارا), meaning a 'tower' in Malay. This was changed to Bang Nara (บางนรา) in Thai. It was finally changed to Narathiwat by King Rama VI in 1915.[2] "Narathiwat", from the Sanskrit (Nara+adhivāsa), means the residence of wise people.
History
Historically Narathiwat was the part of the semi-independent Malay Sultanate of Patani, paying tribute to the Thai kingdoms of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. After Ayutthaya fell in 1767, Sultanate of Patani gained full independence, but under King Rama I it again came under Thai control some 20 years later.
In 1909, Narathiwat was fully integrated into Siam as part of Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 negotiated with the British Empire. Along with Yala, Narathiwat was then part of Monthon Pattani. There is a small but active separatist movement, which after being dormant for many years erupted again in 2004.
Demographics
Narathiwat is one of the four Thai provinces which have a Muslim majority; 82% are Muslim and only 17.9% are Buddhist. Also 80.4% speak the Patani Malay as their first language. Narathiwat Malays are very similar in ethnicity and culture to the Malays of Kelantan, Malaysia.
Symbols
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The provincial seal shows a sailing boat with a white elephant on the sail. A white elephant is a royal symbol, and was put on the seal to commemorate the white elephant Phra Sri Nararat Rajakarini which was caught here and presented to the king.
The provincial symbol is the longkong fruit (Lansium domesticum). The provincial tree is the Chengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii), and the provincial flower is rhe Odontadenia macrantha. |
Administrative divisions
Narathiwat is subdivided into 13 districts (amphoe), which are further subdivided into 77 subdistricts (tambon) and 551 villages (muban).
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Local government entities within the province are the two towns (thesaban mueang) Narathiwat and Sungai Kolok, and 12 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon).
Recent History
There has been unrest in southern Thailand since January 4, 2004, especially in the majority Muslim provinces of Narathiwat, Yala, and Pattani. Most of the inhabitants of these provinces also are ethnic Malays. There been violent jihadist activity since the 1980s. While the population may not support the separatists, many are nevertheless disaffected by the perceived heavy-handedness of the crackdown on the jihadis by the central government.
On October 26, 2004, 78 Narathiwat Muslims suffocated after being arrested and stacked in police trucks in Tak Bai, allegedly for taking part in riots around the province.
On June 8th 2009, at least 10 people died in a shooting during the Muslim evening prayers. Five or six gunmen disguised themselves with ski masks and attacked a Mosque. The army in Thailand has denied involvement in the shooting.[3]
References
- ^ "udo - Su-ngai Padi National Park". National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department. http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style1/default.asp?npid=119&lg=2.
- ^ "ประกาศ เปลี่ยนชื่อเมืองบางนรา เป็นเมืองนราธิวาส" (in Thai) (PDF). Royal Gazette 32 (0 ก): 145. August 8 1915. http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2458/A/145.PDF.
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8090599.stm
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Narathiwat |
- http://www.pocnara.go.th Website of province (Thai)
- Province page from the Tourist Authority of Thailand
- Narathiwat provincial map, coat of arms and postal stamp
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Coordinates: 6°25′44″N 101°49′26″E / 6.42889°N 101.82389°E
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