Таиландтағы ең ірі провинция – Сурат Тхани

Largest province of Thailand

Surat Thani (สุราษฎร์ธานี, ), often shortened to Surat, is the largest of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. It lies on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means 'city of good people', a title given to the city by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI); Surat Thani is therefore the sole province in Southern Thailand for which the native name is in the Central Thai language.

Surat Thani Province, located in Thailand, is bordered by the provinces of Chumphon to the north, Nakhon Si Thammarat to the east, Krabi to the south, Phang Nga to the southwest, and Ranong to the northwest. The geographic landscape of Surat Thani is diverse. The central region of the province is dominated by the coastal plain of the Tapi River, characterized by a mix of grassland, rubber trees, and coconut plantations. To the west lie the limestone mountains of the Phuket range, largely enveloped in forest, home to the renowned Khao Sok National Park. The eastern part of the province sees the commencement of the Nakhon Si Thammarat (or Bantat) mountain range, a portion of which is preserved within Tai Rom Yen National Park. The total forest area in Surat Thani is approximately , accounting for 28.8 percent of the province's area. Several islands in the Gulf of Thailand are part of Surat Thani, including popular tourist destinations such as Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan and Ko Tao, as well as the Ko Ang Thong Marine National Park. The province is also defined by its main waterways, the Tapi River and the Phum Duang River, which converge near the town of Tha Kham before emptying into Bandon Bay. The delta formed by these rivers, known locally as Nai Bang (ในบาง), is situated directly north of Surat Thani city. This delta features a network of channels interspersed with small islands, predominantly covered by mangroves and orchards.

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Surat Thani Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 40 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Surat Thani and Ko Samui have city (thesaban nakhon) status. Tha Kham, Na San and Don Sak have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 35 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non municipal areas are administered by 97 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

Health Education Employment Income 30 44 61 31 Housing Family Transport Participation 59 6 21 62 Province Surat Thani, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6438 is "average", occupies place 35 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. It covers 42 islands and a total area of 102 km2, of which about 50 km2 are land and the rest is water. The park was established on 12 November 1980. The northern tip of Ko Phaluai is also part of the marine park. There is a ranger station, bungalows, a shop, and a restaurant at Ao Phi Beach on Ko Wua Talap. Khao Sok National Park is the largest area of virgin forest in southern Thailand and is a remnant of rain forest which is older and more diverse than the Amazon rain forest.