Chaiya
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| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Province: | Surat Thani |
| District office: | Talad Chaiya |
| Area: | 1,004.63 km² |
| Inhabitants: | 47,750 (2007) |
| Pop. density: | 47.52 inh./km² |
| Geocode: | 8406 |
| Postal code: | 84110 |
| Map | |
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Chaiya (Thai: ไชยา) is a district (Amphoe) and town in southern Thailand in Surat Thani Province. The town itself has a population of 13,133 (5,549 in Talad Chaiya and 7,582 in Phumriang) (2006), while the whole district has a population of 47,750.
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[edit] Geography
Neighboring districts are (from the south clockwise) Tha Chang, Kapoe (Ranong Province), Phato (Chumphon Province), and Tha Chana. To the east is the Gulf of Thailand, with the cape Sui marking the northern end of the Bandon Bay.
The eastern part of the district consists of mostly flat low coastal areas, while to the west are the mountains of the Phuket mountain range, including the Kaeng Krung National Park.
[edit] History
Chaiya is one of the oldest cities of Thailand. It was a regional capital in the Srivijaya kingdom of the 5th to 13th century - some historians even claim that it was the capital for the kingdom for some time, but this is largely disputed. The temple Wat Phra Borom That is centered around a reconstructed pagoda in Srivijaya style. The nearby branch of the National Museum has several relicts of that time on display. Two more former pagodas nearby are now only brick mounds. Inscription 23, as it was labeled by Prince Damrong in his Collected Inscriptions of Siam, is now attributed to Wat Hua Wiang in Chaiya. Dated to the year 697 of the Mahasakkarat era (i.e. 775 CE), the inscription on a Bai Sema shaped stone tells about the King of Srivijaya having erected a stupa at that site, possibly the one of Wat Phra Borom That.
Another important temple near Chaiya is the Wat Suan Mohkha Phalaram (also known by the short name Suan Mok, or Wat Than Nam Lai Monastery of Flowing Water), a forest temple. The temple was founded in 1932 by Phra Buddhadasa (1906-1993), a highly revered Buddhist teacher. In 1959 the temple was relocated to the present 150 acre (0.6 km²) site.
[edit] Traffic
Chaiya is on the southern railway line, Chaiya Railway Station is the main railway station of the district; the Asian highway AH2 (Thailand Route 41) also passes the city.
[edit] Administration
The district Chaiya is subdivided into 9 communes (tambon). These are further subdivided into 54 villages (muban). The tambon Talad Chaiya and Phumriang have township (thesaban tambon) status.
| No. | Name | Thai name | Villages | Inh. | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Talad Chaiya | ตลาดไชยา | 5 | 5,549 | 6. | Pa We | ป่าเว | 6 | 4,887 | |
| 2. | Phumriang | พุมเรียง | 5 | 7,582 | 7. | Ta Krop | ตะกรบ | 5 | 3,649 | |
| 3. | Lamet | เลม็ด | 7 | 4,582 | 8. | Mo Thai | โมถ่าย | 6 | 4,215 | |
| 4. | Wiang | เวียง | 5 | 3,365 | 9. | Pak Mak | ปากหมาก | 7 | 8,975 | |
| 5. | Thung | ทุ่ง | 8 | 4,946 |
[edit] External links
- Chaiya National Museum
- Suan Mokkh - The garden of liberation
- Chaiya City Website
- Chaiya Witthaya School
| Amphoe of Surat Thani |  |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Amphoe: |
Mueang Surat Thani - Kanchanadit - Don Sak - Ko Samui - Ko Pha Ngan - Chaiya - Tha Chana - Khiri Rat Nikhom - Ban Ta Khun - Phanom - Tha Chang - Ban Na San - Ban Na Doem - Khian Sa - Wiang Sa - Phrasaeng - Phunphin - Chai Buri |
||
| King Amphoe: | Vibhavadi | ||
