Galyani Vadhana District

Galyani Vadhana
กัลยาณิวัฒนา
—  Amphoe  —
Amphoe location in Chiang Mai Province
Coordinates:
Country  Thailand
Province Chiang Mai
Seat Chaem Luang[1]
Area
 • Total 647.58 km2 (250 sq mi)
Population (2008)
 • Total 10,593
 • Density 16.4/km2 (42.5/sq mi)
Time zone THA (UTC+7)
Postal code 50270
Geocode 5026

Galyani Vadhana (Thai: กัลยาณิวัฒนา; RTGS: Kanlayaniwatthana) is a district (amphoe) of Chiang Mai Province in northern Thailand. It is named after the Princess Galyani Vadhana. It was founded on December 26, 2009,[2] making it the 878th and latest district of Thailand.

Contents

History

The project of creating a new district in the area dates back to 1993. On May 17 1993 the Tambon council of Ban Chan subdistrict proposed the creation of the minor district out of three subdistricts of Mae Chaem district. In the following years its creation was prepared, however with the onset of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 all pending new districts were canceled by the government in order to avoid additional costs.[3]

Around 2005 the project came on the agenda again and proposals and studies were done by Chiang Mai province and the Department of Provincial Administration. December 2 2008 the cabinet approved in principle the creation of the new district in honor of Princess Galyani Vadhana as proposed by the Ministry of Interior.[3]

On July 7 2009 King Bhumibol Adulyadej officially bestowed the name Galyani Vadhana on the new district, which was previously referred to by the name Wat Chan (วัดจันทร์).[4] In the cabinet meeting on October 13 the Ministry of Interior was authorized to set up the new district.[5]

Due to the fact that in has a royal project in Ban Chan, the new district did not need to be a sub-district (King Amphoe) at first and could be created as a full district directly. The district office is under construction in Village 2 of Chaem Luang subdistrict. Until its completion, the rooms of the subdistrict council Ban Chan will be used as a temporary district office.[1]

The Abhisit Government completed drawing up a draft Royal Decree Establishing Amphoe Galyani Vadhana on October 13, 2009 and King Bhumibol Adulyadej signed it on December 18 of the same year. The "Royal Decree Establishing Amphoe Galyani Vadhana, Changwat Chiang Mai, BE 2552 (2009)" was published in the Government Gazette volume 126/part 97 A/page 7/dated December 25, 2009 and came into force as of the following day.[2]

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise) Samoeng and Mae Chaem of Chiang Mai Province, and Mueang Mae Hong Son and Pai of Mae Hong Son Province.

The district is located within the mountains of the Doi Inthanon range, with the settlements mostly in the valleys.

Administration

The district is subdivided into three subdistricts (Tambon), which are further subdivided into 23 villages (muban). Each of the subdistricts is administrated by a Tambon administrative organization (TAO).

No. Name Thai name Villages Inh.[6]
1. Ban Chan บ้านจันทร์ 09 03,707
2. Mae Daet แม่แดด 07 03,359
3. Chaem Luang แจ่มหลวง 07 03,527

References