Thepha District

Thepha เทพา
Amphoe
Amphoe location in Songkhla Province
Coordinates: 6°49′42″N 100°57′54″E / 6.82833°N 100.96500°E / 6.82833; 100.96500Coordinates: 6°49′42″N 100°57′54″E / 6.82833°N 100.96500°E / 6.82833; 100.96500
Country	Thailand
Province	Songkhla
Area
• Total	978.0 km2 (377.6 sq mi)
Population (2008)
• Total	69,278
• Density	70.8/km2 (183/sq mi)
Time zone	ICT (UTC+7)
Postal code	90150
Geocode	9005

Thepha (Thai: เทพา, Pattani Malay: ตีบอ) is a district (amphoe) in the southeastern part of Songkhla Province, southern Thailand.

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the east clockwise) Nong Chik, Khok Pho of Pattani Province, Saba Yoi, Na Thawi, and Chana of Songkhla Province. To the north is the Gulf of Thailand.

Etymology

The name Thepha is a Thai language corruption of "tiba", its original name, meaning "arrive" in Malay.

History

Thepa was at first a fourth-class mueang and subordinate of mueang Phatthalung. The governor had to present a golden and silver tree to the governor of Phatthalung to pay its tribute. In the reign of King Rama II the town was transferred to Songkhla and elevated to a third-class mueang.

In 1901 as part of the thesaphiban administrative reforms the mueang was reduced to a district of Songkhla. The district office was in Ban Phra Phut (บ้านพระพุทธ), village two of Thepha subdistrict. When, in 1932, the railway was built through the district, the office was moved to a more convenient location in Ban Tha Phru (บ้านท่าพรุ), village one of Thepha subdistrict, close to the railway station, then named Tha Muang (ท่าม่วง). Subsequently the station was renamed "Thepha".

Administration

The district is subdivided into seven subdistricts (tambon), which are further subdivided into 65 villages (muban). Thepha is a subdistrict municipality, thesaban tambon, which covers parts of tambon Thepha, Lam Phlai a subdistrict municipality covering the full tambon Lam Phlai. There are further six tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

Environment

Thepha District is to be the site of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand's (EGAT) newest coal-fired generating plant, the largest of its kind in Thailand. This has raised environmental and health concerns among residents, aside from the eviction of 118 families—some 500 persons.^[1] A public hearing in July 2015 on EGAT's plans to build the plant was ringed with razor wire to prevent opponents of the plan from gaining access to the hearing.^[2] The villagers of Pattani's Nong Chik District, who live some eight kilometres from the site, but who will also be affected by the power plant, were excluded from the hearings.^[1] The latest hearing, the third and final hearing on the Environment and Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) for the 2,000–2,400 megawatt plant, was policed by 400 soldiers, police, and volunteers. Some attendees admitted being transported to the hearing by local village leaders, who also provided them with gifts and food coupons. Songkhla Governor Thamrong Charoenkul chaired the hearing despite questions raised regarding his neutrality. He told the hearing that the project will benefit Thepa residents. "Since Egat has proposed the project, Thepha is now known nationwide. Shouldn't we be proud about that?" he said. Anuchart Palakawongse Na Ayudhya, director of EGAT's Project Environment Division, insisted EGAT's hearings were lawful. "We have organised the public review step by step according to the law," he said. Anuchart said EGAT did not bar anyone from expressing their opinions. "It's impossible to cancel the project. Most Thepha people support it," he said.^[3]

References

External links

• amphoe.com (Thai)