Amphoe Bang Saphan
Encyclopedia
Bang Saphan or Bangsaphan is a district (Amphoe
) in the southern part of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
, central Thailand
.
. In Thonburi kingdom
, it was named Mueang
Kamnoed Nopphakhun. King Nangklao (Rama III) of Rattanakosin set Kamnoed Nopphakhun to be a 4th class city under the Kalahom (Defence ministry). King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) downgraded the city to be Mueang Kamnoed Nopphakhun district. In 1915 King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) renamed the district by cutting the word Mueang off. Later the king changed the name to be Bang Saphan.
to the north and Bang Saphan Noi
to the south. To the west are the Tenasserim Hills
and the Tanintharyi Division
of Myanmar
, to the east the Gulf of Thailand
.
), which are further subdivided into 71 villages (muban
). There are three townships (thesaban tambon) areas - Kamnoet Nopphakhun covers parts of tambon Kamnoet Nopphakhun, Ronthong covers part of tambon Ronthong, and Ban Krut covers parts of tambon Thongchai. There are further 7 Tambon administrative organizations (TAO) responsible for the non-municipal areas.
. The district has some fine beaches in Ban Krut, Bang Saphan Noi, and Ban Burd, which offer white sand and clear water. Koh Talu, just of the coast, is also an increasingly popular diving and snorkeling spot for its beautiful coral reef
s and marine life.
Amphoe
An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the provinces, and are analogous to a county seat...
) in the southern part of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan Province
Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchaburi in the north and Chumphon in the south. To the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar....
, central Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
History
Bang Saphan was an ancient city since Ayutthaya kingdomAyutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
. In Thonburi kingdom
Thonburi Kingdom
Thon Buri was the capital of Siam for a short time during the reign of King Taksin the Great, after the ruin of capital Ayutthaya by the Burmese. King Rama I removed the capital to Bangkok on the other side of the Chao Phraya River in 1782...
, it was named Mueang
Mueang
Mueang were historical semi-independent city-states or principalities in present-day Thailand, Laos, parts of northern Vietnam and the Shan State of Myanmar. Smaller Mueang were subordinate to more powerful neighboring Mueang, which in turn were subordinate to the central king, as described in...
Kamnoed Nopphakhun. King Nangklao (Rama III) of Rattanakosin set Kamnoed Nopphakhun to be a 4th class city under the Kalahom (Defence ministry). King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) downgraded the city to be Mueang Kamnoed Nopphakhun district. In 1915 King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) renamed the district by cutting the word Mueang off. Later the king changed the name to be Bang Saphan.
Geography
Amphoe Bang Saphan's neighboring districts are Thap SakaeAmphoe Thap Sakae
Thap Sakae is a district in the southern part of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, central Thailand.-History:The area of Thap Sakae was separated from Mueang Prachuap Khiri Khan and Bang Saphan district. Due to its fertile land and sea many people migrated to this area and established 3 villages,...
to the north and Bang Saphan Noi
Amphoe Bang Saphan Noi
Bang Saphan Noi or Bangsaphan Noi is the southernmost district of Prachuap Khiri Khan Province, central Thailand.-History:The minor district Bang Saphan Noi was split off from Bang Saphan district on June 10, 1974....
to the south. To the west are the Tenasserim Hills
Tenasserim Hills
Tenasserim Hills or Tenasserim Range is the geographical name of a mountain chain in Southeast Asia. Despite their relatively scant altitude these mountains form an effective barrier between Thailand and Burma in their northern and central region, extending to the Kra Isthmus into the Malay...
and the Tanintharyi Division
Tanintharyi Division
Tanintharyi Region , is an administrative region of Myanmar, covering the long narrow southern part of the country on the Kra Isthmus. It borders with the Andaman Sea to the west and with the Tenasserim Hills, beyond which lies Thailand, to the east. To the north is the Mon State. The capital of...
of Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, to the east the Gulf of Thailand
Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand , also known in to Malays as Teluk Siam literally meant Gulf of Siam, is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.-Geography:...
.
Administration
The district is divided into 7 subdistricts (tambonTambon
Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...
), which are further subdivided into 71 villages (muban
Muban
Muban is the lowest administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as village, they are the subdivision of tambon. As of 2008, there are 74944 administrative villages in Thailand. As of the 1990 census, the average village consisted of 144 households or 746 persons.A muban does not...
). There are three townships (thesaban tambon) areas - Kamnoet Nopphakhun covers parts of tambon Kamnoet Nopphakhun, Ronthong covers part of tambon Ronthong, and Ban Krut covers parts of tambon Thongchai. There are further 7 Tambon administrative organizations (TAO) responsible for the non-municipal areas.
| No. | Name | Thai name | Villages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kamnoet Nopphakhun | กำเนิดนพคุณ | 8 | |
| 2. | Phong Prasat | พงศ์ประศาสน์ | 11 | |
| 3. | Ron Thong | ร่อนทอง | 12 | |
| 4. | Thong Chai | ธงชัย | 11 | |
| 5. | Chai Kasem | ชัยเกษม | 12 | |
| 6. | Thong Mongkhon | ทองมงคล | 10 | |
| 7. | Mae Ramphueng | แม่รำพึง | 7 |
Attractions
Bang Saphan is a quiet and rural area, mostly unspoiled by mass tourismTourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. The district has some fine beaches in Ban Krut, Bang Saphan Noi, and Ban Burd, which offer white sand and clear water. Koh Talu, just of the coast, is also an increasingly popular diving and snorkeling spot for its beautiful coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s and marine life.