Phimai is a district (amphoe

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 northeastern part of Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Nakhon Ratchasima or , often shortened to Korat or Khorat , is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand...

, northeastern 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

Phimai was an ancient Khmer

Khmer Empire

The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...

 city named Vimai or Vimayapura. A stone pillar dating to the reign of King Suryavarman I

Suryavarman I

Suryavarman I was king of the Khmer Empire from 1010 to 1050. After the reign of Udayadityavarman I, which ended around 1000, there was no clear successor. Two kings, Jayaviravarman and Suryavarman I, both claimed the throne. Suryavarman I was a Buddhist who was said in the Chronicles of Chieng...

 was found, naming the city Bhirapura meaning strong city. Phimai was the important city ever since, both during Ayutthaya

Ayutthaya 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...

 and Rattanakosin times.

Mueang Phimai district was officially established in 1900. Khun Khachit Sarakam was the first governor.

Queen Mother Sriphatcharindra (Saovabha

Saovabha

Queen Saovabha Bongsri was a half-sister and queen of King Chulalongkorn of Thailand, and mother of both King Vajiravudh and King Prajadhipok...

) visited Prasat Phimai

Phimai historical park

The Phimai historical park protects one of the most important Khmer temples of Thailand. It is located in the town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province....

 and Sai Ngam (Ficus forest) in 1911. The government officers and people renovated the city for the royal visit, and named six roads to commemorate the event.

In 1940 the government renamed the district by cutting the word Mueang off.

Administration

The district is subdivided into 12 subdistricts (tambon

Tambon

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 208 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 two subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon) - Phimai covering parts of tambon Nai Mueang. and Rang Ka Yai the whole part of tambon Rang Ka Yai. There are further 12 Tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

No.	Name	Thai name
1.	Nai Mueang
2.	Samrit
3.	Bot
4.	Krabueang Yai
5.	Tha Luang
6.	Rang Ka Yai
7.	Chiwan
8.	Nikhom Sang Ton-eng
9.	Krachon
10.	Dong Yai
11.	Than Lalot
12.	Nong Rawiang