Khao Lak Guide

A Brief history

According the evident record, before Rattanakosin Period, Phang Nga was a sub-district depending on the town of Takua Pa (one of the districts of the present-day Phang Nga). Until the reign of King Rama I, Phang Nga was bestowed its status of town as the same level as Takua Pa and Takua Tung towns, and all were moved from the government’s Harbor Department and put under the Ministry of Defense.

Phang Nga was officially established only in 1809, in the reign of King Rama II, when one of the periodic wars with Burma was raging. As a result, many southern towns of Thailandwere considerably devastated. Accordingly, King Rama III would eye to restore the coastline towns destroyed by the Burmese invasion; he assigned a governor to administer the province, reporting directly to the central administration in Bangkok. The first governor of Phang Nga province was Phraya Boriraksa Phutorn (Saeng Na Nakorn), being in his mission in 1840. Later Takua Tung and Takua Pa towns were abolished to be only districts depending on Phang Nga Province, and it has its territory and provincial status as seen today ever since.

Phang Nga Province was initially named Phu Nga Town after the name of Nga or Phang Nga Mountain. It was probably named to be a counterpart town of Phuket. Since the province is located on the ancient trade route of tins, there were foreigners who did their trading here and called its name with the variant accent, then became its present name Phang Nga.

Geography

Phang Nga Province is situated 788 kilometers from Bangkok, covering the total area of 4,170 square kilometers. Its topography is mostly composed of forested mountains and plantation areas; the chief corps of Phang Nga Province is rubber and some amounts of rice. Offshore, there spring up small and large limestone islands of various shapes resulted by the heat and pressure as well as a variety of geological forces. The cliffs in each single island are characterized by its streaks in different hues which make the rock have the colorful layers, black, tan, grey, white and red, riddled with caves rich in spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. These colored streaks are caused by the iron deposit leached by ground water from ancient river beds. Another striking landscape in Phang Nga is Hong which means rooms, concealed inside some of Phang Nga’s islands. They are the collapsed cave systems which open to the sky and provide the interior space for sparkling beach and unspoiled forest, becoming the hidden paradise which definitely deserves discovering.

Boundaries 
North: borders Ranong Province and Surat Thani Province.
South: borders Phuket Province and the Andaman Sea.
East: borders Surat Thani Province and Krabi Province.
West: borders the Andaman Sea.

Distance from Phang-Nga city to its nearby provinces

  • Ranong 226 kilometers
  • Surat Thani 196 kilometers
  • Krabi 86 kilometers
  • Phuket 87 kilometers
Climate

Like its neighboring province on the coastline of the Andaman Sea, Phang Nga is dominated by the tropical monsoon. Generally, the temperature is warm all year round. The hottest time is during the month of April when the temperature can reach 36°C.

The monsoonal season which brings in heavy downpours commence in May and last in early December. The wettest month is September. There is sunshine period alternating with rains however.

From December to April is the best time to visit Phang Nga like most of its neighboring provinces as it is the end of monsoons. The sky is blue with pleasant temperature and wonderful sunlight.

Local products and crafts
Phang Nga province is primarily agricultural; its local products are mainly agriculture-related. Like other provinces in the southern region, the most important plantation of the province is rubber. In Phang Nga, in addition to the raw rubber which makes a great amount of revenue to the province’s economy, products from rubber trees is adapted into handicraft creation by local women with their folk skills -that is artificial flowers.

Artificial flowers are made from rubber leaves, colorfully and beautifully set in bouquets. These products are ingeniously conceived and became in demand in the market of decorative and handicraft products. They are sold at the Agricultural Department Office in Phang Nga town, and also at the Farm Women’s Group in various districts.

Bordering the Andaman Sea, Phang Nga benefits the prolific fruits from the sea. A wide range of sea food products are found here. One of the most famous is shrimp paste, called kapi which comes from different villages, for example, Kapi Koh Yao, Kapi Koh Panyee. Also popular is kung siab which is dried shrimp, often eaten with nam prik or chilly condiment. These products can be found in local store and markets everywhere.

 

This article is written and copyrighted by
Royal Exclusive Travel Co. Ltd.