Trang Province

[Braveheart]

Trang (also Muang Thap Thiang, Thai: ตรัง) is the one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, at the western shore of the Andaman Sea.

 

The province is located on the coast of the Andaman Sea, and contains 46 islands together with the mainland area. There are only few plains, and most of the area is hills. The Khao Luang and the Banthat mountain range are the sources of the two main rivers of the province, the Trang River and the Palian River.

 

The southern coast of the province is protected in the Mu Ko Phetra National Park.

 

Trang was an important sea port of southern Thailand. According to legend the ships always arrived at morning, which lead to the name of the town - Trang derives from the Malay word for dawn. Actually, the town was located in the Khuanthani (now a tambon in district Kantang). In 1893, the then governor Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi, planning to make Trang an important seaport to the west, relocated the town to district Kantang which is at Trang River delta. It was moved again to its present location 26 km inland in 1916 by King Rama VI due to repeated floodings.

 

The Trang area was the first area of Thailand where rubber trees were planted, brought there by governor Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi from Malaysia in 1899.

 

The seal of the province shows a Lighthouse bridge.

 

The provincial symbolic flower and tree is the Green ebony (Jacaranda filicifolia). The plant was imported from Australia by the same governor who also imported the rubber tree, and it quickly got the name Sri-Trang by the citizens.

 

The provincial slogan เมืองพระยารัษฏา ชาวประชาใจกว้าง ถิ่นกำเนิดยางพารา เด่นสง่าดอกศรีตรัง ปะการังใต้ทะเล เสน่ห์หาดทรายงาม น้ำตกสวยตระการตา translates to The city of Phraya Rasda; broad-hearted citizens; delicious roasted pork; origin of Para rubber; lovely Sri Trang flower; beautiful coral reefs; charming sandy beaches; and wonderful waterfalls.

 

Trang is subdivided into 9 districts (Amphoe) and one minor district (King Amphoe). These are further subdivided into 87 communes (tambon) and 697 villages (muban).

 

Extracted from Wikipedia: Trang Province