Phrae province - Definition and Overview

Phrae
แพร่

Statistics
Capital:	Phrae
Area:	6,538.6 km² Ranked 32nd
Inhabitants:	492,561 (2000) Ranked 48th
Pop. density:	75 inh./km² Ranked 57th
ISO 3166-2:	TH-54
Map

Phrae (Thai แพร่) is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Phayao, Nan, Uttaradit, Sukhothai and Lampang.

Geography

Phrae is located in the valley of the river Yom.

History

The history of Phrae dates back to the Haripunchai kingdom of the Mon. It became part of the kingdom Lannathai in 1443, when King Tilokaraj was on an expedition to capture Nan.

Symbols

According to legend the two cities of Phrae and Nan were once ruled by brothers. When they met to divide the land between them the one from Phrae rode on a horse, the one from Nan on a buffalo to the meeting point on top of a mountain. Hence Phrae uses a horse in their seal, while Nan uses a buffalo. When the provincial government proposed the seal in 1940, the Fine Arts Department suggested to add some historic building to the seal additional to the horse, thus it now have the pagoda of Phra Tat Cho Hae on the back of the horse. This temple is located about 9 kilometers south-east of the city Phrae. Provincial flower and tree is the Burmese Almondwood (Chukrasia tabularis).

Administrative divisions

The province is subdivided in 8 districts (Amphoe). These are further subdivided into 78 communes (tambon) and 645 villages (mubaan).

External links

• Province page from the Tourist Authority of Thailand (http://www.tourismthailand.org/province.php?id=37&region=north)
• Golden Jubilee Network province guide (http://kanchanapisek.or.th/cgi-bin/kp8/oncc/province.cgi?prov=n11)

Provinces of Thailand

North: Chiang Mai | Chiang Rai | Kamphaeng Phet | Lampang | Lamphun | Mae Hong Son | Nakhon Sawan | Nan | Phayao | Phetchabun | Phichit | Phitsanulok | Phrae | Sukhothai | Tak | Uthai Thani | Uttaradit North-East: Amnat Charoen | Buriram | Chaiyaphum | Kalasin | Khon Kaen | Loei | Maha Sarakham | Mukdahan | Nakhon Phanom | Nakhon Ratchasima | Nongbua Lamphu | Nong Khai | Roi Et | Sakon Nakhon | Sisaket | Surin | Ubon Ratchathani | Udon Thani | Yasothon Central: Ang Thong | Ayutthaya | Bangkok | Chainat | Kanchanaburi | Lopburi | Nakhon Nayok | Nakhon Pathom | Nonthaburi | Pathum Thani | Phetchaburi | Prachuap Khiri Khan | Ratchaburi | Samut Prakan | Samut Sakhon | Samut Songkhram | Saraburi | Sing Buri | Suphanburi South: Chumphon | Krabi | Nakhon Si Thammarat | Narathiwat | Pattani | Phang Nga | Phattalung | Phuket | Ranong | Satun | Songkhla | Surat Thani | Trang | Yala East: Chachoengsao | Chanthaburi | Chonburi | Rayong | Prachinburi | Sa Kaeo | Trat edit  (http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Template:Thailand_provinces)