Provinces of Thailand

Provinces Of Thailand

Thailand is divided into 76 provinces (Thai: จังหวัด, Changwat, singular and plural, ), which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 77th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 76 provinces. The name of the provinces are the same as that of their respective capital cities.

Bangkok has both the highest population and the highest population density. The biggest province by area is Nakhon Ratchasima, the smallest Samut Songkhram. Ranong has the lowest population number, while Mae Hong Son has the lowest population density (facts according to the year 2000 census).

Each province is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The only exception is Bangkok, whose governor is elected by its population.

Thailand is subdivided into 878 districts (amphoe, อำเภอ). The fifty districts of Bangkok are called khet (เขต), but even in official documents they are sometimes misidentified as amphoe. The number of districts in each provinces varies, from three in the smallest provinces to fifty in Bangkok. Further subdivision levels are tambon (subdistricts) and finally, Muban (villages). In Bangkok the tambon are called khwaeng.