Narathiwat นราธิวาส | |
|---|---|
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Jawi | منارا(Jawi) |
| • Rumi | Menara(Rumi) |
| • Chinese | 陶公府(Simplified) |
 .jpg)  From top: Phra Buddha Thaksin Ming Mongkol ofWat Khao Kong [th]; The eponymousBang Nara River [th];Narathat Beach | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: Bang Nara | |
| Mottoes: ทักษิณราชตำหนัก ชนรักศาสนา นราทัศน์เพลินตา ปาโจตรึงใจ แหล่งใหญ่แร่ทอง ลองกองหอมหวาน ("Thaksin Ratchaniwet Palace, Religious people, Pleasant Narathat (Beach), Fascinating Pacho (Waterfall), Great source of gold and mineral, Fragrant and sweet longan") | |
 Map of Thailand highlighting Narathiwat province | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Capital | Narathiwat |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Trakul Totham |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,491 km2 (1,734 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 48th |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• Total |  823,996 |
| • Rank | 29th |
| • Density | 183/km2 (470/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 16th |
| Human Achievement Index | |
| • HAI (2022) | 0.6233 "low" Ranked 64th |
| GDP | |
| • Total | baht 43 billion (US$1.4 billion) (2019) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 96xxx |
| Calling code | 073 |
| ISO 3166 code | TH-96 |
| Website | narathiwat |
Narathiwat Provincial Administrative Organization องค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดนราธิวาส | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
 Interactive map of Narathiwat Provincial Administrative Organization | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Local administrative divisions |
| • Body | Narathiwat Provincial Administrative Organization |
| • President | Kuseng Yawhasan |
| Website | narathiwatpao |
Narathiwat (Thai:นราธิวาส,pronounced[nā.rāː.tʰí.wâːt];Malay: Menara[5]) is one of the southernprovinces (changwat) ofThailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from west clockwise)Yala andPattani. To the south itborders theMalaysian states ofKelantan andPerak. The southern railway line ends in this province, which is one of the nation's four provinces that border Malaysia.[6] The province features a range of cultures as well as natural resources, and is relatively fertile. Narathiwat is about 1,140 kilometers south ofBangkok and has an area of 4,475 km2 (1,728 sq mi). Seventy-five percent of the area is jungle and mountains and has a tropical climate.
The former name of Narathiwat wasMenara (Jawi:منارا), meaning 'minaret' or 'tower' inMalay, the pre-Islamic name is unknown. This becameBang Nara (Thai:บางนรา) orBang Nak (Thai:บางนาค) in Thai,[7] but was changed to Narathiwat by KingRama VI in 1915.[8] "Narathiwat", from theSanskrit (Nara+adhivāsa), meansthe residence of wise people.
Historically, Narathiwat was the part of the semi-independentMalaySultanate of Patani, paying tribute to the Thai kingdoms ofSukhothai and SiameseAyutthaya Kingdom. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767, the Sultanate of Patani gained full independence but returned under Thai control during the reign of KingRama I (r. 1782–1809), 18 years later, and in the early–1800s was divided into seven smaller kingdoms.
In 1909, Narathiwat was fully integrated into Siam as part ofAnglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 negotiated with theBritish Empire. Along with Yala, Narathiwat was then part ofMonthon Pattani.
Narathiwat province is on theGulf of Thailand, on theMalay Peninsula. The Bang Nara is the main river and enters theGulf of Thailand at the town of Narathiwat. Narathat Beach, the most popular in the province,[citation needed] is near the estuary. The total forest area is 1,196 km2 (462 sq mi) or 26.6 percent of provincial area.[1]
There are three national parks, along with two other national parks, make upregion 6 (Pattani branch) of Thailand's protected areas. Budo–Su-ngai Padi National Park is in theSankalakhiri mountain range. Established on 17 June 1999, extending into neighbouring Yala and Pattani provinces. The main attraction is Pacho Waterfall. (Visitors in fiscal year 2024)
| Budo–Su-ngai Padi National Park | 341 km2 (132 sq mi) | (29,966) |
| Namtok Si Po National Park | 66 km2 (25 sq mi) | (17,700) |
| Ao Manao-Khao Tanyong National Park | 23 km2 (8.9 sq mi) | (112,424) |
There are two wildlife sanctuaries inregion 6 (Pattani branch) and they are the protected areas in Narathiwat province.
| Hala-Bala Wildlife Sanctuary | 626 km2 (242 sq mi) |
| Somdet Phra Thepparat Wildlife Sanctuary | 201 km2 (78 sq mi) |
| Location protected areas of Narathiwat | ||||||||||||||||||
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Narathiwat is one of four Thai provinces (along withYala,Pattani, andSatun) with a predominantly Muslim population; 82% are Muslim and 17.9% are Buddhist. Also 80.4% speak thePatani Malay as their first language.[6] Narathiwat Malays are very similar in ethnicity and culture to the Malays ofKelantan,Malaysia.
In 1963, the Thai government launched theNikhom Sang Ton Eng Pak Tai ('self-development community in the south') program to move families from Thailand's northeastern and central provinces to the Sukhirin and Chanae Districts of Narathiwat. A total of 5,633 families were relocated to Narathiwat, where each family was rewarded with 18rai of land. In Phukhao Thong Subdistrict as of 2019[update], mostinhabitants migrated from theNortheast region. They speakIsan and are 90% Theravadin Buddhists in what is a predominantly Muslim province.[9]
The inhabitants of Narathiwat are largely farmers and fishermen.[10] Narathiwat is an area with various religious places of historical significance.
Theprovincial seal shows a sailing boat with awhite elephant on the sail. A white elephant is a royal symbol, and was put on the seal to commemorate the white elephantPhra Sri Nararat Rajakarini which was caught here and presented to the king.
The provincial symbol is the longkong fruit (Lansium parasiticum). Theprovincial tree is the Chengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii), and the provincial flower is theOdontadenia macrantha. The ornamental fishharlequin rasbora (Trigonostigma heteromorpha), are fish that live in swampy water conditions. In Thailand, they are found only in Narathiwat'sPa Phru To Daeng, and on the ground, this species ofcyprinid is the provincial aquatic life.
Narathiwat is divided into 13 districts (amphoe), which are further divided into 77 subdistricts (tambon) and 551 villages (muban).
| No. | Name | Thai | Jawi | Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mueang Narathiwat | เมืองนราธิวาส | منارا | Menara |
| 2 | Tak Bai | ตากใบ | تابا | Taba |
| 3 | Bacho | บาเจาะ | باچك | Bahcok |
| 4 | Yi-ngo | ยี่งอ | جريڠ | Jeringo |
| 5 | Ra-ngae | ระแงะ | ليگيه | Legeh |
| 6 | Rueso | รือเสาะ | روسو،جابا | Ruso, Jaba |
| 7 | Si Sakhon | ศรีสาคร | ساكا، كوال كاواي | Saka, Kuala Kaway |
| 8 | Waeng | แว้ง | رأويڠ | Raweang |
| 9 | Sukhirin | สุคิริน | فاجاك | Pajak |
| 10 | Su-ngai Kolok | สุไหงโก-ลก | سوڠاي گولوك | Sungai Golok |
| 11 | Su-ngai Padi | สุไหงปาดี | سوڠاي فادي | Sungai Padi |
| 12 | Chanae | จะแนะ | چيني | Cene |
| 13 | Cho-airong | เจาะไอร้อง | جوك ايروڠ | Jok Irong |
As of 26 November 2019 there are:[11] one Narathiwat Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 16 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Narathiwat, Sungai Kolok and Tak Bai have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 13 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 72 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations – SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Narathiwat has many schools which classified as primary school, elementary school, high school and university.
Princess of Naradhiwas University is a university in Narathiwat province which aims to distribute the equality, equity, and opportunity to local citizen by merging all educational institutions in the province. Those institutions are Narathiwat Technical College, Narathiwat Agricultural & Technology College, Takbai Vocational College, and Boromarjonani College of Nursing, Narathiwat
As of January 2026Narathiwat Airport (Code: NAW) has two direct flights from and to Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport (DMK) daily, as well as one direct flight from and to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK). All three flights arrive at and depart from NAW between the late morning to early afternoon hours. These are all operated byAir Asia, the only airline currently offering flights to and from Narathiwat.
Although there is no direct access to Mueang Narathiwat District, Narathiwat's main railway station and nearest to Mueang District isTanyong Mat Railway Station, on the Southern Line, inRa-ngae District. Other major stations along the line in Narathiwat includeRueso,Su-ngai Kolok,Su-ngai Padi andCho-airong. Distance to Narathiwat by rail is roughly 1100 kilometres fromBangkok Railway Station.
Highway 42 is considered as main highway in Narathiwat and its terminus, Su-ngai Kolok.
Narathiwat is mostly served by public hospitals. Its main hospital isNaradhiwas Rajanagarindra Hospital and the province has one university hospital which isGalyanivadhanakarun Hospital of theFaculty of Medicine, Princess of Naradhiwas University.
| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
 |  |  |  |
| 26 | 75 | 54 | 42 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
 |  |  | .png) |
| 56 | 1 | 38 | 59 |
| Province Narathiwat, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6233 is "low", occupies place 64 in the ranking. | |||
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using theHuman achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.[3]
| Rank | Classification |
| 1 - 13 | "high" |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" |
| 30 - 45 | "average" |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |
| Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings |
 |
There has been growing violence in southern Thailand since 4 January 2004, especially in the majority Muslim provinces of Narathiwat,Yala, andPattani. Most of the inhabitants of these provinces are ethnicMalays, though the cities are mainly Thai, Thai Chinese, and Indian. Violentmujahideen activity has happened since the 1980s, but this lessened whenThaksin Shinawatra became prime minister in 2001.
Most of the violence has been directed towards the minority Buddhist population in the province.
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The important religious site for Muslims is the central mosque of Narathiwat. Thismosque is on Pitchitbamrung Road,Tambon Bangnark,Amphoe Muang, about 1 kilometer from the provincial town. This mosque is the center for Thai Muslims who come to worship on Fridays. It was built in 1981 in a three-storied Arabian-style building with a high tower and a domed roof as other mosques. The tower is used to call Muslims to prayer.[12]
A minority of the people in Narathiwat are Buddhist. Although a minority, there are Buddhist temples in the same amphoe as the mosque. These include Khao Kong Buddhist Park, which occupies an area of 142 rai (227,200 square metres (2,446,000 sq ft)) in Tambon Lamphu about nine kilometers from town on the Narathiwat-Rangae Road.[6]
The main attraction in this site is a southernBuddha image, the golden "Pra Buddha Thaksin Ming Monkol",[12] which is seated in the lotus position and giving posture. "This mountaintop Buddha image which is considered to be the most beautiful and largest (17 meters wide and 24 meters high) outdoor Buddha image in southern Thailand is decorated in the South Indian style".[6] It is highly respected by locals and Buddhists in the south.[10]
, year 2024, provincial level, Excel File, no.96
, page 38
, 24 Narathiwat, 1 PAO, 3 Town mun., 13 Subdistrict mun., 72 SAO.
Places adjacent to Narathiwat province | ||||||||||||||||
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6°25′44″N101°49′26″E / 6.42889°N 101.82389°E /6.42889; 101.82389
