Ko Yao เกาะยาว | |
|---|---|
 District location inPhuket province | |
| Coordinates:8°6′42″N98°35′27″E / 8.11167°N 98.59083°E /8.11167; 98.59083 | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Province | Phang Nga |
| Seat | Ko Yao Noi |
| District established | 1903 |
| Area | |
• Total | 141.06 km2 (54.46 sq mi) |
| Population (20 September 2003) | |
• Total | 13,155 |
| • Density | 90.3/km2 (234/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 82160 |
| Geocode | 8202 |
Ko Yao (Thai:เกาะยาว,pronounced[kɔ̀ʔjāːw]) is a district (amphoe) inPhang Nga province inThailand's south.
Cave paintings discovered on Ko Yao Island, dating back over 2,000 years, provide evidence of historical influences on the communities in the southern mainland provinces of Thailand.
The initial inhabitants of Ko Yao were theMoken peoples, often referred to as Sea Gypsies. In addition to the Moken, the region has seen the migration of various nomadic peoples from theMalay Peninsula, believed to have settled on the islands between the 17th and 18th centuries. These groups include theManiq people, theSemang, and otherNegrito peoples. Historically, these groups were commonly referred to asSakai, a term that has since been deemed derogatory by the groups themselves and is no longer widely used in contemporary Thai society.[1][2]
TheMon people, part of the Khmerethnolinguistic group, established settlements in peninsular Thailand, including maritime states likeLigor (Nakhon Si Thammarat). Over the centuries, they intermingled with migrants from northern and southern regions ofMalaysia and Thailand through commercial exchange and political interactions. This integration has resulted in the Mon ethnic lineage being a prominent component of the demographic makeup in southern Thailand, including the population of Ko Yao.
The minor district (king amphoe) Ko Yao was established in 1903 as a subordinate ofMueang Phang Nga district. On 1 January 1988 it was upgraded to a full district.[3]
The district covers several islands of the Ko Yao archipelago inPhang Nga Bay, near the island ofPhuket. The two main islands are namedKo Yao Yai andKo Yao Noi ('big long island' and 'small long island'). The northern tips of the islands are part ofAo Phang Nga National Park.
Ninety percent of the district's population (2018) of 18,000 are Muslims.[4] The Muslim religion was introduced in the 13th century by Arab traders.[citation needed]
The district is divided into three sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 18 villages (mubans). Ko Yao itself has sub-district municipality (thesaban tambon) status, which covers parts oftambon Ko Yao Noi. There are a further threetambon administrative organizations (TAO).
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Ko Yao travel guide from Wikivoyage