Krabi กระบี่ | |
|---|---|
| Other transcription(s) | |
| • Southern Thai | กระบี่(pronounced[krā.bìː]) |
    .jpg)  From left to right, top to bottom : The beach of Poda island with long-tail boats,Ao Nang,Phi Phi Islands, Maya Bay Beach, Mangrove inAo Luek,Krabi International Airport | |
.svg) Flag .svg) Seal | |
| Mottoes: กระบี่ เมืองน่าอยู่ ผู้คนน่ารัก ("Krabi. Nice place to live. Lovely People") | |
 Map of Thailand highlighting Krabi province | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Capital | Krabi |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Angkul Seelatewakul |
| • PAO Chief Executive | Somsak Kittithornkul |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,323 km2 (2,055 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 42nd |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• Total |  483,855 |
| • Rank | 57th |
| • Density | 91/km2 (240/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 50th |
| Human Achievement Index | |
| • HAI (2022) | 0.6160 "low" Ranked 69th |
| GDP | |
| • Total | baht 90 billion (US$2.8 billion) (2019) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 81xxx |
| Calling code | 075 |
| ISO 3166 code | TH-81 |
| Website | krabi |
Krabi (Thai:กระบี่pronounced[krā.bìː]) is aprovince (changwat) of southernThailand, on the shore of theAndaman Sea.[5] Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise)Phang Nga,Surat Thani,Nakhon Si Thammarat, andTrang.Phuket province lies to the west acrossPhang Nga Bay.Krabi town is the seat of the provincial government.
The region of Krabi is characterized by distinctivelimestone formations known asmogotes, which are scattered both inland and along the coast. These geological features attract rock climbers globally, particularly to Ton Sai Beach andRailay Beach on thePhra Nang Peninsula. Among Krabi's 154 islands,Ko Phi Phi Le stands out for its recognition as a filming location for the movieThe Beach. Other significant islands includeKo Phi Phi Don, a part of thePhi Phi Islands, andKo Lanta, a larger island situated to the south. The coastal area of Krabi suffered extensive damage during thetsunami on 26 December 2004.
Krabi's mogotes are home to numerous caves, many of which featurespeleothems such asstalactites andstalagmites. Notably, the caves of Tham Chao Le andTham Phi Hua To in theAo Luek District houseprehistoric rock paintings that depict humans, animals, and geometric shapes. In 1986, the Lang Rong Rien cave yielded 40,000-year-old human artifacts, including stone tools, pottery, and bones, marking one of the earliest known human settlements in Southeast Asia. Additionally, these caves are a primary source for the nests of theedible-nest swiftlet, which are used in the preparation of bird's nest soup.[6]
Agriculture in Krabi is predominantly focused onrubber andpalm oil production. Palm oil plantations alone cover approximately 1,568 km2 (605 mi2), accounting for 52 percent of the province's agricultural land.[7] Combined, palm oil and rubber plantations constitute 95 percent of Krabi's cultivated land, with a mix ofsmallholder farms and larger industrial plantations.[8]: 5 The total forested area in Krabi is around 915 km2 (353 mi2), representing 17.2 percent of the province's total area.[9]
Nakhon Si Thammarat. Historically, Krabi remained under the administrative jurisdiction of Nakhon Si Thammarat, a practice that continued even after 1872, whenKing Chulalongkorn elevated Krabi to town status. In 1875, Krabi underwent a significant administrative change, transitioning to a direct subordinate of Bangkok, marking its evolution into a province. The administrative seat of the province was initially located at Ban Talad Kao. However, in 1900, the governor relocated it to its current position at the mouth of the Krabi River, establishing the modern provincial structure.
Theseal of the province shows two ancient crossed swords (krabi is a word for an ancient Siamese sword) in front of theIndian Ocean andKhao Phanom Bencha mountain which, at 1,397 metres (4,580 ft) above sea level, is the highest mountain of the province.[10]
The provincial slogan is, "Krabi, the liveable city, friendly people."[10]
Theprovincial tree is theblue sky (Thai: thung-fa ทุ้งฟ้า) orAlstonia macrophylla. The provincial aquatic life the edible sea snail (Thai: hoi-chak-teen หอยชักตีน) orLaevistrombus canarium because it is the local delicacy.
Krabi is subdivided into eight districts (amphoe), which are further divided into 53 subdistricts (tambon) and 374 villages (muban).
| Map | Number | Name | Thai | Malay | Jawi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| 1 | Mueang Krabi | เมืองกระบี่ | Bandaraya Kerambit | بنداراي کرمبيت | |
| 2 | Khao Phanom | เขาพนม | Gunung Beras | ݢونوڠ برس | |
| 3 | Ko Lanta | เกาะลันตา | Pulau Satak | ڤولاو ساتق | |
| 4 | Khlong Thom | คลองท่อม | Terusan Tumbuhan | تروسن تومبوهن | |
| 5 | Ao Luek | อ่าวลึก | Teluk Dalam | تلوق دالم | |
| 6 | Plai Phraya | ปลายพระยา | Seri Ujong | سري هوجوڠ | |
| 7 | Lam Thap | ลำทับ | Teratak Tubir Sungai | تراتق توبير سوڠاي | |
| 8 | Nuea Khlong | เหนือคลอง | Terusan Paksina | تروسن ڤقسينا |
As of 26 November 2019 there are:[11] one Krabi Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 13 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Krabi has town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 12 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 48 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations – SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Krabi Province is home to a diverse population comprising Buddhists, Thai-Chinese,Moken (commonly referred to as sea gypsies), and Muslims. The population density varies significantly across the region. The coastal areas, particularly inNuea Khlong District andKrabi City Districts, are the most densely populated, with densities exceeding 150 people per square kilometer. In contrast, the least densely populated area is the inland mountainous region ofKhao Phanom District, where the density is approximately 61 persons per square kilometer.
In terms of religious practices, Buddhism is the predominant faith, observed by around 65 percent of the population. Islam follows closely, with approximately 34 percent adherence among residents. Historically, the inhabitants of Krabi have been engaged in agriculture, leveraging the province's richness in natural resources such as rubber, palm oil, and oranges. In recent years, however, tourism has emerged as a significant source of income for the region.[8]: 7
In Krabi Province, the economy is predominantly supported by agriculture, tourism, and, to a lesser extent, fisheries.[8]: 18–19 Rubber cultivation stands as the leading cash crop in the region, followed closely by palm oil production. Univanich Palm Oil PCL, Thailand's largest palm oil producer, is headquartered in Krabi. This corporation directly employs approximately 1,000 individuals and additionally engages with around 2,000 local small and medium-sized growers for feedstock procurement.[12]
Krabi ranks fifth in Thailand in terms of tourism revenue, followingBangkok,Phuket,Chonburi, andChiang Mai. The province witnesses around six million tourists annually, with the peak season spanning from November to April. However, the influx of tourists during the high season has raised environmental concerns. To address this, local authorities have implemented the "Krabi 365 Days" initiative, aiming to redistribute tourist visits throughout the year, including during the off-season or "green season" (May to October), a period characterized by seasonal rainfall. Tourism revenue in Krabi has been experiencing an average annual growth of eight percent. In 2018, the revenue from tourism was projected to reach 100 billionbaht, an increase from the 96 billion baht recorded in 2017. The majority of visitors to Krabi are from China and Malaysia, with Scandinavian tourists also featuring prominently among international arrivals. According to theTourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), as of 2018[update], the province hosts approximately 460 hotels, with an additional 200 hotels undergoing licensing procedures and another 200 in preliminary planning stages.[13]
Since 1999 the province has been served by the internationalKrabi International Airport.
Phetkasem Road (Highway 4) passes through the province.
| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
 |  |  |  |
| 29 | 31 | 65 | 60 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
 |  |  | .png) |
| 40 | 76 | 26 | 66 |
| Province Krabi, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6160 is "low", occupies place 69 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 |
 |
In mid-2015, the Thai government's proposal to construct an 800-megawatt coal-fired electricity generating station[14]: 13 inTambon Pakasai,Amphoe Nuea Khlong, drew significant public opposition. Critics of the project, including those engaging in protests and hunger strikes, expressed concerns about the potential environmental impact on Krabi's relatively unspoiled ecosystem. TheElectricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) proceeded with the development plans, intending to initiate the bidding process without a comprehensive environmental assessment, citing time-saving measures. This plant in Krabi is part of a broader strategy to build nine coal-fired power plants across southern Thailand over the next two decades. This initiative aims to compensate for the declining natural gas reserves in theGulf of Thailand. However, the opposition, advocating for a three-year delay to explore the feasibility of achieving 100 percent renewable[15] energy in the province, claims their concerns have been disregarded.
The decision to advance with the Krabi coal-fired power station, a significant project valued at 48 billion baht and designed to generate 315 MWe, poses environmental challenges. Coal is a known source of mercury contamination, as evidenced in Tha Thum inPrachinburi province, where mercury levels up to 12 times higher than acceptable limits have been detected. Potential sources of contamination include fly ash from coal power plants, coal dust from storage areas, or the use of coal ash as fertilizer. These factors raise concerns about similar risks in Krabi. Currentcoal pollution mitigation technologies, often referred to as "clean coal," are in the early stages of development and primarily address pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulates. The more complex and costly process of carbon dioxide sequestration remains a significant challenge.[16][17][18] Two academics have critically addressed the general efficacy of coal pollution mitigation, stating that "So-called 'clean coal' is expensive, untested, unwieldy, and unworkable, yet it is often presented as a comprehensive solution.[19]
In mid-2016, a pro-renewables working group in Krabi released a "Green Power Development Plan," proposing that Krabi province could meet its electricity requirements entirely through renewable energy sources, primarilybiomass andbiogas. The plan projected that in an initial three-year phase, biomass could contribute 118 MW, solar power 55 MW, biogas 54 MW, and wind energy 40 MW to the energy mix. In the following three years, the plan anticipated renewable energy sources could generate 287 MW, surpassing the province's peak electricity demand of 143 MW recorded in 2015. The adoption of this plan was projected to eliminate the need for coal imports, potentially saving 175 billion baht over a 25-year period.[20]
In August 2016, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) initiated the bidding process for the construction of the proposed coal-fired power plant, receiving bids ranging from 32 to 34.9 billion baht. The bidding process coincided with the completion of the environmental and health impact assessments. Energy Minister Gen Anantaporn Kanjanarat stated in 2016 that a decision on whether to proceed with or abandon the plant would be made in November of that year.[21]
Opposition to the EGAT power plant in Krabi has been significant, with a coalition formed by local administration officials, academics, businesspersons, and concerned citizens. This coalition has emerged as a strong adversary to EGAT's plans for fossil fuel-based energy generation. Krabi, being a prominent tourist destination on the Andaman Coast, has local authorities who view coal negatively, describing it as "filthy" and inconsistent with the area's tourism industry. The province has set an ambitious goal to become solely reliant on renewable energy sources.[22]
A 2008 study examining the potentialimpact of climate change on Krabi province through the year 2033 yielded several projections:[8]: 5, 56
There are four national parks, along with sixteen other national parks, make upregion 5 (Nakhon Si Thammarat) of Thailand's protected areas.
.jpg)
There are two wildlife sanctuaries, along with two other wildlife sanctuaries, make upregion 5 (Nakhon Si Thammarat) of Thailand's protected areas.
Location: 8° 10′ 20″ N, 98° 80′ 15″ E[27]
Dry season: rain less than 150 mm[27]
Rainy season peaks in September: 419 mm[27]
Average annual rain: more than 2000 mm[27]
Type of grass: mostly Imperata cylindrica grass[27]
| Location protected areas of Krabi | ||||||||||||||||
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Krabi football club participates inThai League 3 Lower Region, the third tier of Thai football league system. The Andaman Eagles (Thai:อินทรีอันดามัน) plays their home matches atKrabi Provincial Stadium.[28]
.jpg)
, year 2024, provincial level, Excel File, >no.81
, page 14
, information, Forest statistics Year 2019
, 1 Krabi, 1 PAO, 1 Town mun., 12 Subdistrict mun., 48 SAO.
Krabi Province travel guide from WikivoyagePlaces adjacent to Krabi province | |
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8°03′28″N98°55′01″E / 8.05778°N 98.91694°E /8.05778; 98.91694
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