Phetchabun เพชรบูรณ์ | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname(s): Mueang Makham Wan (city of sweet tamarinds) | |
| Motto(s): เมืองมะขามหวาน อุทยานน้ำหนาว ศรีเทพเมืองเก่า เขาค้ออนุสรณ์ นครพ่อขุนผาเมือง ("City of sweet tamarinds. Nam Nao National Park. The old town of Si Thep. The monument of Khao Kho. Capital of Pho KhunPha Mueang.") | |
 Map of Thailand highlighting Phetchabun province | |
| Coordinates:16°20′N101°06′E / 16.333°N 101.100°E /16.333; 101.100 | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Capital | Phetchabun |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Saranyu Meethongkham |
| • PAO President | Akaradej Thongjaisod |
| Area | |
• Total | 12,340 km2 (4,760 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 10th |
| Population (2024)[2] | |
• Total |  960,718 |
| • Rank | 23rd |
| • Density | 78/km2 (200/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 76th |
| Human Achievement Index | |
| • HAI (2022) | 0.6337 "somewhat low" Ranked 47th |
| GDP | |
| • Total | baht 77 billion (US$2.6 billion) (2019) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 67xxx |
| Calling code | 056 & 043 |
| ISO 3166 code | TH-67 |
| Website | phetchabun |
Phetchabun (Thai:เพชรบูรณ์,pronounced[pʰét.tɕʰā.būːn]) is one of Thailand's seventy-sixprovinces (changwat) and lies inlower northern Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise)Loei,Khon Kaen,Chaiyaphum,Lopburi,Nakhon Sawan,Phichit andPhitsanulok.
Phetchabun is in the lower northern region ofThailand, in the area between the northern and the central region. The province lies in the broad fertile river valley of thePa Sak River, with mountains of thePhetchabun mountain range to the east and west. The total forest area is 4,013 km2 (1,549 sq mi) or 32.5 percent of provincial area.[5]
There are a total of four national parks, along with six other national parks, make upregion 11 (Phitsanulok) of Thailand's protected areas.
There are three wildlife sanctuaries, of which two are inregion 11 (Phitsanulok) and Phu Luang is inregion 8 (Khon Kaen) of Thailand's protected areas.
Phetchabun especially Khao Kho is a place with good weather and cold all year round. Therefore, received the nickname "Switzerland of Thailand".[8]
The wordphetcha originates from theSanskrit wordvajra meaning "diamond" (or weapon ofIndra), and the wordbun from Sanskritpurna meaning "full", "perfect" or "whole". Hence the name of the province literally means "perfect diamond".
Initially, the province was called "Phe-cha-buth" as "Phuenchapura", which means the city that has plenty of crops.[9] The reason is that the province is very fertile and has ample resources. Because of the fertility of the land, Phetchabun has always been agriculturally productive area.
Phetchabun was established by twokingdoms: theSukhothai Kingdom, and theAyutthaya Period of theKing Narai.[citation needed]
In theThesaphiban administrative reforms at the beginning of the 20th century, the province, together withLom Sak province to the north, formedmonthon Phetchabun. As it was the smallest monthon, it was also the first monthon to be dissolved in 1915, after being temporarily administered from Monthon Phitsanulok between 1903 and 1907. Lom Sak province was abolished and merged into Phetchabun in 1932.
From 1968–1982,communist insurgents established bases in the mountains in the province. From hidden locations theyfought occasional skirmishes against theThai Army.[citation needed]
Theprovincial seal shows adiamond on a mountain, as diamonds are found in the province. In the foreground aretobacco plants, as it is one of the crops grown in the province. Theprovincial tree is thetamarind.Craspedacusta sowerbyi, a rare species offreshwater jellyfish is the provincial aquatic animal. What with Phetchabun is one of the few places in the world, that is the habitat of this species ofinvertebrates.[10]
Tourism is considered the main industry of the province.
Phu Thap Boek, the highest mountain in the province, is a well-known tourist destination. The area surrounding it is the largest cabbage-growing area in Thailand.[11]
Phetchabun is 346 kilometres from Bangkok by usingHighway 1 and Highway 21.
Phetchabun is served byPhetchabun Airport.Nok Air has served the airport with flights toBangkok.[12]
The province is divided into 11 districts (amphoe). These are further divided into 117 subdistricts (tambon) and 1261 villages (muban).
As of 26 November 2019, there are:[13] one Phetchabun Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 25 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Phetchabun, Wichian Buri and Lom Sak have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 22 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 102 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[14]
| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
 |  |  |  |
| 43 | 68 | 12 | 47 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
 |  |  | .png) |
| 28 | 44 | 41 | 47 |
| Province Phetchabun, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6337 is "somewhat low", occupies place 47 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 |
 |
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)38 Phetchabun: 1 PAO, 3 Town mun., 22 Subdistrict mun., 102 SAO.
Phetchabun travel guide from WikivoyagePlaces adjacent to Phetchabun province | |
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