Pathum Thani Province


Pathum Thani is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are : Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Bangkok, and Nonthaburi.
The province is north of Bangkok and is part of the Bangkok metropolitan area. In many places the boundary between the two provinces is not noticeable as both sides of the boundary are equally urbanized. Pathum Thani town is the administrative seat, but Ban Rangsit, seat of Thanyaburi District, is the largest populated place in the province.
Pathum Thani is an old province, heavily populated by the Mon people, dotted with 186 temples and parks. The Dream World amusement park is here.

Geography

The province lies on the low alluvial flats of the Chao Phraya River that flows through the capital. Many canals cross the province and feed the rice paddies.

History

The city dates back to a settlement founded by Mon migrating from Mottama in Myanmar around 1650. The original name was Sam Khok. In 1815 King Rama II visited the city and the citizens offered him many lotus flowers, which prompted the king to rename the city Pathum Thani, meaning 'lotus flower town'.

Symbols

The provincial seal shows a pink lotus flower with two rice stalks bending over it, representing the fertility of the province. The provincial tree is the Indian coral tree. The provincial flower is the lotus.

Education and technology

Pathum Thani has a very high concentration of higher education institutions, especially ones in the field of science and technology. This, together with a large number of industrial parks and research facilities, make the region the educational and technology hub of the area.
; Academic institutes
; Research bodies
; Industrial parks

Administrative divisions

Provincial government

The province is divided into seven districts. The districts are further subdivided into 60 communes and 529 villages.

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Pathum Thani Provincial Administrative Organization - PAO and twenty-seven municipal areas in the province. Rangsit has city status. Further nine have town status and seventeen subdistrict municipalities.
#City municipality1Rangsit

#Town municipalities5Bueng Yi Tho
1Bang Khu Wat6Sanan Rak
2Pathum Thani7Lam Sam Kaeo
3Tha Khlong8Lat Sawai
4Khlong Luang9Khu Khot

#Subdistrict mun.9Thanyaburi
1Bang Phun10Nong Suea
2Lak Hok11Rahaeng
3Bang Khayaeng12Khlong Phra Udom
4Bang Duea13Khu Khwang
5Ban Mai14Lam Luk Ka
6Bang Kadi15Lam Sai
7Ban Klang16Sam Khok
8Bang Luang17Bang Toei

The non-municipal areas are administered by 37 Subdistrict Administrative Organizations - SAO.

Human achievement index 2017

Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index, a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board has taken over this task since 2017.