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Each province is divided into District s - As Of 2000 there are 796 districts (อำเภอ, Amphoe ), 80 Subdistrict s (กิ่งอำเภอ, King Amphoe ) and 50 districts of Bangkok (เขต, Khet ). Each of the provinces has one capital district (อำเภอเมือง, ''amphoe mueang''), e.g. for Chiang Mai it's ''Amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai''. The exception is Ayutthaya , were both the province as well as the central district have the full name ''Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya''.

In Bangkok the districts are called '' Khet '' (เขต), and their subdivisions '' Kwaeng '' (แขวง) which are roughly equivalent to the '' Tambon '' (communes or sub-districts) in the other provinces.

The ''tambon'' are further subdivided into '' Muban '' (หมู่บ้าน) usually translated as villages.


MUNICIPALITIES

Additionally to these subdivision, there are also cities and towns, which take over some of the responsibilities of the districts and communes on the area covered by the municipality.

There are three different levels of municipalities:
  • Thesaban Nakhon (city): More than 50,000 citizens, population density higher than 3,000 per km&2

  • Thesaban Mueang (town): More than 10,000 citizens, population density higher than 3,000 per km&2 - or a provincial capital

  • Thesaban Tambon (township): More than 7,000 citizens, population density higher than 1,500 per km&2

  • Despite its name, a ''thesaban tambon'' does not necessarily coincide with a single tambon.


In addition to the population numbers the municipality needs to have enough income to be able to perform the tasks assigned for the level.

Some towns have the word ''Nakhon'' in their name already, e.g. Nakhon Ratchasima Province has one district named Amphoe Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima , as well as the city ''Thesaban Nakhon'' Nakhon Ratchasima .

Pattaya is a special kind of municipality, it is a specially governed area.


HISTORICAL SUBDIVISIONS

From the beginning of the 20th century until 1932 there was an additional subdivision called '' Monthon '' (มณฑล, Circle ), with some of the larger ones subdivided into '' Boriwen '' (บริเวณ). The first provinces were named ''mueang'' as those developed from the historical city-states. There were both ''Mueang'' directly dependend from Bangkok (thus similar to the modern province), as well as ''Mueang'' under supervision of a more powerful neighbor ''Mueang'', or part of the semi-independend tributary states.

In 1906 the transition to the term ''changwat'' started, which was finalized in 1916.

A former municipal level were the ''sukhaphiban'' ( Sanitation District s, สุขาภิบาล), which were all converted into ''thesaban tambon'' in the 1990s.


INFORMAL SUBDIVISIONS

The provinces surrounding Bangkok are referred to as Greater Bangkok (ปริมณฑล, pari monthon), as the urban sprawl of the capital already spread into these areas.

The 4 regions of Thailand - North , Northeast , South and Central are usually only used for statistical purposes.


SEE ALSO