Nakhon Ratchasima province


Nakhon Ratchasima is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces and lies in lower northeastern Thailand also called Isan. At it is the country's second largest province by area, has a population of approximately 2.6 million, and generates about 250 billion baht in GDP, the highest in Isan. Neighbouring provinces are Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Buriram, Sa Kaeo, Prachinburi, Nakhon Nayok, Saraburi, and Lopburi.
The capital of the province is the city of Nakhon Ratchasima in Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima district, also called Khorat.
WWW nakhonratchasima.go.th

Geography

The province is at the west end of the Khorat Plateau, separated from the Chao Phraya river valley by the Phetchabun and Dong Phaya Yen mountain ranges. Two national parks are in the province: Khao Yai in the west and Thap Lan in the south. Both parks are in the forested mountains of the Sankamphaeng Range, the southern prolongation of the Dong Phaya Yen mountains. The total forest area is or 15.4 percent of provincial area.
Nakhon Ratchasima is a large province on the northeastern plateau and acts as a gateway to other provinces in the northeast. It is from Bangkok and has an area of around. The province is rich in Khmer culture and has a long history.

National parks

There are two national parks, along with two other national parks, make up region 1 (Prachinburi) of Thailand's protected areas.

History

The area around Khorat was already an important centre in the times of the Khmer empire in the 11th century, as can be seen by the temple ruins in Phimai historical park. Nakhon Ratchasima province is one of the provinces where there is still a sizable northern Khmer population.

Administrative divisions

Provincial government

The province is divided into 32 districts. The districts are further subdivided into 263 sub-districts and 3,743 villages.
  1. Mueang Nakhon Ratchasima
  2. Khon Buri
  3. Soeng Sang
  4. Khong
  5. Ban Lueam
  6. Chakkarat
  7. Chok Chai
  8. Dan Khun Thot
  9. Non Thai
  10. Non Sung
  11. Kham Sakaesaeng
  12. Bua Yai
  13. Prathai
  14. Pak Thong Chai
  15. Phimai
  16. Huai Thalaeng
  17. Chum Phuang
  18. Sung Noen
  19. Kham Thale So
  20. Sikhio
  21. Pak Chong
  22. Nong Bun Mak
  23. Kaeng Sanam Nang
  24. Non Daeng
  25. Wang Nam Khiao
  26. Thepharak
  27. Mueang Yang
  28. Phra Thong Kham
  29. Lam Thamenchai
  30. Bua Lai
  31. Sida
  32. Chaloem Phra Kiat

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Administration Organisation and 90 municipal areas in the province. Nakhon Ratchasima municipality has city status. Bua Yai, Mueang Pak, Pak Chong and Sikhio municipalities have town status. Further 85 subdistrict municipalities.The non-municipal areas are administered by 243 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO. Nakhon Ratchasima is also home of the Klongpai Central Prison.

Economy

Khorat's economy has traditionally been heavily dependent on agriculture. It is known as a processing centre for Isan's production of rice, tapioca, and sugar. The Isan region accounts for half of Thailand's exports of those commodities. Khorat is also one of two sites in Thailand manufacturing disk drives by Seagate Technology, employing 12,100 workers in Khorat.

Transport

; Air
Nakhon Ratchasima has Nakhon Ratchasima Airport, but it has no scheduled flights. The nearest working airport is in Buriram and has flights to and from Bangkok.
; Rail
The railway system in Nakhon Ratchasima is on both northeastern routes from Bangkok Railway Station. Nakhon Ratchasima province has eight main railway stations. In 2017, a 60-kilometre dual-track line will connect Korat to Khon Kaen province. It is the first segment of a dual track network that will connect Isan with the Laem Chabang seaport. Mueang District is served by two stations: Nakhon Ratchasima railway station and Thanon Chira Junction railway station.
; Road
Highway 2 is the main route that connects nine districts in Nakhon Ratchasima including Muang district. This route also connects Nakhon Ratchasima to Saraburi and Khon Kaen provinces. Hwy 24 links Si Khio District from Hwy 2 to Pak Thongcha, Chok Chai, and Nong Bunnak Districts and to Buriram province. A new motorway connecting Khorat to Bangkok is under construction in 2016 and will reduce travel time on the 250 kilometre journey to just over two hours.

Health

Nakhon Ratchasima has hospitals in mostly the public sector, but some in the private sector. Its main hospital is Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, which is the largest provincial hospital operated by the Ministry of Public Health and one of the main hospitals for the MOPH-Mahidol CPIRD Program.

Education

; Universities
There are four universities in the area.
; Schools
; International schools

Human achievement index 2022

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. The National Economic and Social Development Board took over this task in 2017.
RankClassification
  1–13"High"
14–29"Somewhat high"
30–45"Average"
46–61"Somewhat low"
62–77"Low"

Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings

Korat cat

The Korat cat is a natural breed, and one of the oldest stable cat breeds. Originating in Nakhon Ratchasima province at Phimai, it is named after its province of origin. In Thailand the breed is known as si sawat, meaning "colour of the sawat seed". Korat cats are distinguished not only by the colour of their fur. Genuine Korat cats have a heart-shaped face when viewed from any angle and shorter grey hair with silver tips. The true breed's eyes are yellow with an inner green circle. They must be slender and agile. The cat's tail must be slender. Cats with crooked tails are considered inauspicious.
In 1965, Korat cats were first registered in the US by the Korat Cat Fanciers Association. The cats that formed the breed were first imported from Thailand by Jean L. Johnson in 1959. In 1966 the breed was accepted by the Cat Fanciers' Association. The Korat breed is now accepted by cat associations around the world.
The International Maew Boran Association was formed in Thailand to provide a registry of and pedigrees for Thai cats, including Korats, and to provide a voice in English for Thai breeders as "...Thai breeders...do not speak English, and farang breeders do not speak Thai.".