History

Phang-nga was originally inhabited by small communities and named Kraphu-nga. During the reign of King Rama II, nearby areas (including Thalung, now known as Phuket) were occupied by the Burmese and so many people fled to Kraphu-nga. In 1824, Siamese troops defeated the Burmese and the invaders were expelled. King Rama III renamed the area Phang-nga and in 1933 the town was expanded to be a province.

On the fateful morning of December 26, 2004  Phang-nga Bay was devastated by a Tsunami  disaster and thousands of people lost their lives.

Tourism

Situated on the Andaman Sea, Phang-nga province is famed for the natural beauty of its water, beaches, islands, mountains and forests.

Phang-nga was damaged in the 2004 Tsunami, although tourism has largely recovered.

Sights / Attractions

• Phang-nga Bay or Ao Phang-nga National Park   was declared a national park in 1981. It has scenic views and features mass limestone formations scattered around in the sea near the shore. The same factors contribute to the density of caves in the area. The park is fertile with mangroves and there are a number of islands in the vicinity.

• Mu Ko Similan National Park   was declared a national park in 1982. Similan is a small group of islands comprising nine islands stretching from north to south and is highly praised for its beautiful scenery, both onshore and underwater.

• Mu Ko Surin National Park   is an archipelago of 5 islands: Koh Surin Nuea, Koh Surin Tai, Koh Ri, Koh Khai, and Koh Klang. It was declared a national park on July 9, 1981. The archipelago is located in the Andaman sea, near the Thai-Burmese oceanic border, to the west of Thailand. There are coral reefs and the area is suitable for snorkeling.

• Ko Phra Thong , located in Tambon Phra Thong. It is a large island northwest of Phang-nga. The island has many beaches. There is a large fresh water reservoir on the island.

• Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park   was declared a national park in August 1991. The park occupies a vast area of 150 square kilometers and covers Amphoe Thai Mueang, Amphoe Kapong, Amphoe Takua Pa, and Amphoe Mueang. The interesting attractions are: Khao Lak, which has the Chao Pho Khao Lak Shrine, Laem Pakarang  which has groves of pine, making it good for camping and relaxation and Namtok Ton Chong Fa or Ton Chong Fa Waterfall.

• Khao Lampi-Hat Thai Mueang National Park , The park occupies an area of 18,000 acres.It was declared a national park on April 14, 1988. Interesting attractions in the park include: Namtok Lampi is a 6-tiered waterfall that runs all year round, Namtok Ton Phrai is a huge waterfall that runs all year round and Hat Thai Mueang being a long beach where the Sea Turtle Festival is held annually.

• Wat Suwannakhuha , located in Tambon Krasom, is a temple in Phang-nga. It is of historical and archaeological importance. Within the boundary of the temple is a mountain with numerous caves out of which one is also used as a temple and houses various manners of Buddha images. There are also Royal Monograms inscriptions on the walls of the cave.

• Ko Yao (เกาะยาว) covers an area of 137 square kilometres (34,000 acres). The majority of the population are Muslim. The island is made up of 2 large islands: Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai.

• Hat Khao Lak (ชายทะเลเขาหลัก), located 32 kilometres (20 mi) from Takua Pa, is a long scenic beach along the Andaman sea set beneath the green mountain of Khao Lak-Lamru National Park, parallel to the coast. The accommodation of Takua Pa along Khao Lak and Bang Sak Beach is built in the original southern architecture style.

• Wat Rat Uppatham or Wat Bang Riang , located in Tambon Bang Riang, the temple, situated on Khao Lan hill, contains several structures including an elaborate bell-shaped pagoda called Chedi Phutthathambanlue. The hilltop pagoda overlooks surrounding undulating mountains and hills as well as a huge Buddha image and a Guan-yin Chinese Goddess statue.

Khao Lak

Khao Lak is a seaside resort in Thailand, located 80 km north of Phuket International Airport in Takua Pa district, Phang-Nga province and popular as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands.

The pristine coastline is synonymous with beauty. Nearby rubber and palm plantations dot the coastal region and most nearby inland areas. The major national Highway 4 runs north and south and mostly parallel to the coastline. Khao Lak is a thriving tourist destination for backpackers, up-scale tourists, adventure tourists and seasoned scuba enthusiasts. Local peoples are mostly Thai often with some Chinese ancestry. The diversity of ethnic groups and cultural influences within and surrounding Khao Lak makes this region rich in agricultural, fishing and dry good products. Tourism is Khao Lak's revenue generating entity, becoming Thailand's most popular jumping-off point for the world renowned Similan Islands.

Economy

The local economy in the town is based on the tourist hotels, local shops and restaurants, and the diving trade. Most of the foreign tourists are European, many from Scandinavia, Germany and the United Kihgdom. The wider area produces some rubber and palm oil; there is also a small amount of subsistence agriculture.

Following the tsunami of December 2004 (see below) the local economy was ruined as it was in nearly all coastal towns hit by the devastating wave. It is estimated that 60 percent of the resorts were mid-construction, with nearly 4,000 rooms already available. Most coastal resorts were either heavily damaged or completely demolished, resulting in a great loss of life and major blow to the local tourist economy. At the time of the tsunami, Khao Lak was Thailand's fastest growing tourist destination.

December 2007 has marked the third anniversary of the tsunami and Khao Lak's economy has nearly bounced back. Most of the coastal resorts have completed their reconstruction or repairs and the tourism has flourished. In some respects its better than pre-tsunami days. Nearly all volunteers have moved on to other parts of the world to render aid as Khao Lak locals pick up the remaining pieces, pulling their community back together. Seaside and inland resorts are indicating full bookings during high seasonal months of November to March. Though some prices have risen to reasonable and pre-tsunami rates, Khao Lak is still a bargain compared to other regions of Thailand and Southeast Asia. Where Phuket is a destination for most, Khao Lak is experiencing the traveler that wants more secluded beaches, quiet nights and family oriented activities. Hotels and bungalows range from $15USD to $700USD per night depending on your budget. However, this does not mean Khao Lak is exempt from scams, such as Thai tailor scam. Inexpensive bungalows generally feature meager amenities, whereas the 5-Star resorts such as Le Meridien, Ramada or Sarojin Resorts boast first-class amenities. There seems to be something for everyone's budget.

The district Takua Pa is subdivided into 8 subdistricts which are further subdivided into 51 villages ,Takua Pa itself has town status and covers the complete tambon Takua Pa. There are 6 tambon administrative organizations TAO - tambon Takua Pa is administrated by the town council, and Tam Tua by a neighboring TAO. Khao Lak is a village within the Khuekkhak subdistrict.

1.Takua Pa
2.Bang Nai Si
3.Bang Sai
4.Bang Muang
5.Tam Tua
6.Khok Khian
7.Khuekkhak
8.Koh Kho Khao