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Rayong province

Rayong
ระยอง
Province
Official seal of Rayong
Seal
Map of Thailand highlighting Rayong Province
Map of Thailand highlighting Rayong Province
Country Thailand
Capital Rayong city
Government
 • Governor Surasak Charoensirichot (since October 2016)
Area
 • Total 3,552 km2 (1,371 sq mi)
Area rank Ranked 57th
Population (2014)
 • Total 674,393
 • Rank Ranked 45th
 • Density 190/km2 (490/sq mi)
 • Density rank Ranked 25th
Time zone ICT (UTC+7)
ISO 3166 code TH-21

Rayong Province (Thai: ระยอง, pronounced [rā.jɔ̄ːŋ]; Chong: ราย็อง) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chonburi, and Chanthaburi. To the south is the Gulf of Thailand.

King Taksin (of Thailand) came to Rayong after the fall of Ayutthaya. During a short stay in Rayong he built a navy, and then went on to Chantaburi to assemble forces to fight back against the Burmese. There is a shrine in Rayong where local people pay respects to Taksin.

Although the north is hilly, the province consists mostly of low coastal plains. Several islands in the Gulf of Thailand belong to the province, including the popular tourist destinations, Ko Samet, Ko Mun, and Ko Khod.

The seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum).

The province is divided into eight districts (amphoe). These are further subdivided into 58 sub-districts (tambon) and 388 villages (muban).

The Shrine of King Taksin the Great (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสิน) Folklore says that King Taksin tied his elephant to a tree while leading the troops to Chanthaburi to retrieve the Kingdom of Siam from Burmese occupation. The shrine houses a statue of the king.

Wat Pa Pradu (วัดป่าประดู่) This ancient temple dates back to the Ayutthaya period. The wihan houses a large reclining Buddha image, 11.95 metres long and 3.6 metres high. Unusually, the reclining Buddha image lies on its left-hand side.


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