Chonburi Province
Toponymy
The Thai word chon (ชล /t͡ɕʰon˧/) originates from the Sanskrit word jalá (जल) meaning "water", and the word buri (บุรี; /bu˨˩.riː˧/) from Sanskrit purī (पुरी); meaning "town" or "city"; hence the name of the province means "city of water". The local Chinese name for the province is 萬佛歲; Bān-pu̍t-sòe, which is a rendering of "Bang Pla Soi" (บางปลาสร้อย) the former name of Mueang Chonburi district, the capital district of Chonburi province (this name is retained for one of Mueang Chonburi's subdistricts.) The standard Chinese name for the province is a phonetic rendering of "Chonburi", 春武里; Chhun-bú-lí.
History
Human habitation of the province dates back to the Neolithic era, when early inhabitants lived in the area along the Panthong river in modern day Phan Thong district.
During the Dvaravati period, the city of Mueang Phra Rot (Phra That Noen That) was established close to the mouth of the Bang Pakong river in modern-day Phanat Nikhom District. The city was in the shape of an irregular rectangle and was surrounded by a moat. Mueang Phra Rot was established from the 600s to the 1000s and had goods imported from the Tang and Song dynasties and from either Persia or lower Mesopotamia.
To the east of Phra Rot was Mueang Sri Phalo in modern-day Nong Mai Daeng, which was established near the end of Phra Rot in the 1000s. Located near the mouth of the Bang Pakong river, it became a wealthy port and fishing town, serving as a stopping point for Khmer, Vietnamese and Chinese barques before they ventured into the Chao Phraya river. However, it lost prominence in the 1300s when the mouth of the river became shallower due to sedimentation. As a result in the town's economy declining, its inhabitants moved south to Bang Pla Soi. Construction of Sukhimvit road erased the town's eastern wall.
Late 19th century to present
In the reign of King Nangklao, Rama III, Phra Intha-asa, The Governor of Phanat Nikhom I (Princely member of Nakhon Phanom royal family) took many immigrants (Nakhon Phanom Laotians, Named Lao Asa Pak Nam) from Samut Prakan and New Nakhon Phanom Laotians to Phanat Nikhom. The Siamese King at the time allowed them to establish a habitat between Chonburi and Chachoengsao (Named Phanat Nikhom in the present).
In 1892, Ko Sichang, an island off the mainland, served as a holiday point for King Chulalongkorn and his wife Queen Saovabha Phongsri. Chulalongkorn later built a summer palace called "Phra Chuthathut Palace" named after his son, Prince Chudadhuj Dharadilok, who was born on Ko Sichang. During the Franco-Siamese crisis of 1893, the island was occupied by the French. During this time, the island was a part of Samut Prakan province before being transferred to Chonburi province on 1 January 1943 as a minor district (king amphoe) in Si Racha district. Ko Sichang became its own district on 4 July 1994.
Following the end of World War II, coastal towns particularly Ang Sila witnessed an influx of Teochew Chinese migrants. The Vietnam War would also cause an influx of American G.I.s to arrive, particularly in Pattaya. This would go on to lead Chonburi province to become popular among foreign tourists.
Symbols
The provincial seal shows the hill Khao Sam Muk, on which there is a sala with a statue of the goddess Chao Mae Sahm Muk, who, it is believed, protects seafarers and the local population.
The provincial tree and flower is the New Guinea rosewood (Pterocarpus indicus, called Mai Pradu in Thai). The provincial aquatic life is bamboo shark Chiloscyllium punctatum.
The provincial motto is "Beautiful seas. Delicious Khao Lam. Sweet sugar cane. Fine weaving. The buffalo racing festival."
Geography
The province is on the Bay of Bangkok, the northern end of the Gulf of Thailand. The Khao Khiao mountain range stretches from the northwest to the southeast of the province. The plains of the north were long used for farming. Laem Chabang, between Chonburi and Pattaya, is one of the few deep-water harbours of Thailand. The total forest area is 551 km (213 sq mi) or 12.2 percent of provincial area.
Wildlife sanctuary
There is one wildlife sanctuary, along with three other wildlife sanctuaries, make up region 2 (Si Racha) of Thailand's protected areas.
- Khao Khio–Khao Chomphu Wildlife Sanctuary, 145 km (56 sq mi)
The provincial permanent legal population rose at nearly four per cent annually, from 1,040,865 in 2000 to 1,554,365 in 2010. There is a large floating population of long-term non-Thai residents without permanent status, on a perpetual tourist visa and/or migrant workers (legal or not), as well as heavy, short-term tourist influxes.
Demographics
![[icon]](/key/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (August 2019) |
Religion
According to a 2015 survey, around 97.87% of the population of Chonburi practices Buddhism, followed by Islam with 1.56% and Christianity with 0.60%.
| Religion | Census 2015 | % |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhism | 1,256,081 | 97.87% |
| Islam | 20,000 | 1.56% |
| Christianity | 7,707 | 0.60% |
| Other religions | 800 | 0.06% |
Religion in Chonburi (census 2015)
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