Tak province

Statistics
Capital:	Tak[?]
Area:	16,406.6 km² Ranked 4th
Inhabitants:	484,356 (2001) Ranked 50nd
pop. density:	30 inh./km² Ranked 75th
ISO 3166-2:	TH-63
Map

Tak (Thai ตาก) is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Lamphun[?], Lampang, Sukhothai, Kamphaeng Phet, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani[?] and Kanchanaburi. In the East the district has a long boundary with Myanmar.

Table of contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Symbols 4 Administrative divisions 5 External links

Geography

The Yannee Dam (however usually called Bhumibol Dam after king Bhumibol Adulyadej) stops the river Ping, one of the two sources of the Chao Phraya river. The artifical lake created covers an area of 300 km² and is the largest of Thailand. The Taksin Maharat and the Lan Sang National parks are located in the province.

History

The historic name of Tak was Muang Rahang, and it was built even before the Sukhothai period and formed the main fortress on the western front.

King Taksin was vice-governor of Tak before the Ayutthaya kingdom fell during the war with Burma. As his name was Sin, he became called Tak-Sin during his duty in Tak.

Symbols

The seal of the province show King Naresuan[?] on the royal elephant. Sometimes below the elephant a garuda is depicted, as the garuda is the state symbol of Thailand. King Naresuan is shown pouring consecrated water on the ground, a symbolic act to declare independence. This refers to the war of 1584 with Burma, when Tak was the first border town to be liberated from Burmese control. The provincial tree is the Asian Jatoba (Xylia kerrii[?]), the provincial flower the Orchid tree (Bauhinia sp.[?]).

Administrative divisions

Amphoe (districts)		King Amphoe (minor districts)
Mueang Tak Ban Tak Sam Ngao Mae Ramat	Tha Song Yang Mae Sot Phop Phra Umphang	Wang Chao

External links

• Province page from the Tourist Authority of Thailand (http://www.tat.or.th/province/north/tak/index.htm)
• Golden Jubilee Network province guide (http://kanchanapisek.or.th/cgi-bin/kp8/oncc/province.cgi?prov=n4)