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Krabi (กระบี่)
Thai. ‘Sword(s)’. Town with a population of around 25,000
inhabitants and capital of Krabi province (map)
in southern Thailand, about 814 km from
Bangkok. The province covers an area of 4,708.5 kmē and has a
total population of around 410,630, consisting of
Muslims, Thai-Chinese, Buddhists and
Chao Le sea gypsies, with the majority
in rural areas being
Muslim.
Its former name was Pakahsai or Karobi.
It lies at the Andaman See and borders
Surat Thani in the North,
Nakhon Sri Thammarat in the
East,
Trang in the Southeast and
Phang Nga in the West. After
dating stone tools, ancient coloured
paintings, beads, pottery and skeletal remains found in the
province's many cliffs and caves, it is thought that Krabi has been
home to homo sapiens since the period 25,000-35,000 BC, making it
possibly the country's oldest continued settlement. Its main rivers
are the Krabi and the Khlong Pakahsai, and the highest mountain is
Phu Khao Phanom Benjah, with an altitude of 1,397 meters and meaning
‘five-tiered pedestal’. Natural forest consists largely of
mangrove and cassia trees. Krabi is situated on
the periphery of a limestone mountain range, offering stunning views
of steep cliffs rising from the sea, as well as of scenic sandy
beaches and is home to the
Hahd Nopparat Tarah-Moo Koh Pih Pih
National Park (map
-
fig.). Rai Le Beach is well-known for its rock climbing and the
Bay of Ao Nang (fig.) has some 84 small islands and a limestone cave,
whilst Ao Nang Beach features a
monument
of fishermen catching a huge
swordfish (map
-
fig.),
a statue reminiscent of
a large bronze at
Phi Phi Don (map
-
fig.). Other
places of interest include
Nahm Tok
Ron (map
-
fig.),
Hot Spring Angel Shrine (map
-
fig.), the Emerald Pool and Blue
Lagoon (map
-
fig.), Wat Kaew Korawarahm (map
-
fig.),
Viking Cave on Phi Phi Leh (fig.),
one of the
Phi Phi Islands (fig.), Koh Lantah National Marine Parks,
Miracle Beach (map
-
fig.), Koh Poda, Koh Thap and Koh Kai
or Chicken
Island (map
-
fig.). Subject to tropical monsoon weather Krabi has just two
seasons: the hot season from January to April and the rainy season
from May to December. The people's main occupations consist of
rubber tree tapping,
mango, coffee,
coconut and oil palm cultivation, fishery and
rice farming.
The province consists of eight
amphur, 53
tambon and 374 villages.
See also
Krabi data file.
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