Krabi has perhaps the country's oldest
history of continued settlement. After dating stone
tools, ancient coloured pictures, 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
B.C. in recorded times it was called the 'Ban Thai
Samor', and was one of twelve towns that used, before
people were widely literate, the monkey for their
standard, At that time, c. 1,200 A.D., Krabi was
tributary to the kingdom of Ligor, a city on the
Kra Peninsula's east coast better known today as
Nakorn Sri Thammarat.
At the start of the Rattanakorsin period, about
200 years ago, When the capital was finally settled
at Bangkok, an elephant kraal was established in
Krabi by order of Chao Phraya Nakorn (Noi), the
governor of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, which was by then
apart of the Thai kingdom. He sent his vizier,the
Phra Palad, to oversee this task, which was to ensure
a regular supply of elephants for the larger town
so followers many emigrated in the step of the Phra
Palad that soon Krabi had a large community inthree
different borouhs : Pakasai, khlong Poh, and Pak
Lao.
In 1872, King Chulalongkorn graciously elevated
these to town status, called Krabi, a word that
preserves in its. meaning the monkey symbolism of
the old standard. The town's first governor was
Luang Thep Sena, though it continued a while as
a dependency of Nakhon Sri Thammarat. This was changed
in 1875, when Krabi was raised to a fourth-level
town in the old system of Thai government Adminictrators
then reported directly to the central government
in Bangkok, and Krabi's history as a unique entiry,
separate from the other provinces, had begun.
During the present reign. the corps of civil servants,
the merchants, and the poputation of Krabi and nearby
provinces together organized construction of a royal
residence at Laem Hang Nak Cape for presentation
to her Majesty the Queen. This lies thirty kilometers
to the west of Krabi Town on the Andaman coast.
Boundaries
North :
Connects with Phang-nga and
Surat Thani Provinces.
South :
Connects with Trang Provinces
and the Andaman sea.
East :
Connects with Trang
and Nakhon Sri Thammarat Provinces.
West :
Connects with Phang-nga Provinces
and the Andaman sea.
From
Krabi city to nearby provinces
-Phang Nga
86 Kms.
-Phuket
176 Kms.
-Trang
131 Kms.
-Phattalung
193 Kms.
-Surat Thani
211 Kms.
-Nakhon Sri Thammarat
233 Kms.
-Satun
276 Kms.
From
Krabi city to nearby provinces
-Ao Luk
43 Kms.
-Plai Phraya
66 Kms.
-Khao Panom
39 Kms.
-Khlong Thom
42 Kms.
-Ko Lanta
103 Kms.
-Lam Thap
67 Kms.
-Nua Khlong
17 Kms.
Geography
Krabi's mountainous physical geography is broken
by nighlands and plains on the mainland; the provincial
administration also covers more than 130 islands
big and mangrove and Cassia trees.
Krabi's sandy clay soil conditions are perfect.
For a variety of agricultural product, including
: Rubber trees, palms, oranges, coconuts, and coffee.
Krabi's mountainous physical geography is
broken by highlands and plains on the mainland;
the provincial administration also covers more than
130 islands big and mangrove and Cassia trees. Krabi's
sandy clay soil conditions are perfect for a variety
of agricultural products, including : Rubber trees,
palms, oranges, coconuts, and coffee.
The Krabi River flows 5 kilometers through
the city and falls into the Andaman at Tambon Pak
Nam. There
are other streams as well: The Klong Pakasai ; the
klong Krabi Yai ; and the Klong Krabi Noy ; these
have
their source in the province's highest range of
mountains, the Kao Panom Benja.
Administration
Krabi is divided into eight districts : Amphoe Muang
(Krabi town), Kho Panom, Khlong Thom, Plai Phraya,
Ko Lanta, Ao Luk, and Lam Thap and, Nhua Khlong.
Population
Krabi's estimated poputation, as of 31 March 2001,
was 366,919.
Weather
Weather in Krabi is typically that of the tropical
monsoon, providing the province with just two seasons,
the hot season from November to April, and the rainy
season from May to October. Monsoon winds, which
change according to season, blow from the southeast,
the southwest, and the northeast. Temperatures for
the year range between 16.9 and 37.3 degrees Celsius;
yearly rainfall averages 2,586.5 millimeters.
Local Festivals
Krabi Berk Fah Andaman
This festival takes place in November and celebrates
the opening of the tourist season in Krabi. Watersport
competitions, caltural shows, and good-natured fun
are the schedule.
The Setting Adrift of the Chao Ley Boats
Takes place on Lanta Island during full moon of
the sixth and eleventh months in the lunar calender.
This is a religious rite performed by sea gypsies
who gather on the beach near Ban Saladan Village.
They dance their famous Rong Geng round the boats
to be set adrift Ceremonies feature singing and
dancing; the reason for the fest it to bring prosperity
and happiness to the participants, it is something
hard to find elsewhere.