| Official Name: | Tak Bai |
| Native Name: | ตากใบ |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Settlement Type: | District |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Narathiwat |
| Subdivision Type2: | Seat |
| Subdivision Name2: | Tak Bai |
| Established Title: | District established |
| Established Date: | 1909 |
| Population Total: | 66579 |
| Population As Of: | 2009 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Postal code |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 96110 |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Geocode |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 9602 |
| Timezone: | ICT |
| Utc Offset: | +7 |
| Coordinates: | 6.2589°N 102.055°W |
Tak Bai (Thai: ตากใบ, in Thai pronounced as /tàːk bāj/ Malay: Tabal) is a district (amphoe) in the southeastern part of Narathiwat province, southern Thailand.
When the United Kingdom and Siam (Thailand) signed the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, they agreed to use the Kolok River (Sungai Golok) near Wat Chonthara Singhe (วัดชลธาราสิงเห) as the boundary between British Malaya and Siam due to the culture and arts inside the temple. Before, the area was part of the Mueang Kelantan.
The district was officially created on 12 August 1909.[1]
On 25 October 2004 at least 85 demonstrators died after a brutal police action in the so-called Tak Bai Incident.[2]
Neighboring districts are (from the southwest clockwise): Su-ngai Kolok, Su-ngai Padi, Cho-airong, Mueang Narathiwat of Narathiwat Province, and the Gulf of Thailand. To the southeast is the Tumpat District in state Kelantan of Malaysia.
The boundary crossing is at Pengkalan Kubur (Malaysia) and Tak Bai (Thailand).
On 1 January falls on the New Year's Day, Tak Bai is the first place in Thailand that receives the sunshine, despite not being the easternmost area in the country. This is because the Earth's axis is tilted during the cold season. Which the sun will rise before Khong Chiam district in Ubon Ratchathani province the location of Pha Taem National Park, about one minute.[3]
The district is divided into eight sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 56 villages (mubans). Tak Bai itself has town (thesaban mueang) status and covers parts of tambon Che He. There are a further eight tambon administrative organizations (TAO).
| No. | Name | Thai | Villages | Pop.[4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chehe | เจ๊ะเห | 8 | 19,205 | |
| 2. | Phrai Wan | ไพรวัน | 10 | 8,712 | |
| 3. | Phron | พร่อน | 6 | 4,418 | |
| 4. | Sala Mai | ศาลาใหม่ | 8 | 8,847 | |
| 5. | Bang Khun Thong | บางขุนทอง | 6 | 5,064 | |
| 6. | Ko Sathon | เกาะสะท้อน | 9 | 9,219 | |
| 7. | Na Nak | นานาค | 4 | 4,497 | |
| 8. | Khosit | โฆษิต | 5 | 6,617 |