| Mae Hong Son | |
| Native Name: | แม่ฮ่องสอน |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Nickname: | Mueang Sam Mok (City of three mists) |
| Motto: | หมอกสามฤดู กองมูเสียดฟ้า ป่าเขียวขจี ผู้คนดี ประเพณีงาม ลือนามถิ่นบัวตอง ("Three-season mists. Towering (Phra That Doi) Kong Mu. Lush forests. Good people. Beautiful traditions. Famous home of the tree marigold.") |
| Mapsize: | frameless |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Mae Hong Son |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Vacant |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 12,765 |
| Area Rank: | Ranked 7th |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 284,138 |
| Population As Of: | 2019 |
| Population Rank: | Ranked 70th |
| Population Density Km2: | 23 |
| Population Density Rank: | Ranked 77th |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | baht 13 billion (US$0.4 billion) (2019) |
| Demographics Type1: | Human Achievement Index |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [4] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | HAI (2022) |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 0.5974 "low" Ranked 76th |
| Timezone1: | ICT |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
| Postal Code Type: | postal code |
| Postal Code: | 58xxx |
| Area Code Type: | calling code |
| Area Code: | 052 & 053 |
| Iso Code: | TH-58 |
| Official Name: | จังหวัดแม่ฮ่องสอน · |
Mae Hong Son province (Burmese: မဲဟောင်ဆောင်; Thai: แม่ฮ่องสอน, in Thai pronounced as /mɛ̂ː.hɔ̂ŋ.sɔ̌ːn/; Northern Thai: ; Shan: Shan: မႄႈႁွင်ႈသွၼ်; formerly called Mae Rong Son), also spelled Maehongson, Mae Hong Sorn or Maehongsorn, is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat). It lies in upper northern Thailand and is the westernmost province. Neighboring provinces are (clockwise from north) Shan State of Myanmar, Chiang Mai and Tak. To the west, the province borders Kayin State and Kayah State of Myanmar.
| Pic: | Lanna- Thai Mae Hong Son.svg |
| Picsize: | 230px |
| Piccap: | "Mae Hong Son" in Thai language (top) and Northern Thai with Tai Tham script (bottom) |
| Tha: | แม่ฮ่องสอน |
| Rtgs: | Mae Hong Son |
| Lang1: | Northern Thai |
| Lang1 Content: | (Mae Hong Son) |
Mae Hong Son's nickname is "the city of three mists". It is hemmed in by the high mountain ranges of the Shan Hills and is the most mountainous province in Thailand, occupying .[5] The province is often covered with mist. Mae Hong Son town was originally established in the early 19th century as an elephant training camp as ordered by the then King of Chiang Mai., Mae Hong Son was the poorest province in Thailand.[6]
Mae Hong Son province was formerly part of Mawkmai State, one of the Shan States which had been founded in 1767 by Hsai Khiao, from a noble family of Chiang Mai.[7]
As a result of the Anglo-Siamese Boundary Commission of 1892–1893, Mae Hong Son District was ceded to Siam,[8] but the adjacent Möngmaü and Mehsakun trans-Salween Districts also claimed by Siam (as territories on the eastern side of the Salween River), were kept as part of British Burma.[9]
The Thai government, to solve persistent water shortages in the central region, have proposed a 70.7 billion baht plan to divert some 1.8 billion m3 of water annually from the Yuam River to the perennially underfilled Bhumibol Dam. Several of the province's districts would impacted. As part of the plan, the Royal Irrigation Department (RID), would build 69 metre high dam with a storage capacity of 68.7 million m3 constructed on 2,075 rai of forest land, together with a pumping station on a separate 55 rai plot and a 61.5 kilometre-long tunnel passing through 14 villages. The inhabitants of the area—primarily Karen tribes people—largely oppose the project. In December 2019, the RID submitted a second environmental impact assessment (EIA) to the Office of the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP). ONEP rejected the EIA for the second time due to concerns about forest destruction, tunnel rock waste, and compensation issues.[10]
Shan people is the largest population group in the province. They migrated from Shan State in Myanmar. Further there are seven hill tribes which consists of 63% of the provincial population: Karen, Lahu, Lisu, Lua, Miao, Chinese Yunnan and Pa-O people.
The Karen are not a single group, but rather a mix of closely related tribes. Among the smallest of the Karen tribes in Thailand are Kayan Lahwi. This group's women are recognized by the large brass rings they wear around their necks. Population density is 22 persons per km2, the lowest of all provinces.[11]
Most inhabitants, 77.5%, are Buddhists, followed by Christians at 20.9%, and Muslims at 0.5%. About 1.1% believe in animism and other religions.[13]
Mae Hong Son province is approximately 924km (574miles) north of Bangkok by road. To the north and west it connects to a total of three states in the Union of Burma, namely the southern portion of Shan State, Kayah State, and Kawthoolei State, via the Dawna Range, and the Salween and Moei Rivers. These formations serve as natural boundaries between the countries. To the south, it borders the district of Tha Song Yang and Tak, via the rivers Yuam and Ngao, which serve as a provincial boundary. To the east it borders the districts of Wiang Haeng, Chiang Dao, Mae Taeng, Mae Chaem, Hot and Omkoi in Chiang Mai province, via the central and east sections of the Thanon Thongchai mountain ranges, which serve as a boundary between the two provinces.
Every district in Mae Hong Son province shares a common border, measuring approximately 483 kilometres in total length, with Myanmar. The common border consists of approximately 326km (203miles) of land boundary and 157km (98miles) of river boundary (not counting the Salween, 127km (79miles), and Moei, 30km (20miles)).[14]
Most of the areas of Mae Hong Son province are the complex mountain ranges of the Thai highlands, parts of which are still covered with rainforest. The total forest area is 10915km² or 85.5 percent of provincial area.[1]
The Daen Lao Range, in the northernmost portion of the province, marks the northern boundary between Thailand and Burma, while the Dawna Range in the west serves as the boundary between Thailand and Burma. The Thanon Thongchai Range in the east of the province serves as the boundary between the provinces of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai. The highest point of the province is Doi Mae Ya (ยอดเขาแม่ยะ), in the Pai District in the province's northeast, at 2005m (6,578feet) elevation.[15]
Mae Hong Son province has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification category Aw). Winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until May. Monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm. Temperature statistics: Its maximum temperature is 44.6 °C (112.3 °F) on 28 April 2016 and the lowest temperature is 3.9 °C (39.0 °F). The highest average temperature is 35.6 °C (96.1 °F) on 25 December 1999 and the minimum average temperature is 18.0 °C (64.4 °F). The average relative humidity is 96.99% and the minimum relative humidity is 20%. Annual rainfall is 1,064.9 millimeters and on 23 April 1968 was for 24 hour the rainfall 130.4 mm. The number of rainy days was 130 days for a year.[16]
Weather box Mae Hong Son and Weather box Mae Sariang
There are four national parks and two national parks (preparation), with total area of, make up region 16 Mae Sariang branch of Thailand's protected areas.
There are six sanctuaries, with a total area of .[19]
There are 31 water reservoirs with total capacity of 12.31 million cubic meters:
There are 617 groundwater wells, which are used to mine groundwater for general use.[20]
Among the minerals that have been discovered in the province are limestone, coal, lignite, lead, zinc, tin, tungsten, antimony, fluoride, and feldspar. The mineral area is approximately 2,440 km2 (19% of provincial area).[21]
The province is divided into seven districts (amphoes). These are further divided into 45 subdistricts (tambons) and 415 villages (mubans).[22]
As of 26 November 2019 there are:[23] one Mae Hong Son Provincial Administration Organisation (Thai: ongkan borihan suan changwat) and seven municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Mae Hong Son has town (thesaban mueang) status. There are a further six subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 42 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations (SAO) (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]
The provincial seal, Rup chang nai thong nam (รูปช้างในท้องน้ำ), meaning 'image of an elephant in a body of water', is a reference to the training of wild elephants for battle and various types of animal labour. "Rup chang nai thong nam" was selected as the provincial seal because it refers to Mae Hong Son's founding, which began with Lord Kaeo of Ma being sent to capture elephants for the Lord of Chiang Mai (1825–1846). Once in Mae Hong Son, he gathered the scattered Shan settlements to establish two main villages, Ban Pang Mu and Ban Mae Hong Son, that would be ruled by their elected leaders.
The provincial flag is horizontally divided in dark brown/blue/dark brown (1:3:1) with the image of the provincial seal in the middle of the flag.[24]
The provincial tree is the Millettia brandisiana (Thai: กระพี้จั่น;).
The provincial flower is the Tree marigold (Thai: บัวตอง;).
The provincial animal is the Blyth's river frog (Thai: กบภูเขา;).
The official provincial slogan promoted by the Thai government is หมอกสามฤดู กองมูเสียดฟ้า ป่าเขียวขจี ผู้คนดี ประเพณีงาม ลือนามถิ่นบัวตอง 'Mists throughout the three seasons, the Kong Mu (monastery) that scrapes the sky, verdant forests, gentle people, beautiful customs; renowned land of marigolds'.
Higher educational institutions are:
There are eight secondary schools in Mae Hong Son.[27]
Every district has a hospital. There are also 72 subdistrict health-promoting hospitals. There are 63 public health centers, 10 insect-induced disease control centers, 15 malaria clinics, 21 community malaria centers and one health service (Thanyarak Mae Hong Son hospital).[28]
There are four major roads in the province:[29]
Two bus companies (Prem Pracha Transport Co and Sombat Tour Co.) operate four bus services:[30]
Bangkok Airways provides daily flights between Chiang Mai International Airport and Mae Hong Son Airport.[31] From 2011 until April 2017 Kan Air provided flights between Chiang Mai International Airport and Pai Airport.
Mae Hong Son is supplied with electricity from power stations in Chiang Mai province (Districts Chom Thong, Hot and Mae Taeng), along with eight power plants in Mae Hong Son province:[32]
In 2015, 83% of households were electrified and the remainder were without electricity.[33]
As of 2018 there were 65,153 households, of which 2.1% used telephones, 15.2% used computers with no internet connection, and 45.5% used computers with internet. As of 2018 there were 182,615 people aged six years and older, of which 22.2% used computers, 38.9% the internet, and 81.3% used mobile phones.[34]
| Health | Education | Employment | Income | |
| 56 | 76 | 35 | 57 | |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation | |
| 67 | 3 | 74 | 23 | |
| Province Mae Hong Son, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.5974 is "low", occupies place 76 in the ranking. | ||||
| Rank | Classification | |
| 1 - 13 | "high" | |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" | |
| 30 - 45 | "average" | |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" | |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |
