| Official Name: | Phu Ruea |
| Native Name: | ภูเรือ |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Settlement Type: | District |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Loei |
| Subdivision Type2: | Seat |
| Subdivision Name2: | Nong Bua |
| Established Title: | District established |
| Established Date: | 1968 |
| Population Total: | 21182 |
| Population As Of: | 2009 |
| Blank Name Sec1: | Postal code |
| Blank Info Sec1: | 42160 |
| Blank Name Sec2: | Geocode |
| Blank Info Sec2: | 4207 |
| Timezone: | ICT |
| Utc Offset: | +7 |
| Coordinates: | 17.455°N 101.3633°W |
Phu Ruea (Thai: ภูเรือ, in Thai pronounced as /pʰūː rɯ̄a̯/) is a district (amphoe) in the western part of Loei province, northeastern Thailand.
The government split off some parts of Tha Li, Mueang Loei, and Dan Sai Districts and made them into the minor district (king amphoe) Phu Ruea on 15 October 1968 and made it a subordinate of Dan Sai.[1] It was upgraded to a full district on 1 April 1974.[2]
The district is named after Phu Ruea, an important mountain in the area.
Neighboring districts are (from the northeast clockwise): Tha Li, Mueang Loei, Wang Saphung, Phu Luang of Loei Province; Lom Kao of Phetchabun province; and Dan Sai of Loei. To the northwest is Xaignabouli province of Laos.
To the north of the district is the Phu Ruea National Park,[3] to the south the Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary.
The northwestern part of the district reaches the southern end of the Luang Prabang Range mountain area of the Thai highlands.[4]
The district is divided into six sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 47 villages (mubans). Phu Ruea is a sub-district municipality (thesaban tambon) which covers parts of tambon Nong Bua. There are further six tambon administrative organizations (TAO).
| No. | Name | Thai | Villages | Pop.[5] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Nong Bua | หนองบัว | 8 | 5,509 | |
| 2. | Tha Sala | ท่าศาลา | 7 | 2,746 | |
| 3. | Rong Chik | ร่องจิก | 10 | 4,842 | |
| 4. | Pla Ba | ปลาบ่า | 7 | 3,226 | |
| 5. | Lat Khang | ลาดค่าง | 6 | 2,078 | |
| 6. | San Tom | สานตม | 9 | 2,781 |