| Rayong | |
| Native Name: | ระยอง |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Motto: | ผลไม้รสล้ำ อุตสาหกรรมก้าวหน้า น้ำปลารสเด็ด เกาะเสม็ดสวยหรู สุนทรภู่กวีเอก ("Succulent fruit. Progressive industry. Tasty fish sauce. Beautiful and luxurious Ko Samet. Sunthon Phu, the great poet.") |
| Mapsize: | frameless |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Rayong |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Tripop Wongtrairat (since 2022) |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3552 |
| Area Rank: | Ranked 57th |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 723,316 |
| Population As Of: | 2018 |
| Population Rank: | Ranked 35th |
| Population Density Km2: | 203.6 |
| Population Density Rank: | Ranked 14th |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | baht 985 billion (US$34 billion) (2019) |
| Demographics Type1: | Human Achievement Index |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [4] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | HAI (2022) |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 0.6599 "high" Ranked 13th |
| Timezone1: | ICT |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 21xxx |
| Area Code Type: | Calling code |
| Area Code: | 038 |
| Iso Code: | TH-21 |
Rayong province (Thai: ระยอง, in Thai pronounced as /rá.jɔ̄ːŋ/) is one of seventy-six provinces (changwat) within Thailand, and lies in eastern Thailand. The province is bordered by Chonburi to its west and north; Chanthaburi to its east; and the Gulf of Thailand to its south.[5]
, per capita earnings were higher in Rayong province than in any other Thai province.[6]
Rayong began to appear in 1570 in the reign of Maha Thammaracha, The Khmer Ruler has invaded Siam in the eastern coastal city but unable to seize the city.
Following the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese during the Burmese–Siamese War, the future king of the Thonburi kingdom, Taksin, arrived in Rayong. In Rayong, Taksin built a new navy before going on to Chanthaburi to assemble forces to fight the Burmese. Taksin then passed back through Rayong during the reunification of Siam as the Thonburi kingdom. The oldest temple in Rayong, Wat Pa Pradu, is dedicated to Taksin where locals worship his spirit.[7]
In 1906, Rayong was merged to Monthon Chanthaburi. In 1908, Klaeng district was merged to Rayong.
In the reign of King Rama VI, changed the name of "Rayong City" to "Rayong province" in 1916 but it still part of Monthon Chanthaburi. Later in 1931, Monthon Chanthaburi was dissolved and Rayong was merged to Monthon Prachinburi.
Although the north is hilly, the province consists mostly of low coastal plains. The total forest area is 292km2 or 8 percent of provincial area.[8] Off the shoreline of Mueang Rayong District is Khao Laem Ya–Mu Ko Samet National Park, consisting of several islands.
There are two national parks, along with five other national parks, make up region 2 (Si Racha) of Thailand's protected areas.
The seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is the Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum). Neolissochilus soroides is a provincial fish.
Rayong is one of the three Thai provinces, together with Chonburi and Chachoengsao, at the center of the nation's Eastern Economic Corridor. The three provinces are to become Thailand's hub for manufacturing, research, and services tightly coupled with its ASEAN neighbors and the world logistically.[10] The project is the centerpiece of the government's "Thailand 4.0" economic initiative.[11] [12]
The province is divided into eight districts (amphoes). These are further divided into 58 subdistricts (tambons) and 388 villages (mubans).
As of 21 November 2019 there are:[13] one Rayong Provincial Administrative Organization - PAO (Thai: ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 30 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. The capital Rayong has city (thesaban nakhon) status. Ban Chang and Map Ta Phut have town (thesaban mueang) status and 27 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 37 Subdistrict Administrative Organizations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Rayong's main hospital is Rayong Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.
| Health | Education | Employment | Income | |
| 8 | 11 | 4 | 8 | |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation | |
| 73 | 5 | 77 | 61 | |
| Province Rayong, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6599 is "high", occupies place 13 in the ranking. | ||||
| Rank | Classification | |
| 1 - 13 | "high" | |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" | |
| 30 - 45 | "average" | |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" | |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |