| Suphan Buri | |
| Native Name: | สุพรรณบุรี |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Nickname: | Suphan |
| Motto: | สุพรรณบุรี เมืองยุทธหัตถี วรรณคดีขึ้นชื่อ เลื่องลือพระเครื่อง รุ่งเรืองเกษตรกรรม สูงล้ำประวัติศาสตร์ แหล่งปราชญ์ศิลปิน ภาษาถิ่นชวนฟัง ("Suphan Buri. City of the elephant battle. Famed literature. Renowned amulets. Prosperous agriculture. Amazing history. Home of scholars and artists. Listen to the local language.") |
| Mapsize: | frameless |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Suphan Buri |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Natthapat Suwanprateep (since October 2020) |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 5,358 |
| Area Rank: | Ranked 39th |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 848,720 |
| Population As Of: | 2018 |
| Population Rank: | Ranked 29th |
| Population Density Km2: | 158 |
| Population Density Rank: | Ranked 24th |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | baht 87 billion (US$3.0 billion) (2019) |
| Demographics Type1: | Human Achievement Index |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [4] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | HAI (2022) |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 0.6599 "high" Ranked 12th |
| Timezone1: | ICT |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 72xxx |
| Area Code Type: | Calling code |
| Area Code: | 035 |
| Iso Code: | TH-72 |
Suphan Buri (Thai: สุพรรณบุรี, in Thai pronounced as /sù.pʰān būrīː/) located in the central region of Thailand, is one of the country's 76 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), the first-level administrative divisions. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom and Kanchanaburi. As of 2018 the province counted a population of around 848,700, representing about 1.28% of the country's population.[5]
The word suphan originates from the Sanskrit word Suvarna (Devanagari: सुवर्ण), meaning 'gold', and the word buri from Sanskrit purī (Devanagari: पुरी), meaning 'town' or 'city'. Hence the name of the province literally means 'city of gold'.
The terrain of the province is mostly low river plains, with small mountain ranges in the north and the west of the province. The southeastern part with the very low plain of the Tha Chin River is paddy rice farming area. The total forest area is 631km² or 11.7 percent of provincial area.[6] There is one national park, along with eight other national parks, make up region 3 (Ban Pong) of Thailand's protected areas. Phu Toei National Park, 317km2[7]
See also: History of Thailand, Dvaravati and Suphan Buri. Suphan Buri might be the site of the legendary Suvarnabhumi, which is mentioned in very old Buddhist writings.[8] However the first confirmed historical settlement was in the Dvaravati period, when the city was known as Mueang Thawarawadi Si Suphannaphumi ('the Dvaravati city of Suvarnabhumi').[9] Its founding took place c. 877–882. In the era of Ankorian king Jayavarman VII, an inscription called Prasat Phra Khan (จารึกปราสาทพระขรรค์) was made which mentions the name of Suvarnapura.[10] Later it was called U Thong, and was once believed to be the home city of Prince U Thong, the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. King Khun Luang Pha Ngua gave it the current name. Suphan Buri was a border city, and the site of several battles with the neighbouring Burmese.
Suphan Buri people speak in a distinct Central Thai dialect, which is believed to be the form spoken during the Ayutthaya period.
The province is Thailand's largest producer of water chestnuts (Thai: ลูกแห้ว,), grown mainly in Mueang Suphan Buri, Sam Chuk, and the Si Prachan Districts of the province. About half of the province's 3,000 rai of cultivated water chestnuts are found in Tambon Wang Yang of Si Prachan. The vegetable was registered as a geographical indication (GI) product of Suphan Buri in 2017.[11] The Thai dessert thapthim krop (Thai: ทับทิมกรอบ), with water chestnuts as its main ingredient, was named one of the world's best 50 desserts in 2019 by CNN Travel.[12]
The provincial seal shows the elephant battle between King Naresuan the Great and the crown prince of Burma in 1592, which took place in Suphan Buri.
The provincial tree is the ebony tree makleua (มะเกลือ, scientific name Diospyros mollis). Boeseman croaker (Boesemania microlepis) is the provincial aquatic animal, ปลาม้า.
The province is divided into 10 districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 110 subdistricts (tambons) and 977 villages (mubans).
As of 26 November 2019 there are:[13] one Suphan Buri Provincial Administration Organisation (Thai: ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 45 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Suphan Buri and Song Phi Nong have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 43 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 81 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]
Suphan Buri's main hospital is Chao Phraya Yommarat Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.
Suphan Buri is at the end of a 157km (98miles) branch line of the State Railway of Thailand's Southern Line, officially terminating at Suphan Buri railway station. The branch meets the main line at Nong Pladuk Junction near Ban Pong.
Route 340 passes through Suphan Buri, leading north to Chai Nat and south to Bang Bua Thong. Route 321 leads west and then south to Nakhon Pathom. Route 329 leads east to Bang Pahan. Route 3195 leads north-east to Ang Thong.
| Health | Education | Employment | Income | |
| 27 | 45 | 17 | 16 | |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation | |
| 39 | 17 | 72 | 31 | |
| Province Suphan Buri, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6599 is "high", occupies place 12 in the ranking. | ||||
| Rank | Classification | |
| 1 - 13 | "high" | |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" | |
| 30 - 45 | "average" | |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" | |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |