| Trang | |
| Native Name: | ตรัง |
| Native Name (Malay): | Terang |
| Native Name (Jawi): | ترڠ |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Translit Lang1 Info1: | Malay: Terang |
| Translit Lang1 Type1: | Malay |
| Translit Lang1 Info2: | ตรัง ทับเที่ยง |
| Translit Lang1 Type2: | Southern Thai |
| Translit Lang1: | Other |
| Motto: | ชาวตรังใจกว้าง สร้างแต่ความดี ("The generous people of Trang, to create only good.") |
| Mapsize: | frameless |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Trang |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Songklot Sawangwong (since December 2023) |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 4,918 |
| Area Rank: | Ranked 43rd |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 643,116 |
| Population As Of: | 2018 |
| Population Rank: | Ranked 41st |
| Population Density Km2: | 131 |
| Population Density Rank: | Ranked 34th |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | baht 73 billion (US$2.1 billion) (2019) |
| Demographics Type1: | Human Achievement Index |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [4] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | HAI (2022) |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 0.6481 "somewhat high" Ranked 29th |
| Timezone1: | ICT |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 92xxx |
| Area Code Type: | Calling code |
| Area Code: | 075 |
| Iso Code: | TH-92 |
Trang (th|ตรัง, pronounced as /th/; ms|Terang), also called Mueang Thap Thiang, is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the west side of the Malay Peninsula facing the Strait of Malacca. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, and Satun.
Trang was formerly a port involved in foreign trade. It was the first place where rubber was planted in Thailand. Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi brought rubber saplings from Malaya and planted them here in 1899, and rubber is now an important export of the country. The Trang River flows through the province from its origin in the Khao Luang mountain range, and the Palian River flows from the Banthat mountains. The province of Trang has an area of approximately 5,000 square km and 199 km of Strait of Malacca shoreline.[5]
The province is on the coast of the Strait of Malacca, and contains 46 islands together with the mainland area. There are only few plains, and most of the area is hills. The Khao Luang and the Banthat mountain range are the sources of the two main rivers of the province, the Trang River and the Palian River.
The southern coast of the province is protected in the Mu Ko Phetra National Park. The estuary of the Trang River together with the Hat Chao Mai Marine National Park[6] and Ko Libong Non-hunting Area are also registered Ramsar wetlands. The total forest area is 1093km² or 23.1 percent of provincial area.[7]
There are a total of three national parks, two of which, along with eighteen other national parks, make up region 5 (Nakhon Si Thammarat) and Khao Pu–Khao Ya is in region 6 (Songkhla) of Thailand's protected areas.
Trang was an important seaport in southern Thailand. Legend says that ships always arrived in the morning, which led to the town's name. "Trang" derives from the Malay word for light or dawn (terang). But in another explanation it says that it comes from Sanskrit (tarangque) which means wave or gallop. In addition, the landscape of Trang is characterized by mounds interspersed with plains that look like waves. Thus, the provincial seal features sea waves and a lighthouse bridge.[9]
The province was once a part of the Srivijaya empire, an ancient Hindu-Buddhist Melayu Kingdom and the Malay Sultanate of Kedah until 1810.
According to cultural records Trang was one of 12 satellite towns that existed about 900 years ago, but it was during the reign of King Rama II in 1811 that Trang got its first governor. The first Westerner to arrive in Trang was Captain James Low, who came in 1824 to negotiate commercial benefits.
The original town was in Khuanthani (now a tambon in district Kantang). In 1893, the governor, Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi, also known as Khaw Sim Bee na Ranong, decided to make Trang an important seaport and relocated the town to Kantang District on the Trang River delta. It was moved again to its present location 26 km inland in 1916 by King Rama VI because of repeated flooding.
Trang was the first area of Thailand where rubber trees were planted, brought there by governor Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi from British Malaya in 1899.
The seal of the province shows a lighthouse bridge above a sea of waves. The lighthouse bridge refers to Trang as a seaport trading with foreign countries.[10]
The provincial symbolic flower and tree is the green ebony (Jacaranda filicifolia). The plant was imported from Australia by the same governor who imported the rubber tree, and it quickly got the name "si trang" by the citizens.
Trang's streams and waterfalls are habitat to the lambchop rasbora (Trigonostigma espei), the minnow that are popularly kept as ornamental fish, Some of the population is the wild caught, and on the ground, this species of fish is the provincial aquatic life.
The provincial slogan เมืองพระยารัษฏา ชาวประชาใจกว้าง ถิ่นกำเนิดยางพารา เด่นสง่าดอกศรีตรัง ปะการังใต้ทะเล เสน่ห์หาดทรายงาม น้ำตกสวยตระการตา translates as "Phraya Rasda's town, generous people, delicious roast pork, the first city where para rubber was planted, the Si Trang provincial flower, underwater coral reefs, scenic beaches and waterfalls."
Trang is divided into 10 districts (amphoes). These are further divided into 87 subdistricts (tambons) and 697 villages (mubans).
| Map | Number | Name | Thai | Malay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mueang Trang | เมืองตรัง | Terang | |
| 2 | Kantang | กันตัง | Gantang | |
| 3 | ย่านตาขาว | Janda Putih | ||
| 4 | Palian | ปะเหลียน | Tanjong Setar | |
| 5 | Sikao | สิเกา | Siku | |
| 6 | Huai Yot | ห้วยยอด | - | |
| 7 | Wang Wiset | วังวิเศษ | - | |
| 8 | Na Yong | นาโยง | - | |
| 9 | Ratsada | รัษฎา | - | |
| 10 | Hat Samran | หาดสำราญ | - |
As of 26 November 2019 there are:[11] one Trang Provincial Administration Organisation (Thai: ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 22 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Trang has city (thesaban nakhon) status and Kantang has town (thesaban mueang) status. Further there are 20 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 77 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]
Air: Trang Airport is 7 km from Trang town centre.[12] It is served by Thailand AirAsia and Nok Air, with flights to Bangkok. Rail: Trang is one of the southern destinations offering trains to Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal. Starting from Thung Song Junction railway station in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, this southwestern route has three stations: Huai Yot railway station at Huai Yot District, Trang railway station and ends at Kantang railway station at Kantang railway station. Road: Major roads to and from Trang are:
Bus:There are buses to and from Trang to Bangkok and main provinces (Phuket, Hat Yai, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Satun).
Boats to islands: Trang has four piers for boats to the islands: Pak Meng Pier, Ban Chao Mai Pier, Klong Son Pier, and Kuan Thung Kuu Pier.
Trang Province is ethnically and culturally diverse. The province is home to Southern Siamese, Thai Muslims, Peranakans (aka the Baba-Yaya), Thai Chinese (Teochews), and Sea People. Each group has its own traditions, in terms of costumes, cuisines, religions, and more.
The majority of the population in Trang Province is Buddhist, followed by Muslims at 18.5 percent and Christianity at 1.5 percent. There are 129 temples, 65 monasteries, 87 mosques, 10 Christian churches, 19 shrines and monasteries in Trang.
Secondary schools:
Higher education:
| Health | Education | Employment | Income | |
| 54 | 17 | 67 | 61 | |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation | |
| 48 | 45 | 6 | 24 | |
| Province Trang, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6481 is "somewhat high", occupies place 29 in the ranking. | ||||
| Rank | Classification | |
| 1–13 | "High" | |
| 14–29 | "Somewhat high" | |
| 30–45 | "Average" | |
| 46–61 | "Somewhat low" | |
| 62–77 | "Low" |
Trang is another province rich with famous local food even receiving the nickname "The Land of Food" for example:
Trang regarded as a province where has a unique breakfast cuisine found nowhere else in Thailand. There are many coffee shops in the form of Kopi tiam (traditional coffee shop) that served in a variety of menus such as Pathongko (Youtiao), Khanom jeeb (Shumai), Har gow (white shrimp dumpling), Salapao (Siopao), Popia thot (deep fried spring roll) include Mu yang.