Thai Mueang District

Thai Mueang District
Name	Thai Mueang District
Native name	อำเภอท้ายเหมือง
Native name lang	th
Settlement type	District
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	Thailand
Subdivision type1	Province
Subdivision name1	Phang Nga
Seat	Thai Mueang
Population total	29,809
Population as of	2005
Postal code	82120
Geocode	8208
Timezone	ICT
Utc offset	+7

Thai Mueang District is a district in Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand. It lies on the Andaman Sea coast and forms part of the southern peninsula around Phuket Province and Krabi Province. The district contains coastal wetlands, beaches, and protected areas that link regional conservation, tourism, and fisheries networks across Satun Province, Surat Thani Province, and Ranong Province.

Geography

Thai Mueang sits on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula bordering the Andaman Sea and adjacent to coastal districts such as Takua Pa District and Mueang Phang Nga District. The district includes lowland plains, mangrove forests, estuaries of rivers that drain from the Tanao Si Mountains and coastal lagoons near Pak Phraek Bay. Important protected areas contiguous with the district include Ao Phang Nga National Park, Mu Ko Phetra National Park, and the Khao Lak-Lam Ru National Park ecological zone. Nearby maritime features are the Phang Nga Bay, Similan Islands, and the Surin Islands, which influence local marine biodiversity through currents from the Andaman Sea. The district’s coastline and interior link to regional transport corridors connecting Phuket International Airport, Phang Nga Bay Marine National Park, and the Andaman Coast road network.

History

The coastal settlements now in the district have historical ties to Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom trade routes, Ayutthaya Kingdom period maritime links, and Siam era administrative reorganizations. In the 19th century, the area participated in tin mining and rubber expansion associated with entrepreneurs from Phuket, Penang, and Singapore. During the 20th century, national reforms under King Chulalongkorn and administrative acts by the Ministry of Interior (Thailand) shaped modern district boundaries, while wartime maritime activity involved nearby ports used during World War II in the Indian Ocean. Environmental history includes mangrove exploitation, conservation campaigns inspired by NGOs and researchers from institutions like Chulalongkorn University, Prince of Songkla University, and international bodies such as the IUCN. Recent decades saw integration into the Thai tourism system following infrastructure projects connected to the Asian Highway Network and regional development plans from agencies including the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Administration

The district is divided into several subdistricts (tambon) and villages (muban) under the supervision of the Phang Nga Provincial Administration Organization and the Department of Provincial Administration (Thailand). Local governance units include subdistrict administrative organizations and tambon municipalities interacting with national ministries such as the Ministry of Interior (Thailand) and the Royal Thai Police for public services. Electoral links tie the district to parliamentary constituencies represented in the National Assembly of Thailand and local officials coordinate with provincial bodies for disaster relief from agencies like the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (Thailand).

Economy

Local economic activity centers on fisheries linked to the Andaman Sea stock, aquaculture operations supplying markets in Phuket, Bangkok, and Songkhla, and agriculture including rubber plantations connected to exporters operating through the Port of Phuket and regional trading hubs like Phuket Town and Phang Nga Town. Small-scale tin mining history has given way to service-sector growth around hospitality chains registered with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and local cooperatives that work with institutions such as the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives. Enterprises include guesthouses serving routes to the Similan Islands and tour operators coordinating with conservation NGOs and research centers such as Prince of Songkla University (Phuket Campus).

Demographics

The population includes communities of ethnic Thai, Thai-Chinese families whose ancestors migrated via Phuket and Penang, as well as sea nomad groups historically linked to the broader Moken communities in the Andaman. Religious sites include Buddhist temples affiliated with the Sangha Supreme Council of Thailand and mosques serving Muslim minorities connected culturally to networks in Satun Province and Narathiwat Province. Social services are provided through provincial hospitals coordinated with the Ministry of Public Health (Thailand) and education through schools administered under the Office of the Basic Education Commission and local vocational colleges.

Transportation

Road connections link the district to the Phetkasem Road (Highway 4), regional arteries toward Phuket International Airport and ferry connections to islands such as the Similan Islands. Local ports and piers handle passenger and small freight operations to Phi Phi Islands routes and support fisheries supplying markets in Phuket Town and Krabi Town. Public transport includes intercity buses serving the Phang Nga Bus Terminal network and private tour operators coordinating boat transfers through marinas registered with the Marine Department (Thailand).

Tourism and Attractions

Key attractions include white-sand beaches, protected mangrove reserves, estuarine habitats near Pak Phraek Bay, and access points for island tours to the Similan Islands and Surin Islands marine parks. Nearby natural sites and conservation areas include Ao Phang Nga National Park and coastal stretches used for turtle nesting studied by marine research centers such as Prince of Songkla University (Phuket Campus) and conservation NGOs like Wildlife Conservation Society branches. Cultural tourism connects visitors to temples, local markets with products from Phuket and Krabi, and gastronomic links to southern Thai cuisine showcased in festivals promoted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The district is a gateway for ecotourism, diving, birdwatching linked to migratory routes documented by regional research institutions and international partners including the Ramsar Convention network.

Category:Districts of Phang Nga Province