The name literally means "city of the good people" and is the former
seat of the Sivichaya Empire. It is the largest and most important province
of the South, located some 644 kms. from Bangkok.
Geographic characteristics of Surat Thani are : High plateau and mountains
covered with valuable wood forest to west, and low basins in the central
and eastern seashore area.
There are a tremendous number of islands along the coast and two major
rivers : the Tapi River and Phum Duang River.
|
| General
Information |
| Area
sq km |
12,892
|
|
|
Anual
rainfall mm (2002) |
1,112
|
| Forest
Land (1999) |
2,980
|
23.1 %
|
Days
of rain (2002) |
140
|
| Farm
Land (1999) |
4,333
|
33.6 %
|
Mean
Temperature High/Low (2002) |
32.9
/
22.4
|
| Unclassified
Land (1999) |
5,579
|
43.3 %
|
BOI
Zone |
3
|
| Population
/ sq. km (2003) |
72
|
|
Gross
provincial product rank (2001) |
18
|
|
|
| Population |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
| Male |
49.8 %
|
49.8 %
|
49.9 %
|
49.9 %
|
50.0 %
|
50.1 %
|
50.2 %
|
50.2 %
|
| Female |
50.2 %
|
50.2 %
|
50.1 %
|
50.1 %
|
50.0 %
|
49.9 %
|
49.8 %
|
49.8 %
|
| Total |
935,512
|
920,283
|
907,612
|
893,534
|
886,979
|
876,407
|
861,233
|
843,111
|
|
|
| Household
income (baht) |
2002 |
2000 |
1998 |
1996 |
1994 |
| Average
monthly income |
14,056
|
10,800
|
11,967
|
12,771
|
8,502
|
| Average
monthly expenditures |
11,360
|
9,909
|
9,980
|
10,156
|
7,877
|
| Voluntary
reserves |
19.2 %
|
8.3 %
|
16.6 %
|
20.5 %
|
7.4 %
|
| Monthly
income / Person |
3,904
|
3,000
|
3,068
|
3,274
|
2,179
|
| Average
household size |
3.6
|
3.6
|
3.9
|
3.9
|
3.9
|
|
|
| Gross
provincial product |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
1994 |
| Agriculture |
28.6 %
|
29.4 %
|
29.4 %
|
37.7 %
|
34.9 %
|
36.9 %
|
40.0 %
|
38.4 %
|
| Manufacturing |
10.6 %
|
10.1 %
|
12.0 %
|
9.8 %
|
9.4 %
|
8.7 %
|
8.0 %
|
8.2 %
|
| Construction |
3.8 %
|
5.7 %
|
4.3 %
|
3.3 %
|
5.0 %
|
8.5 %
|
6.2 %
|
5.9 %
|
| Transport
& communication |
5.7 %
|
5.4 %
|
5.6 %
|
5.9 %
|
7.0 %
|
5.2 %
|
5.0 %
|
4.9 %
|
| Wholesale
& retail trade |
11.7 %
|
10.9 %
|
11.0 %
|
9.9 %
|
11.1 %
|
10.3 %
|
10.9 %
|
11.9 %
|
| Services |
23.5 %
|
22.5 %
|
21.0 %
|
16.2 %
|
15.0 %
|
13.9 %
|
13.6 %
|
13.9 %
|
| Others |
16.1 %
|
16.0 %
|
16.7 %
|
17.2 %
|
17.6 %
|
16.5 %
|
16.3 %
|
16.8 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total
(million baht) |
53,393
|
52,111
|
49,031
|
52,990
|
51,541
|
52,075
|
47,411
|
38,209
|
| GPP
per capita (baht) |
58,828
|
58,320
|
55,278
|
60,462
|
59,845
|
61,765
|
56,034
|
46,006
|
|
|
| Commercial
bank |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
| No.
of offices |
62
|
60
|
58
|
57
|
47
|
47
|
50
|
49
|
| Deposits
(million baht) |
32,963
|
30,705
|
29,977
|
25,940
|
25,713
|
25,713
|
25,174
|
24,576
|
| Loans
(million baht) |
22,846
|
19,804
|
17,530
|
25,571
|
27,216
|
27,216
|
31,571
|
31,623
|
| Deposits
/ capita (baht) |
36,890
|
34,617
|
34,204
|
30,119
|
30,497
|
30,389
|
30,311
|
30,130
|
| Loans/deposits
ratio |
69.3 %
|
64.5 %
|
58.5 %
|
98.6 %
|
105.8 %
|
105.8 %
|
125.4 %
|
128.7 %
|
|
|
| Public
health |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
1994 |
1993 |
| No.
of hospitals |
27
|
28
|
31
|
30
|
30
|
26
|
22
|
22
|
21
|
| No.
of hospital beds |
2,801
|
2,667
|
2,989
|
2,969
|
2,907
|
2,078
|
1,249
|
1,229
|
1,186
|
| Avg.
Beds / Hospital |
103
|
95
|
96
|
98
|
96
|
79
|
56
|
55
|
56
|
| Capita
/ Hospital bed |
324
|
335
|
296
|
295
|
296
|
405
|
677
|
675
|
687
|
| No.
of physicians |
254
|
250
|
204
|
193
|
171
|
149
|
127
|
132
|
146
|
| Capita
/ Physician |
3,573
|
3,574
|
4,347
|
4,540
|
5,036
|
5,658
|
6,662
|
6,291
|
5,586
|
|
No. of dentists |
75
|
51
|
31
|
37
|
26
|
25
|
24
|
24
|
15
|
|
Capita / Dentist |
12,101
|
17,520
|
28,612
|
23,686
|
33,124
|
33,724
|
35,254
|
34,604
|
54,377
|
| No.
of nurses |
1,708
|
1,503
|
1,094
|
950
|
875
|
814
|
753
|
710
|
681
|
|
|
| Education |
2002 |
2000 |
1998 |
1996 |
1994 |
1993 |
| No.
of teachers |
-
|
9,241
|
9,145
|
8,862
|
8,696
|
8,537
|
| No.
of students |
-
|
188,089
|
182,904
|
176,588
|
168,903
|
154,024
|
| No.
of schools |
-
|
651
|
673
|
691
|
683
|
681
|
| No.
of classrooms |
-
|
6,706
|
6,885
|
6,805
|
6,375
|
6,101
|
| Ratio
: students / teacher |
-
|
20.4
|
20.0
|
19.9
|
19.4
|
18.0
|
| Ratio
: students / classroom |
-
|
28.0
|
26.6
|
25.9
|
26.5
|
25.2
|
|
|
| |
|
