Chaiya Chaiya Battle of Maxia Category="Amphoe of Surat Thani"
Chaiya
ไชยา
Statistics
Province:Surat Thani
Area:1,010.9 kmē
Inhabitants:46,981 (2004)
Pop. density:46.49 inh./kmē
Geocode:8406
Map
[image]

Chaiya (Thai: ไชยา) is a small town in southern Thailand in Surat Thani Province. The city itself has a population of 12,948 (5,442 in Talad Chaiya and 7,506 in Phumriang) (2004 census), while the whole district (Amphoe) Chaiya has a population of 46,981. Its geographical location is 9°25′ N 99°13′ E.

History

Chaiya is one of the oldest cities of Thailand. It was a regional capital in the Srivijaya kingdom of the 5th to 13th century - some historians even claim that it was the capital for the kingdom for some time, but this is largely disputed. The temple Wat Phra Borom That is centered around a reconstructed Pagoda in Srivijaya style. The nearby branch of the National Museum has several relicts of that time on display. Two more former pagodas nearby are now only brick mounds.

Inscription 23, as it was labeled by Prince Damrong in his Collected Inscriptions of Siam, is now attributed to Wat Hua Wiang in Chaiya. Dated to the year 697 of the Mahasakkarat era (i.e. 775 CE), the inscription on a Bai Sema shaped stone tells about the King of Srivijaya having erected a stupa at that site, possibly the one of Wat Phra Borom That.

Another important temple near Chaiya is the Wat Suan Mohkha Phalaram (also known by the short name Suan Mok, or Wat Than Nam Lai Monastery of Flowing Water), a forest temple. The temple was founded in 1932 by Phra Buddhadasa (1906-1993), a highly revered Buddhist teacher. In 1959 the temple was relocated to the present 150 Acre (0.6 kmē) site.

Chaiya is on the southern railway line, Chaiya Railway Station is the main railway station of the district; the Asian highway 2 also passes the city.

Administration

The district Chaiya is subdivided into 9 communes (Tambon).

[image]

Nr.NameThai nameInh.    
1.Talad Chaiya ตลาดไชยา5,8876.Pa Weป่าเว4,867
2.Phumriangพุมเรียง7,5067.Ta Kropตะกรบ3,666
3.Lametเลม็ด4,5568.Mo Thaiโมถ่าย4,024
4.Wiangเวียง3,2949.Pak Mak ปากหมาก 8,228
5.Thungทุ่ง4,953

External links


Amphoe of Surat Thani[image]
Amphoe: Mueang Surat Thani - Kanchanadit - Don Sak - Ko Samui - Ko Pha Ngan - Chaiya - Tha Chana - Khiri Ratthanikhom - Ban Ta Khun - Phanom - Tha Chang - Ban Na San - Ban Na Doem - Khian Sa - Wiang Sa - Phrasaeng - Phunphin - Chai Buri
King Amphoe:Wiphawadi