Rayong
Rayong is a province (changwat) in eastern Thailand, bordering the Gulf of Thailand and forming a core component of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a strategic development zone focused on advanced industries such as petrochemicals, automotive manufacturing, and electronics.[1][2] Spanning approximately 3,552 square kilometers, the province supports a population exceeding 1 million residents, with its economy driven by industrial estates like the Eastern Seaboard, which have elevated Rayong to one of Thailand's most affluent regions through export-oriented production and foreign investment.[3][4] Historically, Rayong gained prominence during the 1767 Burmese invasion following the fall of Ayutthaya, when Phraya Tak—later King Taksin—rallied forces there to reclaim Thai independence, marking it as a site of military resurgence.[5] The province also holds cultural significance as the birthplace of the father of Sunthorn Phu, Thailand's revered 19th-century poet often called the "Shakespeare of Siam," with a memorial park in Klaeng district commemorating this literary heritage.[6] Alongside industrialization, Rayong's coastal features sustain tourism via beaches, seafood processing—particularly fish sauce production—and fisheries, though rapid development has raised environmental concerns regarding pollution from petrochemical facilities.[7][8]Geography
Location and Borders
Rayong Province is situated in the eastern region of Thailand, along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand.[9] It lies approximately 179 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, serving as a key part of the Eastern Economic Corridor.[10] The province's central coordinates are roughly 12°40′N 101°16′E.[11] To the south, Rayong borders the Gulf of Thailand, providing over 100 kilometers of coastline.[12] Its land borders include Chonburi Province to the northwest and west, and Chanthaburi Province to the east; it does not directly adjoin Chachoengsao Province, despite regional associations in economic planning.[9][13] The province encompasses a total land area of 3,552 square kilometers, ranking it among Thailand's smaller provinces by size.[9] This compact territory features a mix of coastal plains and low hills, influencing its role in maritime trade and industry.[14]Physical Features
Rayong Province encompasses a terrain primarily composed of low-lying coastal plains in the south and east, resulting from sedimentary deposits in the Rayong River basin. Northern and western sectors feature undulating hills and mountain slopes that form wave-like elevations. The province's average elevation stands at 45 meters above sea level.[15][16] The highest elevation within the province is Khao Chamao at 1,036 meters, situated in the northern hilly region.[17] These elevated areas contrast with the flatter alluvial plains, which facilitate agriculture and urban development. Along the Gulf of Thailand, Rayong maintains a coastline of approximately 100 kilometers, including sandy beaches like Mae Ram Phueng, extending 12 kilometers in length.[18][5] Key waterways include the Rayong River, with a critical stretch of about 50 kilometers traversing districts such as Pluak Daeng, Mueang Rayong, and Ban Khai before discharging into the gulf.[15]Climate
Rayong exhibits a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), defined by high year-round temperatures, elevated humidity, and a pronounced alternation between a dry season and a wet season driven by the southwest monsoon.[19][20] Annual average temperatures hover around 27.1 °C, with daily maxima generally between 31 °C and 33 °C and minima from 21 °C to 27 °C, rarely dropping below 20 °C or exceeding 36 °C.[20][21] The dry season spans November to April, featuring minimal rainfall (typically under 50 mm per month in December and January) and partly cloudy conditions, though heat index values often exceed 40 °C due to persistent humidity above 70%.[21][22] The wet season, from May to October, accounts for over 80% of annual precipitation, totaling 1,700–1,800 mm, with September recording the highest monthly average of about 280 mm and up to 24 rainy days.[21][22] Heavy downpours and overcast skies predominate, influenced by tropical depressions from the Gulf of Thailand, though direct typhoon impacts are infrequent compared to Thailand's Andaman Sea coast.[21] Relative humidity averages 75–85% annually, rendering conditions muggy for over 250 days per year, with wind speeds peaking at 7–9 m/s during the wetter months.[21]| Month | Avg. High (°C) | Avg. Low (°C) | Avg. Rainfall (mm) | Rainy Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 32 | 22 | 8 | 2 |
| February | 32 | 24 | 13 | 3 |
| March | 32 | 26 | 28 | 5 |
| April | 33 | 27 | 56 | 8 |
| May | 33 | 27 | 155 | 18 |
| June | 32 | 27 | 213 | 21 |
| July | 32 | 27 | 218 | 22 |
| August | 32 | 26 | 228 | 24 |
| September | 31 | 26 | 282 | 24 |
| October | 31 | 24 | 190 | 19 |
| November | 32 | 23 | 51 | 6 |
| December | 31 | 22 | 5 | 1 |
History
Pre-Modern Period
Archaeological findings reveal human settlements in the Rayong region dating to the Bronze Age, approximately over 2,000 years ago, with artifacts uncovered at sites including Ban Chang that indicate early prehistoric activity.[23] From the 10th to 13th centuries, the area came under the Khmer Empire's control, functioning as a key trading center focused on salt and fish sauce production amid broader eastern Thai territories governed from Angkor.[23] [5] Physical remnants of this era include laterite walls in Ban Khai District and the 12th-century Prasat Hin Khao Phra Bat temple complex, reflecting Khmer architectural and religious influence.[23] [5] After the Khmer decline, Rayong integrated into the Ayutthaya Kingdom (1351–1767), developing as an important coastal port supporting trade and naval activities along the Gulf of Thailand.[23] Religious establishments from this period, such as Wat Pa Pradu and Wat Khot Timtharam—built in 1570—underscore the region's incorporation into Ayutthaya's Theravada Buddhist framework and administrative network.[5] [24] During the kingdom's final years, as Burmese forces sacked Ayutthaya in 1767, Phraya Tak (future King Taksin) withdrew to Rayong on January 3 with 500 troops, using the area to assemble a navy before relocating to Chantaburi and reclaiming the capital on November 6 with 5,000 soldiers, thereby initiating the Thonburi Kingdom.[5] This episode, memorialized at the King Taksin Shrine in Wat Lum Mahachai Chumphon, highlights Rayong's strategic maritime role in the transition from Ayutthaya rule.[5]Industrialization and Economic Shift
Prior to the 1980s, Rayong province's economy was predominantly agrarian and maritime, centered on rubber plantations, fruit orchards such as durian and mangosteen, and small-scale coastal fisheries that supported local seafood markets and contributed to the province's early reputation for marine products.[25] [26] The pivotal economic shift commenced with the Eastern Seaboard Development Programme (ESDP), formally adopted in October 1981 and integrated into Thailand's Fifth National Economic and Social Development Plan (1982–1986), which targeted Rayong, Chonburi, and Chachoengsao for infrastructure upgrades and heavy industry attraction using natural gas from Gulf of Thailand fields discovered in the 1970s.[27] [28] This initiative marked a deliberate policy pivot from import-substitution to export-oriented manufacturing, leveraging the province's coastal access for port development and resource-based industries.[29] Central to Rayong's industrialization was the 1989 establishment of the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate by the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, designed as a hub for petrochemical processing, oil refining, and related heavy-chemical operations to capitalize on domestic gas supplies.[30] [31] The estate's development, supported by Japanese foreign direct investment and infrastructure like deep-sea ports, rapidly expanded to over 140 enterprises by the early 2000s, drawing manufacturing from automotive and steel sectors and eclipsing traditional activities.[32] This transition propelled Rayong's GDP growth, with the province's industrial output integrating into the central region's dominance of national manufacturing—contributing around 85 percent by the mid-2000s—and shifting employment from agriculture and fisheries (which employed the majority pre-1980s) toward factory-based roles, though exact provincial figures reflect broader national trends of industrial employment rising from under 10 percent in 1980 to over 20 percent by 2000.[33] [34] The ESDP's implementation through the early 1990s solidified Rayong as a linchpin in Thailand's export-led boom, reducing agriculture's economic share while fostering urban migration and skill-based labor demands.[28]Post-2000 Developments
In the early 2000s, Rayong's industrial sector faced significant challenges from safety incidents, including a phosgene gas leak at a Map Ta Phut factory on March 6, 2000, which killed one worker and injured 814 others, and an explosion on October 25, 2001, that caused further casualties and highlighted operational risks in the province's expanding petrochemical facilities. Despite these events, industrialization accelerated, building on the Eastern Seaboard's infrastructure with increased foreign direct investment in manufacturing and energy sectors, driven by natural gas extraction in the Gulf of Thailand.[35] A pivotal development occurred in 2006 with the establishment of the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone, a joint venture between China's Holley Group and Thailand's Amata Group, marking one of the earliest Chinese overseas industrial parks and attracting Chinese enterprises through incentives and proximity to ports.[36] By 2022, the zone hosted over 180 Chinese-invested companies, contributing to job creation and export growth in electronics, automotive parts, and machinery, though reliant on state-supported initiatives from both nations.[37] This influx paralleled broader provincial expansion, including automotive assembly plants and refineries, positioning Rayong as a key node in Thailand's manufacturing export economy. The 2010s saw further momentum with the 2013 crude oil spill in the Sea of Rayong from an offshore pipeline rupture, which released approximately 1,200 barrels and prompted extensive cleanup involving dispersants and manual recovery efforts monitored by health authorities.[38] In 2017, Rayong was integrated into the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), a government-designated special development zone spanning three eastern provinces to foster high-tech industries like biotechnology, robotics, and digital innovation through targeted infrastructure projects, tax incentives, and regulatory streamlining.[39] EEC initiatives have since driven investments in logistics, power generation, and aviation hubs, such as expansions at U-Tapao International Airport, enhancing Rayong's role in national supply chains amid Thailand's shift toward advanced manufacturing.[40] By the early 2020s, these developments solidified Rayong's status as a high-growth industrial hub, with ongoing eco-industrial town pilots aimed at sustainable practices amid environmental pressures.[41]Administration and Demographics
Administrative Structure
Rayong Province is divided into eight districts (amphoe): Ban Chang, Ban Khai, Khao Chamao, Klaeng, Mueang Rayong, Nikhom Phatthana, Pluak Daeng, and Wang Chan.[42][43] These districts are further subdivided into 58 subdistricts (tambon), which in turn consist of 388 villages (muban).[43] The provincial administration is headed by a governor appointed by Thailand's Ministry of the Interior, overseeing central government functions at the provincial level.[44] Local governance includes the Rayong Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), an elected body responsible for provincial development, infrastructure, and services outside municipal areas.[45] Within the province, there are multiple municipalities (thesaban), including Rayong Municipality in Mueang Rayong District, classified as a city (thesaban nakhon) with expanded urban responsibilities.[44] Non-municipal rural areas are managed by Subdistrict Administrative Organizations (SAO) at the tambon level.[44]Population and Ethnic Composition
As of 2017, the registered population of Rayong province was 711,240, according to data compiled from Thailand's National Statistical Office.[46] Subsequent estimates indicate continued growth driven by industrial employment opportunities, with the urban metro area reaching 560,000 in 2023 and projected to hit 567,000 in 2024, reflecting an annual increase of approximately 1.25%.[47] The province's overall population density stands at roughly 213 persons per square kilometer, concentrated in coastal and industrial zones.[46] The ethnic composition of Rayong is overwhelmingly Thai, aligning with national patterns where Thai nationals and ethnic Thais constitute over 95% of provincial residents, primarily speakers of Central or Eastern Thai dialects. A notable minority includes Sino-Thai communities, particularly of Teochew Chinese descent, who settled in eastern Thailand during the 19th and early 20th centuries for trade and have integrated into local commerce and industry. Industrial expansion has drawn significant migrant labor from neighboring countries, bolstering the workforce in manufacturing and fisheries; at the national level, registered migrants totaled 2.35 million by late 2023, with substantial concentrations in eastern provinces like Rayong from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.[48] These migrants, often undocumented or on temporary permits, form a transient ethnic layer estimated in the tens of thousands locally, though precise provincial breakdowns remain limited in official tallies focused on registered residents.[49] Expatriate communities, including Western retirees and professionals, are small and clustered in areas like Ban Chang.[50]Economy
Industrial Development and Key Sectors
Rayong's industrial development began in earnest during the late 1970s and 1980s as part of Thailand's Eastern Seaboard initiative, which aimed to leverage natural gas discoveries and reduce oil import dependency following the 1973 and 1979 global oil crises.[51] The province's strategic coastal location facilitated the creation of export-oriented industrial estates, transforming it from an agrarian area into a hub for heavy industry. By the 1990s, infrastructure investments in ports and pipelines solidified Rayong's role in national industrialization, with the Eastern Seaboard program emphasizing petrochemical processing and downstream manufacturing.[52] This shift was driven by government policies promoting foreign direct investment in capital-intensive sectors, leading to rapid factory proliferation. The petrochemical sector dominates Rayong's industry, centered on the Map Ta Phut Industrial Estate, established in the 1980s and spanning approximately 166 square kilometers with over 60 heavy industries and 80 supporting facilities in adjacent zones.[53] This complex hosts Thailand's largest concentration of refineries, ethylene crackers, and derivative plants, producing olefins, polymers, and aromatics for domestic and export markets; it accounts for a significant portion of the country's petrochemical output, supported by integrated gas pipelines from the Gulf of Thailand.[54] Major operators include state-linked firms utilizing natural gas feedstock, with the estate's port handling bulk cargo volumes exceeding 500,000 metric tons monthly in peak periods.[55] Development here has been bolstered by the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) framework since 2017, which prioritizes advanced petrochemicals under Thailand 4.0, though capacity expansions faced halts in 2009-2011 due to environmental court rulings on pollution risks.[1] The automotive sector emerged as a secondary pillar in the 1990s, with Rayong attracting assembly and parts manufacturing through incentives in the EEC's eastern provinces.[56] Industrial estates drew Japanese and multinational automakers for pickup trucks, SUVs, and components, leveraging proximity to ports for exports; by the 2000s, the corridor hosted clusters producing vehicles and over 1,000 parts suppliers nationwide, with Rayong contributing via specialized zones.[57] Government policies, including tax breaks, have sustained growth, positioning the province as part of Thailand's "Detroit of Asia" despite global shifts toward electric vehicles.[58] Other key sectors include electronics and logistics, integrated into EEC smart city plans targeting high-tech assembly, though these remain subordinate to petrochemicals and autos in employment and output.[59] Overall, industry contributes over 70% of Rayong's GDP, with foreign investment exceeding billions in baht annually, driven by cluster effects but tempered by regulatory scrutiny on emissions.[60]Agriculture, Fisheries, and Tourism
Agriculture in Rayong province encompasses 2,413 km² of land, or 67.92% of the province's area as of 2018, with perennial crops dominating at 1,718 km² (71.19% of agricultural land). Para rubber leads as the primary crop, covering 1,599.98 km² (66.30%), followed by cassava at 129.73 km² (5.37%), durian at 97.25 km² (4.03%), and oil palm at 70.20 km² (2.91%). Pineapple production reaches approximately 250,000 tons per year, comprising 20% of Thailand's national output. Fruit cultivation, including durian and associated agro-tourism, represents a significant portion of farmed areas, with one sub-district survey indicating fruits on 7,011 rai (44.23% of local agricultural land). The sector's economic share has contracted to 2.2% of provincial GDP by 2016, driven by land conversion to industry, labor shortages, and water scarcity impacting 76% of farmers, though initiatives invest 142.3 million baht (2018–2022) in organic farming and value-added processing.| Crop | Area (km²) | Percentage of Agricultural Area |
|---|---|---|
| Para rubber | 1,599.98 | 66.30% |
| Cassava | 129.73 | 5.37% |
| Durian | 97.25 | 4.03% |
| Oil palm | 70.20 | 2.91% |