Phaya Mengrai district

Phaya Mengrai (Thai: พญาเม็งราย; IPA: [pʰá.jāː mēŋ.rāːj]) is a district (amphoe) of Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand.

Phaya Mengrai
พญาเม็งราย
District
Chedi, Phaya Mengrai
Chedi, Phaya Mengrai
District location in Chiang Rai province
District location in Chiang Rai province
Coordinates: 19°50′56″N 100°9′13″E
CountryThailand
ProvinceChiang Rai
SeatMengrai
Area
 • Total620.0 km2 (239.4 sq mi)
Population
 (2005)
 • Total41,972
 • Density67.7/km2 (175/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code57290
Geocode5712

Geography

Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise): Wiang Chai, Wiang Chiang Rung, Chiang Khong, Khun Tan and Thoeng of Chiang Rai Province.

History

The minor district (king amphoe) was created on 5 May 1981, when the three tambons Mae Pao, Mae Tam, and Mai Ya were split off from Thoeng district.[1] It was upgraded to a full district on 12 August 1987.[2]

Etymology

The district is named after King Mengrai, the founder of the Lanna kingdom of northern Thailand.

Economy

Tambon Phay Mengrai is the site of a 2,700 rai Cavindish banana plantation owned and operated by the Chinese firm, Hongta International, a major local employer. The Cavendish banana is controversial as its cultivation requires the intensive use of chemical pesticides to yield harvests for export.[3] The Mekong-Lanna nature conservation network has accused the Chinese plantation of heavy use of pesticides and excessive water takings from Mae Ing Creek. These charges are as yet unsubstantiated (2016).[4]

Administration

The district is divided into five sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 69 villages (mubans). Phaya Mengrai is a township (thesaban tambon) which covers parts of tambons Mengrai and Mae Pao. There are a further five tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

No. Name Thai name Villages Pop.
1.Mae Paoแม่เปา1911,302
2.Mae Tamแม่ต๋ำ115,026
3.Mai Yaไม้ยา1711,069
4.Mengraiเม็งราย149,899
5.Tat Khwanตาดควัน84,676

References
  1. ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง แบ่งท้องที่อำเภอเทิง จังหวัดเชียงราย ตั้งเป็นกิ่งอำเภอพญาเม็งราย (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 98 (68 ง): 1283. 5 May 1981. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 April 2012.
  2. พระราชกฤษฎีกาจัดตั้งอำเภอพญาเม็งราย อำเภอพบพระ อำเภอทับคล้อ อำเภอบ้านโคก และอำเภอโพธิ์ไทร พ.ศ. ๒๕๓๐ (PDF). Royal Gazette (in Thai). 104 (156 ก special): 26–28. 12 August 1987. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 April 2012.
  3. Kongrut, Anchalee (15 August 2016). "The fear of becoming a banana state". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  4. "Cultivating risky business" (Editorial). Bangkok Post. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.


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