# Suphan Buri province

Suphan Buri (Thai: สุพรรณบุรี, pronounced) located in the central region of Thailand, is one of the country's 76 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), the first-level administrative divisions. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Uthai Thani, Chai Nat, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Nakhon Pathom and Kanchanaburi. As of 2018 the province counted a population of around 848,700, representing about 1.28% of the country's population.
Suphan Buri Province has a moderately diverse ethnic population, the majority are of Tai, Mon, Lao, Chinese, and Khmer descent.$^{:4}$

## Toponymy

The word suphan originates from the Sanskrit word Suvarna (Devanagari: सुवर्ण), meaning 'gold', and the word buri from Sanskrit purī (Devanagari: पुरी), meaning 'town' or 'city'. Hence the name of the province literally means 'city of gold'.

## Geography

The terrain of the province is mostly low river plains, with small mountain ranges in the north and the west of the province. The southeastern part with the very low plain of the Tha Chin River or Suphan Buri River is paddy rice farming area. The total area of the province is 3.3 million rai ~ 5,358 km$^2$ (2,069 sq mi) The total forest area is 631 km$^2$ (244 sq mi) or 11.7 percent of provincial area. The province is bordered by neighboring provinces to the north by Uthai Thani and Chai Nat, to the east by Sing Buri, Ang Thong and Ayutthaya, to the south by Nakhon Phathom, and to the west by Kanchanaburi.
There is one national park, Phu Toei National Park, with an area of 317 km$^2$ (122 sq mi), which, along with eight other national parks, make up region 3 (Ban Pong) of Thailand's protected areas.$^{:86}$

## Climate

In summer, it is influenced by the Southeast monsoon from the South China Sea through from February to mid-May, causing the weather to be generally hot and humid. In rainy season, the Southwest monsoon from the Indian Ocean blows through from May to mid-October, causing the weather to be humid en generally rainy. In winter, it is influenced by the Northeast monsoon blowing through from October to mid-February, causing the weather to be cold. The highest temperature in May is 39.3 °C (102.7 °F) and the lowest temperature is 15.7 °C (60.3 °F) in December.

## History

Suphan Buri might be the site of the legendary Suvarnabhumi, which is mentioned in very old Buddhist writings. However the first confirmed historical settlement was in the Dvaravati period, when the city was known as Mueang Thawarawadi Si Suphannaphumi ('the Dvaravati city of Suvarnabhumi'). Its founding took place c. 877–882. In the era of Angkorian king Jayavarman VII, an inscription called Prasat Phra Khan (จารึกปราสาทพระขรรค์) was made which mentions the name of Suvarnapura. Later it was called U Thong, and was once believed to be the home city of Prince U Thong, the founder of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. King Khun Luang Pha Ngua gave it the current name. Suphan Buri was a border city, and the site of several battles with the neighbouring Burmese.
Suphan Buri people speak in a distinct Central Thai dialect, which is believed to be the form spoken during the Ayutthaya period.

## Economy

The province is Thailand's largest producer of water chestnuts (Thai: ลูกแห้ว, RTGS: luk haeo), grown mainly in Mueang Suphan Buri, Sam Chuk, and the Si Prachan Districts of the province. About half of the province's 3,000 rai of cultivated water chestnuts are found in Tambon Wang Yang of Si Prachan. The vegetable was registered as a geographical indication (GI) product of Suphan Buri in 2017. The Thai dessert thapthim krop (Thai: ทับทิมกรอบ), with water chestnuts as its main ingredient, was named one of the world's best 50 desserts in 2019 by CNN Travel.

## Symbols

The provincial seal shows the elephant battle between King Naresuan the Great and the crown prince of Burma in 1592, which took place in Suphan Buri.
The provincial tree is the ebony tree makleua (มะเกลือ, scientific name Diospyros mollis). The provincial flower is silk cotton tree, buttercup Cochlospermum religiosum. The provincial aquatic animal is Boeseman croaker (Boesemania microlepis), ปลาม้า.

## Administrative divisions
### Provincial government

The province is divided into 10 districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 110 subdistricts (tambons) and 977 villages (mubans).
| Mueang Suphan Buri Doem Bang Nang Buat Dan Chang Bang Pla Ma Si Prachan | Don Chedi Song Phi Nong Sam Chuk U Thong Nong Ya Sai |

### Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Suphan Buri Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 45 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Suphan Buri and Song Phi Nong have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 43 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 81 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

## Health

Suphan Buri's main hospital is Chao Phraya Yommarat Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.

## Transportation
### Rail

Suphan Buri is at the end of a 157 kilometres (98 mi) branch line of the State Railway of Thailand's Southern Line, officially terminating at Suphan Buri railway station. The branch meets the main line at Nong Pladuk Junction near Ban Pong.

### Roads

Route 340 passes through Suphan Buri, leading north to Chai Nat and south to Bang Bua Thong. Route 321 leads west and then south to Nakhon Pathom. Route 329 leads east to Bang Pahan. Route 3195 leads north-east to Ang Thong.

## Human achievement index 2022

| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
| 27 | 45 | 17 | 16 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
| 39 | 17 | 72 | 31 |
| Province Suphan Buri, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6599 is "high", occupies place 12 in the ranking. ||||
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.
| Rank | Classification |
| 1 - 13 | "high" |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" |
| 30 - 45 | "average" |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |
* Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings

## Notable people

* Khunluang Pha Ngua (1310–1388), the third king of Ayutthaya, founder of Suphannaphum dynasty
* Phetracha (1632–1703), the 28th king of Ayutthaya, founder of Ban Phlu Luang dynasty
* Suraphol Sombatcharoen (1930–1968), luk tung singer
* Banharn Silpa-archa (1932–2016), politician
* P. A. Payutto (born 1938), Buddhist monk
* Chumpol Silpa-archa (1940–2013), politician
* Waiphot Phetsuphan (1942–2022), luk tung singer
* Aswin Kwanmuang (born 1951), police, politician
* Yuenyong "Aed Carabao" Opakul, (born 1954), rock musician
* Pumpuang Duangjan (1961–1992), luk tung singer
* Artiwara "Toon Bodyslam" Kongmalai (born 1979), rock musician