Loei province

**Loei** (Thai: เลย, ), is one of the least populated provinces (_changwat_) of Thailand. It is in upper northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Nongbua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok. In the north it borders Xaignabouli and Vientiane Province of Laos.

, the provincial governor is Chaiwat Chuenkosum. The province was given 225.6 million baht in the FY2019 Thailand budget.

## History

Tradition says that Loei was created by people from Chiang Saen, the capital of Lan Na. Khun Pha Muang created the village of Dan-kwa, and Bang Klang Hao created Dan Sai. Drought and disease later made to the people move to the site of present-day Loei. In 1907 King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) created the Loei Province. The Loei Cultural Centre (ศูนย์วัฒนธรรมจังหวัดเลย) shows Loei's history, religions, and traditions.

## Geography

The land has many mountains. The seat of provincial government, Loei, is in a fertile basin where mountains are all around it. The most famous mountains in the province are Phu Kradueng, Phu Luang, and Phu Ruea. The Loei River, which flows through the province, is a tributary of the Mekong, which creates part of the northern border of the province with neighboring Laos. Phu Thap Buek, the tallest mountain of the Phetchabun Range, is in the province.

The mountain Phu Kradueng is in Phu Kradueng National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติภูกระดึง).

The western part of the province reaches the southern end of the Luang Prabang Range mountain area of the Thai highlands.

## Economy

Agriculture is an important part of Loei's economy. Macadamia nuts, passion fruit, and Arabica coffee are grown in the highlands; bananas, sesame, and rubber are grown on the plains. Loei is a popular place for tourists who want to look at the environment. This is because of Loei's natural environment and amalgam of northern and northeastern cultures.

Wang Saphung District has a big open pit gold mine that employs many people. The area has been the place of a long-standing disagreement as well as fights between the people of Ban Na Nong Bong and its environs and Tungkum Limited, a subsidiary of Tongkah Harbour PCL. Tungkum's gold mining work has been accused of environmental destruction in the courts.

### Provincial government

The province is divided into 14 districts (_amphoe_). The districts are further divided into 89 subdistricts (_tambons_) and 839 villages (_mubans_).

### Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Loei Provincial Administration Organisation (_ongkan borihan suan changwat_) and 29 municipal (_thesaban_) areas in the province. Loei with Wang Saphung have town (_thesaban mueang_) status. Further 27 subdistrict municipalities (_thesaban tambon_). The non-municipal areas are governed by 71 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (_ongkan borihan suan tambon_).

## Transportation

Route 201 comes from Chiang Khan in the north on the border with Laos. It goes through Loei, to Non Sa-at near Chum Phae. Route 203 leads west to the area of Phu Ruea, and then turns south to Lom Sak.

Loei Airport is the local airport.

## Symbols

The seal of the province shows the stupa at Phra That Si Song Rak, which was built in 1560 by King Maha Chakrapat of the Ayutthaya Kingdom and King Chai Chetha of Lan Xang. It was built as a symbol of friendship between the two kingdoms. The provincial tree is the Khasi pine (_Pinus kesiya_).

The slogan of the province is "city of the sea of mountains, coldest place in Siam, with beautiful flowers of three seasons."

## Human achievement index 2017

|style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"|Health|style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"|Education|style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"|Employment|style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"|Income|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|75|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|46|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|15|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|49|
|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|Housing|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|Family|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|Transport|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|Participation|
|style="height:100px;"||||||||
|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|24|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|16|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|56|style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"|16|
|colspan="4"; style="background:black; color:white;"|Province Loei, with an HAI 2017 value of 0.5819 is "average", occupies place 42 in the ranking.|||||||
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has watched progress on human development for the provinces  using the Human achievement index (HAI). The HAI is a list including all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this job since 2017.
|Rank|Classification|
| --- | --- |
|1 - 15|"high"|
|16 - 30|"somewhat high"|
|31 - 45|"average"|
|45 - 60|"somewhat low"|
|61 - 77|"low"|

## Notes

Reports (data) from Thai government are "not copyrightable" (Public Domain), Copyright Act 2537 (1994), section 7.

## Other websites

- Provincial website
- Local website of Loei (Thai version) : Outloei.com

## Infobox (settlement)

- **name**: Loei
- **native name**: เลย
- **native name lang**: th
- **settlement type**: Provinces of Thailand, Province
- **image skyline**: Loeip.jpg
- **image seal**: Seal Loei.png
- **motto**: City of the sea of mountains, coldest place in Siam, with beautiful flowers of three seasons
- **image map**: Thailand Loei locator map.svg
- **mapsize**: frameless
- **map caption**: Map of Thailand highlighting Loei Province
- **subdivision type**: List of sovereign states, Country
- **subdivision name**: Thailand
- **seat type**: Capital
- **seat**: Loei town
- **leader title**: Governor
- **leader name**: Chaiwat Chuenkosum
- **area total km2**: 11,425
- **area rank**: Provinces of Thailand, Ranked 14th
- **population total**: 642,773
- **population as of**: 2018
- **population rank**: Provinces of Thailand,  Ranked 42nd
- **population density km2**: 56
- **population density rank**: Provinces of Thailand, Ranked 72nd
- **demographics type1**: Human Achievement Index
- **demographics1 title1**: HAI (2017)
- **demographics1 info1**: 0.5819 "average"
Loei Province#Human achievement index 2017, Ranked 42nd
- **timezone1**: Time in Thailand, ICT
- **utc offset1**: +7
- **postal code type**: List of postal codes in Thailand, Postal code
- **postal code**: 42xxx
- **area code type**: Telephone numbers in Thailand, Calling code
- **area code**: 042
- **iso code**: ISO 3166-2:TH, TH-42
- **registration plate**: เลย