Tambon (Thai : ตำบล , pronounced [tām.bōn] ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district ( amphoe ) and province ( changwat ), they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of 2016 [update] there were 7,255 tambons, [1] [2] not including the 180 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains eight to ten tambon. Tambon is usually translated as "township" or "subdistrict" in English — the latter is the recommended translation, [3] though also often used for king amphoe , the designation for a subdistrict acting as a branch (Thai: king) of the parent district. Tambon are further subdivided into 69,307 villages ( muban ), about ten per tambon. Tambon within cities or towns are not subdivided into villages, but may have less formal communities called chumchon (ชุมชน) that may be formed into community associations.
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The tambon as a subdivision has a long history. It was the second-level subdivision of the area administered by a provincial town in the 19th century. The governor of the province was supposed to appoint a communal elder, kamnan or phan.
In the administrative reforms started in 1892 under Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, the first Thai Minister of the Interior, the three levels of subdivision of provinces were continued, i.e., starting from district to tambon to the lowest level called muban.
The subdistricts are subdivided into administrative villages (muban, หมู่บ้าน) as the lowest administrative subdivision. Usually these are referred to much more often by the village number than the actual name, especially as an administrative village may contain more than one settlement, or a large settlement may be split into more than one administrative village. One of the elected village headmen is elected as the subdistrict headman (Kamnan).
With the Tambon Council and Tambon Administrative Authority Act BE 2537 (1994) [4] and later by the constitution of 1997, tambon were decentralized into local government units with an elected tambon council. Depending on its size and tax income a tambon may either be administered by a Subdistrict (Tambon) Administrative Organization (SAO or TAO, Thai : องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบล) or a Tambon Council (TC, Thai : สภาตำบล). However, since 2001 all of the Tambon Councils have been upgraded to Tambon Administrative Organizations. The TAO council consist of two representatives from each administrative village in the subdistrict, and one directly elected president. The subdistrict area which belongs to a municipality ( thesaban ) is administered by the municipal council. In the event only part of the subdistrict is within a municipality, the remaining part is administrated by a TAO. Adjoining subdistricts of a single district can also have a joint TAO.
In 2001, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra started a project in which every tambon would select a typical, distinctive local product. The project then aids in promoting the product, as well as assisting in modernizing production. Shops selling OTOP products are located in each provincial capital.
Amnat Charoen is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat) and lies central northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. Neighbouring provinces are Ubon Ratchathani, Yasothon, and Mukdahan. To the east it borders Salavan of Laos. Its name is a concatenation of อำนาจ and เจริญ ("prosperous").
Yasothon province, one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat), lies in central northeastern Thailand also called Isan. The province was established by the revolutionary council of Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn, after its Announcement No. 70 which came into force on 3 March 1972.
Sing Buri is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan, Lopburi, Ang Thong, Suphan Buri, and Chai Nat.
Samut Sakhon is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand, established by the Act Establishing Changwat Samut Prakan, Changwat Nonthaburi, Changwat Samut Sakhon, and Changwat Nakhon Nayok, Buddhist Era 2489 (1946), which came into force on 9 May 1946.
Phutthamonthon is a district (amphoe) in the east of Nakhon Pathom province, central Thailand.
Thailand is a unitary state in Southeast Asia. The administrative services of the executive branch of the government are regulated by the National Government Organisation Act, BE 2534 (1991). Under this Act, the services are divided into three levels: central, provincial and local.
Muban is the lowest administrative sub-division of Thailand. Usually translated as 'village' and sometimes as 'hamlet', they are a subdivision of a tambon (subdistrict). As of 2008, there were 74,944 administrative mubans in Thailand. As of the 1990 census, the average village consisted of 144 households or 746 persons.
Nong Bua Rawe is a district (amphoe) of Chaiyaphum province, northeastern Thailand.
Krong Pinang is a district (amphoe) of Yala province, southern Thailand, established by the Royal Decree Establishing Amphoe Krong Pinang, Changwat Yala, BE 2547 (2004), which came into force on 8 October 2004.
Thung Yang Daeng is a district (amphoe) of Pattani province, southern Thailand.
Mueang Phetchaburi is the capital district of Phetchaburi province, western Thailand.
Tha Phae is a district (amphoe) of Satun province, southern Thailand.
Phu Pha Man is the northwesternmost district (amphoe) of Khon Kaen province, northeastern Thailand.
A kamnan is a Thai governing official at the tambon (subdistrict) level. It is usually translated as "subdistrict headman".
Pueai Noi is a district (amphoe) in the southwestern part of Khon Kaen province, northeastern Thailand.
Soem Ngam is a district (amphoe) in the western part of Lampang province, northern Thailand.
Si Wilai is a district (amphoe) in the eastern part of Bueng Kan province, northeastern Thailand.
Phlapphla Chai is a district (amphoe) of Buriram province, northeastern Thailand.
Galyani Vadhana is a district (amphoe) of Chiang Mai province in northern Thailand. It is named after Princess Galyani Vadhana. It was founded on 26 December 2009, by the Royal Decree Establishing Amphoe Galyani Vadhana, Changwat Chiang Mai, BE 2552 (2009), making it the 878th and latest district of Thailand.
Bueng Kan, also spelled Bung Kan, is the 76th province (changwat) of Thailand, established by the Act Establishing Changwat Bueng Kan, BE 2554 (2011) on 23 March 2011. The province, consisting of the districts (amphoe) partitioned off Nong Khai province, lies in upper northeastern Thailand also called Isan. It is named after its central district, Mueang Bueng Kan.