Chom Thong (, ; , ) is a district (''

amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', , )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the Provinces of Thailand, provinces, and are analogous to count ...

'') in the southern part of

Chiang Mai province Chiang Mai is the largest Provinces of Thailand, province (''changwat'') of Thailand by area. It lies in Northern Thailand#Regional classification of northern Thailand, upper northern Thailand and has a population of 1.78 million people. It ...

in northern

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

History

According to the legend of ''

Wat A wat (, ; , ; , ; ; , ) is a type of Buddhist and Hindu temple in Cambodia, Laos, East Shan State (Myanmar), Yunnan (China), the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Etymology The word ''wat'' is borrowed from the Sanskrit ''v ...

'' Phra That Si Chom Thong Worawihan, the temple is on a small hill which looks similar to a termite hill (''chom pluak'' in Thai). The hill is covered by ''thong kwao'' or Bastard teak (''

Butea monosperma ''Butea monosperma'' is a species of '' Butea'' native to tropical and sub-tropical parts of South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is also known as flame of the forest, Bengal kino, dhak, palash, and bastard teak. Revered as sacred by Hindus, it is ...

'') and ''Thong Lang'' or coral tree ('' Erythrina variegata'') forest. Thus the people called the hill Chom Thong. After Buddha entered

parinirvana In Buddhism, ''Parinirvana'' (Sanskrit: '; Pali: ') describes the state entered after death by someone who has attained '' nirvana'' during their lifetime. It implies a release from '' '', karma and rebirth as well as the dissolution of the '' ...

, King Asoka the Great visited the hill to place Buddha's relics there. The temple was built on the hill and named Wat Phra That Chom Thong in 1451. Later the temple was upgraded to be royal temple and at the same time renamed Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong Worawihan. The government created a district in the area in 1900 and named the new district Chom Thong following the legend. The district office was originally in Ban Tha Sala, Tambon Khuang Pao. In 1933 the office was moved to the southwest of Wat Phra That Chom Thong.

Geography

Neighbouring districts are (from the south clockwise): Hot, Mae Chaem, Mae Wang, Doi Lo of Chiang Mai Province; Wiang Nong Long, and Ban Hong of Lamphun province. The important watercourse is the

Ping River The Ping River (, , ; , ) along with the Nan River, is one of the two main tributaries of the Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Thuai in the Daen Lao Range, in Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai province. After passing Chiang Mai, it flows th ...

. Doi Inthanon National Park is in this district.

Administration

Central administration

Chom Thong is divided into six sub-districts (''

tambon ''Tambon'' (, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province ('' changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' of Bangkok, whi ...

s''), which are further subdivided into 103 administrative villages (''

muban Muban (; , ) is the lowest Administrative divisions of Thailand, administrative sub-division of Thailand. Usually translated as 'village' and sometimes as 'hamlet (place), hamlet', they are a subdivision of a tambon (subdistrict). , there were 74 ...

s''). Missing numbers are ''tambons'' which now form Doi Lo District.

Local administration

There are six sub-district municipalities (''

thesaban tambon Thesaban (, , , Pali, Pali: desapāla (protector of region) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesa ...

'') in the district: * Ban Luang (Thai: ) consisting of parts of sub-district Ban Luang. * Sop Tia (Thai: ) consisting of sub-district Sop Tia. * Ban Pae (Thai: ) consisting of sub-district Ban Pae. * Doi Kaeo (Thai: ) consisting of parts of sub-district Doi Kaeo. * Mae Soi (Thai: ) consisting of sub-district Mae Soi. * Chom Thong (Thai: ) consisting of parts of sub-districts Ban Luang, Khuang Pao, and Doi Kaeo. There is one sub-district administrative organization (SAO) in the district: * Khuang Pao (Thai: ) consisting of parts of sub-district Khuang Pao.

References

External links

Amphoe.com on Chom Thong
{{Authority control Chom Thong