- published: 21 Aug 2015
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Trat (Thai: ตราด) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. It is located in the east of Thailand, and has borders with Chanthaburi Province to the northwest, Cambodia to the east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.
Trat is most famous for gemstone mining and trading.
The history of Trat can be traced back to the reign of King Prasat Thong of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Formerly known as Mueang Thung Yai, Trat has played an important role in the development of country’s stability and economy due to its strategic location. The town of Trat has later become a community of Chinese Merchants.
Trat served as a checkpoint and buffer city in 1767 and was responsible for providing provisions to King Taksin the Great before he moved his navy from Chanthaburi to Ayutthaya, where he expelled the Burmese and liberated the Kingdom from Burmese rule.
In Rattanakosin era, during the Paknam crisis in 1893 the French colonist army occupied the western part of Chantaburi. In 1904 in order to get back Chantaburi Siam had to give Trat to French Indochina. Trat became part of Thailand again on March 23, 1906 in exchange for many areas east of the Mekong river like Battambang, Siam Nakhon and Sisophon.
Trat is a town in Thailand, capital of Trat Province and the Mueang Trat district. The town is located in the east of Thailand, at the mouth of the Trat River, near the border with Cambodia.
Trat is at the south-eastern end of Sukhumvit Road, which connects it with Chanthaburi, Rayong, Chonburi and Bangkok.
Trat Airport serves tourists who travel directly from Suvarnabhumi Airport to Ko Chang without passing through the town.
Trat town is the main centre for road travellers to the eastern islands of Thailand including Ko Chang, Ko Mak and Ko Kood. There is regular bus service, taking 4–5 hours, to Bangkok Ekkamai for downtown Bangkok and Bangkok Moh Chit for other destinations in Thailand. Many tourists stop over in Trat before going to the islands from Laem Ngop or Leam Sok (15–20 km from Trat. There are ferry and speedboat services to the eastern islands, Ko Chang and Ko Kood.
Trat is also a transit point for people travelling to Cambodia, as it is a 90 kilometer minibus ride to the border at Hat Lek. After crossing the border there is a short journey to Koh Kong and service to Sihanoukville by road or by sea.