- published: 21 Aug 2009
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Rayong province (Thai: ระยอง) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chon Buri and Chanthaburi. To the south is the Gulf of Thailand.
King Taksin (of Thailand) came to Rayong after the fall of Ayutthaya. During a short stay in Rayong he built a navy, and then went on to Chantaburi to collect his arms to fight back against the Burmese. There is a shrine in Rayong where local people pay respects to Taksin.
Although the north is hilly, the province consists mostly of low coastal plains. Several islands in the Gulf of Thailand belong to the province, including the popular tourist destinations, Ko Samet, Ko Mun and Ko Kodi.
The seal of the province shows the island Ko Samet. The provincial tree is Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum).
The province is subdivided in 8 districts (amphoe). These are further subdivided into 58 subdistricts (tambon) and 388 villages (muban).
The Shrine of King Taksin the Great (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสิน) Folklore says that King Taksin the Great tied his elephant to the tree while leading the troops to Chanthaburi for retrieving the Kingdom of Siam from Burmese occupation. The shrine houses a statue of the king.
Rayong (Thai: ระยอง, pronounced [ra.jɔːŋ]) is a city (thesaban nakhon) located on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand, in the east coast region of Thailand. It is the capital of Rayong Province, and covers the tambon Tha Pradu and Pak Nam and parts of tambon Choeng Noen and Noen Phra, all within Mueang Rayong district. As of 2005 the population was 54,641. Main industry is fishing, and it is the main producer of Thailand's fish sauce. It is also a center for the chemicals and auto industries. In 2012 Ford Motor Company opened an assembly plant in Rayong to expand Ford's presence in the ASEAN area, employing some 2,200 people.
The city is home to the Map Ta Phut industrial estate, Thailand's largest industrial complex. On May 6, 2012 an explosion at a petrochemical factory on the Map Ta Phut industrial estate forced people in ten nearby communities to evacuate.
Coordinates: 12°40′27″N 101°16′44″E / 12.67417°N 101.27889°E / 12.67417; 101.27889