Country Thailand Amphoe established 1909 Geocode 9010 Population 120,306 (2009) Province Songkhla Province | Seat Sadao Time zone THA (UTC+7) Area 1,029 km² Postal code 90120 | |
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Sadao (Thai: สะเดา) is a small town a.k.a. Danok (Thai: ด่านนอก; rtgs: Dannok) and district (Amphoe) on the border of Malaysia in the Songkhla Province, southern Thailand.
Contents
- Map of Sadao District Songkhla Thailand
- History
- Etymology
- Geography
- Transportation
- Administration
- References
Map of Sadao District, Songkhla, Thailand
History
Historically Sadao is part of Kedah in the district of Changlun, which means 'an elephant falls' in Thai. The district was formerly part of Changlun, and was then under the overlordship of Malay Sultanate of Kedah (known as Syburi in Thai). Sadao is called Sendawa in the Malay.
When the Britain and Siam (Thailand) signed the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909, deciding what belonged to whom, Changlun was divided into two parts. The main border town of Changlun became the district of Kubang Pasu, now in Kedah of Malaysia. The rest remained Thai. Tambon Sadao, together with the former minor district (King Amphoe) Prik, forms modern Sadao.
Etymology
The name Sadao is the Thai word for Neem Tree.
Geography
Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise) Khuan Don and Khuan Kalong of Satun Province, Khlong Hoi Khong, Hat Yai, Chana and Na Thawi of Songkhla Province. To the southwest is the state of Kedah and Perlis in Malaysia.
Transportation
The district marks the end of Phetkasem Road, the longest road in Thailand, which runs from Bangkok to the border at Danok (Thailand)/Bukit Kayu Hitam (Malaysia).
Two main border crossings with Malaysia are located in the district. The main crossing is located at Ban Dan Nok (บ้านด่านนอก), with Bukit Kayu Hitam on the Malaysian side. The other quieter crossing is at Padang Besar, with the Malaysian town of Padang Besar in Perlis on the Malaysian side. The main railway crossing between Malaysia and Thailand is also at Padang Besar.
Administration
The district is subdivided into 9 subdistricts (tambon), which are further subdivided into 67 villages (muban). The town (thesaban mueang) of Sadao covers the complete tambon Sadao. Padang Besar is another town which covers parts of the tambon Padang Besar. There are three subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon) - Prik and Phang La each covering parts of the same-named tambon, and Samnak Kham the full tambon Samnak Kham. There are further 7 Tambon administrative organizations (TAO) responsible for the non-municipal areas.