Ratchaburi is a very old city going back to the ancient era.
It was a town of the Suwannaphum Kingdom which was very prosperous. Ratchaburi
is located 101 kilometers from Bangkok along Petchakasem Highway or 80
kilometers along the Highway No.35 (the Thon Buri-Pak Tho Highway).
Tham Chomphon Arboretum This cave arboretum is located in the vicinity
of Amphoe Chom Bung 30 kilometers west of the provincial township area.
The cave was originally called Tham Mutchalin; it is located in a mountain
which is 191 meters high situated in the township area. In the year 1895
King Chulachomklao and Queen Si Pathcharin made a royal visit and they
liked the beauty of this cave very much thus giving a new name to it,
'Tham Chomphon'. There are beautiful stalactites and stalagmites in the
cave which also houses a medium sized Reclining Buddha. In front of the
Chomphon Cave lies an arboretum having various species of plants and trees.
Khao Wang This small hill 44 meters high is located two kilometers west
of the township area and is accessible by a vehicle road. King Rama V
commanded a palace built on this hill but he made only one visit in the
year 1877. Later in the seventh reign, King Rama VII commanded to give
the palace as Thorani Song land (land belonging to a monastery). Those
who had merit making intentions contributed to the repair and modification
of buildings for the Main Shrine Hall and monk's living quarters. Later
on it was promoted to be a monastery called 'Wat Khao wang'.
Tham Khao Bin This cave is located 22 kilometers from the township.
On the left one can see Khao Bin Jungle Park Office. From there one can
reach the cave by an asphalt paved road of 1.7 kilometers distance. This
cave is in the Khao Bin Range having an approximate height of 200 meters.
There are stalactites and stalagmites looking like eagles spreading their
wings; this configuration gave the name of Tham Khao Bin.
|
| General
Information |
| Area
sq km |
5,196
|
|
|
Anual
rainfall mm (2002) |
-
|
| Forest
Land (1999) |
1,304
|
25.1 %
|
Days
of rain (2002) |
-
|
| Farm
Land (1999) |
1,778
|
34.2 %
|
Mean
Temperature High/Low (2002) |
-
/
-
|
| Unclassified
Land (1999) |
2,114
|
40.7 %
|
BOI
Zone |
2
|
| Population
/ sq. km (2003) |
160
|
|
Gross
provincial product rank (2001) |
15
|
|
|
| Population |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
| Male |
49.2 %
|
49.2 %
|
49.2 %
|
49.2 %
|
49.2 %
|
49.3 %
|
49.3 %
|
49.3 %
|
| Female |
50.8 %
|
50.8 %
|
50.8 %
|
50.8 %
|
50.8 %
|
50.7 %
|
50.7 %
|
50.7 %
|
| Total |
833,734
|
830,275
|
825,272
|
821,603
|
817,793
|
819,360
|
813,293
|
807,164
|
|
|
| Household
income (baht) |
2002 |
2000 |
1998 |
1996 |
1994 |
| Average
monthly income |
14,692
|
15,174
|
12,868
|
12,621
|
8,053
|
| Average
monthly expenditures |
13,205
|
11,682
|
11,641
|
11,219
|
9,185
|
| Voluntary
reserves |
10.1 %
|
23.0 %
|
9.5 %
|
11.1 %
|
-
|
| Monthly
income / Person |
3,866
|
4,215
|
3,477
|
3,411
|
2,176
|
| Average
household size |
3.8
|
3.6
|
3.7
|
3.7
|
3.7
|
|
|
| Gross
provincial product |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
1994 |
| Agriculture |
14.4 %
|
14.9 %
|
16.8 %
|
17.0 %
|
15.4 %
|
16.0 %
|
13.7 %
|
13.7 %
|
| Manufacturing |
30.0 %
|
34.4 %
|
36.0 %
|
34.8 %
|
33.8 %
|
33.8 %
|
36.5 %
|
34.2 %
|
| Construction |
3.9 %
|
2.6 %
|
3.4 %
|
3.2 %
|
4.5 %
|
6.2 %
|
4.9 %
|
4.8 %
|
| Transport
& communication |
3.9 %
|
4.0 %
|
3.0 %
|
2.9 %
|
3.2 %
|
2.7 %
|
3.5 %
|
3.6 %
|
| Wholesale
& retail trade |
10.4 %
|
13.1 %
|
13.9 %
|
14.0 %
|
15.5 %
|
14.3 %
|
14.5 %
|
15.3 %
|
| Services |
8.8 %
|
10.4 %
|
11.2 %
|
11.1 %
|
10.7 %
|
10.2 %
|
10.5 %
|
10.7 %
|
| Others |
28.6 %
|
20.6 %
|
15.7 %
|
17.0 %
|
16.9 %
|
16.8 %
|
16.4 %
|
17.7 %
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Total
(million baht) |
68,896
|
56,131
|
50,037
|
47,622
|
47,093
|
47,069
|
44,491
|
37,060
|
| GPP
per capita (baht) |
83,482
|
68,318
|
61,185
|
58,120
|
57,904
|
58,314
|
55,683
|
46,455
|
|
|
| Commercial
bank |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
| No.
of offices |
51
|
52
|
54
|
57
|
48
|
48
|
51
|
45
|
| Deposits
(million baht) |
40,836
|
40,819
|
41,875
|
38,477
|
38,465
|
38,465
|
36,791
|
35,696
|
| Loans
(million baht) |
20,205
|
17,870
|
15,750
|
18,902
|
20,140
|
20,140
|
23,513
|
23,939
|
| Deposits
/ capita (baht) |
49,702
|
49,913
|
51,106
|
47,310
|
47,654
|
48,141
|
46,118
|
45,118
|
| Loans/deposits
ratio |
49.5 %
|
43.8 %
|
37.6 %
|
49.1 %
|
52.4 %
|
52.4 %
|
63.9 %
|
67.1 %
|
|
|
| Public
health |
2001 |
2000 |
1999 |
1998 |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 |
1994 |
1993 |
| No.
of hospitals |
18
|
22
|
27
|
27
|
30
|
28
|
26
|
26
|
22
|
| No.
of hospital beds |
2,554
|
2,894
|
2,721
|
2,662
|
2,710
|
12,492
|
22,275
|
2,225
|
2,094
|
| Avg.
Beds / Hospital |
141
|
131
|
100
|
98
|
90
|
446
|
856
|
85
|
95
|
| Capita
/ Hospital bed |
323
|
283
|
300
|
307
|
300
|
64
|
35
|
358
|
377
|
| No.
of physicians |
270
|
262
|
262
|
275
|
198
|
209
|
221
|
217
|
206
|
| Capita
/ Physician |
3,056
|
3,135
|
3,121
|
2,979
|
4,107
|
3,862
|
3,615
|
3,676
|
3,840
|
|
No. of dentists |
48
|
51
|
44
|
55
|
39
|
40
|
41
|
39
|
41
|
|
Capita / Dentist |
17,193
|
16,109
|
18,586
|
14,897
|
20,853
|
20,179
|
19,487
|
20,455
|
19,296
|
| No.
of nurses |
1,305
|
1,284
|
1,293
|
1,239
|
961
|
1,028
|
1,096
|
1,019
|
900
|
|
|
| Education |
2002 |
2000 |
1998 |
1996 |
1994 |
1993 |
| No.
of teachers |
-
|
7,956
|
8,175
|
7,878
|
7,873
|
7,800
|
| No.
of students |
-
|
155,261
|
152,882
|
150,497
|
148,425
|
141,794
|
| No.
of schools |
-
|
436
|
442
|
445
|
441
|
445
|
| No.
of classrooms |
-
|
5,427
|
5,464
|
5,415
|
5,405
|
5,308
|
| Ratio
: students / teacher |
-
|
19.5
|
18.7
|
19.1
|
18.9
|
18.2
|
| Ratio
: students / classroom |
-
|
28.6
|
28.0
|
27.8
|
27.5
|
26.7
|
|
|
| |
|
