The West of Thailand

The West Region of Thailand
The West region of Thailand has a total area of 53,679.02 sq. km. and is comprised of 5 provinces which are as follows:

Provinces of West Thailand	No.	Province	Area (sq. km.)	Pop. as of 1997
	1	Kanchanaburi	19,483.15	766,352
	2	Phetchaburi	6,225.14	453,391
	3	Prachuab Khiri Kan	6,367.62	468,880
	4	Ratchaburi	5,196.46	813,293
	5	Tak	16.406.65	471,596

Geography and Climate
Mountains and rivers: The West has 2 significant mountain ranges and 4 significant rivers:

Mountains and Rivers of West Thailand	Mountain Ranges		Rivers
	No. (Red)	Mountain Range	No. (Purple)	River
	1	Tanaosri (Tenasserim)	1	Mae Klong
	2	Thanon Thongchai	2	Kwae Noi
			3	Kwae Yai
			4	Phetchaburi

Plains: Virtually all of the West's plains are between the mountains and either the Central region or the Gulf of Thailand. The plains in Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi Provinces are the result of sediment depostied by the Mae Kong and Tha Chin rivers, whereas the coastal plains that stretch from the north of Phetchaburi Province to the end of Prachuab Khiri Kan are the result of a raised coastline.
Influences on Climate: The mountains of the West block most of the winds that pass through the region (the southwest monsoon winds, the notherwest monsoon winds and storms from the Bengal Gulf) and thus the region is the least rainy part of Thailand.
Temperature: The West's annual average is 27 C, with the average highest temperature being 32 C, and the average lowest temperature being 23 C. Kanchanaburi Province has the highest average high (33.8 C) and the lowest average low (6 C).
Rainfall: Due to the blockage of the mountains, the average annual rainfall is the least in the country, less than 1000 mm. Tak Province has the country's lowest average annual rainfall (951.1 mm).
Seasons: The West has 3 seasons, the rainy season, from May to October, when the southwest monsoon winds enter the Gulf of Thailand with reduced influence due to the blockage of the mountains , winter, from November to January, colder than the winter of the North or Northeast, and summer, from February to May, which is hotter than the North or Northeast because the West is situated downwind of the mountains.

Places of Interest
The East has many places of interest, for example:
1. Hua Hin beach, Prachuab Khiri Kan Province and Cha Am beach, Phetchaburi Province
    Hua Hin beach is another important beach resort. Like Pattaya (see East), Thais and foreigners alike come here for their vacations. The neighbouring Cha Am beach is also popualr among tourists.
2. Samroi Yot national park, Prachuab Khiri Kan Province
    The first aquatic national park in Thailand, the 98 sq. km. park has various species of birds, complex limestone mountains and low-lying plains along the coast.
3. Klai Kangwon Palace, Prachuab Khiri Kan Province
    Built under order of King Pokklao in 1926 for Queen Rampai Panni, the palace is set amongst a garden of various speices of flowers with the coast on one side.
4. Bridge Over The River Kwae, Kanchanaburi Province and Death Railway, Ratchaburi and Kanchanburi Provinces
    The bridge was built during World War II by Japanese POWs for their railway from Ban Pong in Ratchaburi Province to Tanbyusayak in Burma. Most of the railway has since been removed, leaving the stretch from Ban Pong to Namtok Station.
5. Jedi Samong Pass, Kanchanaburi Province
    It has marked the border between the Burma, now Myanmar, and Thailand for many centuries, and was also used to mark the route of armies in the past.
6. Phumiphon Dam, Tak Province
    Southeast Asia's biggest dam was built from 1953 to 1964 and provides water for farmers, protection against floods and electric power.