View source for Tambon

{{Short description|Administrative division in Thailand}}
{{Distinguish|Tampon}}

'''''Tambon''''' ({{langx|th|[[:wikt:ตำบล|ตำบล]]}}, {{IPA|th|tām.bōn|pron}}) is a local governmental unit in [[Thailand]]. Below [[district]] (''[[districts of Thailand|amphoe]]'') and [[province]] (''[[provinces of Thailand|changwat]]''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. {{As of| 2016}} there were 7,255 tambon,<ref>{{cite web |title=Educational Statistics 2016 |url=http://www.en.moe.go.th/enMoe2017/index.php/educational-statistics/educational-statistics-2016 |website=Ministry of Education Thailand |access-date=5 August 2018 |page=13 |archive-date=29 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729111706/http://www.en.moe.go.th/enMoe2017/index.php/educational-statistics/educational-statistics-2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dopa.go.th/dopanew/doc/dopastat52.pdf |publisher=Department of Provincial Administration |title=Number of administrative entities 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520131045/http://www.dopa.go.th/dopanew/doc/dopastat52.pdf |archive-date=May 20, 2009 }}</ref> not including the 180 ''[[khwaeng]]'' of [[Bangkok]], which are set at the same administrative level, thus every [[districts of Thailand|district]] contains eight to ten tambon. ''Tambon'' is usually translated as "[[township]]" or "subdistrict" in English{{snd}} the latter is the recommended translation,<ref name=dopatranscription>{{Cite book|title=Thai-English Transcription of Changwat, Amphoe, King Amphoe and Tambon|year=2007|publisher=กองวิชาการและแผนงาน กรมการปกครอง |isbn=978-974-7857-04-7|url=http://203.113.86.149/web_pages/m03050000/documents/thai_eng.zip |access-date=2009-01-20}}{{Dead link|date=March 2015}}</ref> though also often used for ''[[Districts of Thailand#King amphoe|king amphoe]]'', the designation for a subdistrict acting as a branch (Thai: ''king'') of the parent district. Tambon are further subdivided into 74,944 villages (''[[muban]]'') as of 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dopa.go.th/dopanew/doc/dopastat52.pdf |publisher=Department of provincial administration (DOPA) |title=ข้อมูลทางการปกครอง ณ วันที่ 31 ธันวาคม 2552 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813081725/http://www.dopa.go.th/dopanew/doc/dopastat52.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2012 }}</ref> ''Tambon'' within cities or towns are not subdivided into villages, but may have less formal communities called ''chumchon'' ([[:wikt:ชุมชน|ชุมชน]]) that may be formed into [[community association]]s. The average area of a subdistrict in Thailand is about {{cvt|70.72|km2|sqmi}}, while its average population of a subdistrict in Thailand is about 9,637 people.

{{Administrative divisions of Thailand}}

[[Image:Bang Bai Mai TAO office.JPG|thumb|210px|right|Office of TAO Bang Bai Mai, Surat Thani]]

==History==
The ''tambon'' as a subdivision has a long history. It was the second-level subdivision of the area administered by a provincial town in the 19th century. The governor of the province was supposed to appoint a communal elder, ''[[kamnan]]'' or ''phan''.

In the administrative reforms started in 1892 under Prince [[Damrong Rajanubhab]], the first Thai Minister of [[Ministry of Interior (Thailand)|the Interior]], the three levels of subdivision of provinces were continued, i.e., starting from [[amphoe|district]] to ''tambon'' to the lowest level called ''muban''.

=== Muban ===
{{main|Muban}}
The subdistricts are subdivided into administrative villages (muban, {{lang|th|หมู่บ้าน}}) as the lowest administrative subdivision. Usually these are referred to much more often by the village number than the actual name, especially as an administrative village may contain more than one settlement, or a large settlement may be split into more than one administrative village. One of the elected village headmen is elected as the subdistrict headman ([[Kamnan]]).

===<span id="Subdistrict Administration Organization"></span> Subdistrict (Tambon) administrative organization (SAO/TAO)===
With the ''Tambon Council and Tambon Administrative Authority Act BE 2537'' (1994)<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Royal Gazette|volume=111|issue=53 ก|pages=11–35|script-title=th:พระราชบัญญัติสภาตำบลและองค์การบริหารส่วนตำบล พ.ศ. ๒๕๓๗| url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2537/A/053/11.PDF| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120614155823/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2537/A/053/11.PDF| url-status=dead| archive-date=June 14, 2012| date=1994-12-02|language=th}}</ref> and later by the [[1997 constitution of Thailand|constitution of 1997]], ''tambon'' were decentralized into local government units with an elected tambon council. Depending on its size and tax income a ''tambon'' may either be administered by a ''Subdistrict (Tambon) Administrative Organization'' (SAO or TAO, {{langx|th|องค์การบริหารส่วนตำบล}}) or a ''Tambon Council'' (TC, {{langx|th|สภาตำบล}}). However, since 2001 all of the Tambon Councils have been upgraded to Tambon Administrative Organizations. The TAO council consist of two representatives from each administrative village in the subdistrict, and one directly elected president. The subdistrict area which belongs to a municipality (''[[thesaban]]'') is administered by the municipal council. In the event only part of the subdistrict is within a municipality, the remaining part is administered by a TAO. Adjoining subdistricts of a single district can also have a joint TAO.

=== One Tambon One Product ===
{{main|One Tambon One Product}}
In 2001, Thai Prime Minister [[Thaksin Shinawatra]] started a project in which every ''tambon'' would select a typical, distinctive local product. The project then aids in promoting the product, as well as assisting in modernizing production. Shops selling OTOP products are located in each provincial capital.

==See also==
*[[List of tambon in Thailand]]
*[[Organization of the government of Thailand]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.thaitambon.com/English/AboutTTB.htm ThaiTambon.com{{spaced ndash}}One Tambon One Product] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201019100450/https://www.thaitambon.com/English/AboutTTB.htm |date=2020-10-19 }}
{{Articles on third-level administrative divisions of countries}}

[[Category:Tambon| ]]
[[Category:Subdivisions of Thailand]]
[[Category:Types of administrative division]]
[[Category:Administrative divisions in Asia|Thailand 3]]
[[Category:Third-level administrative divisions by country|Sub-districts, Thailand]]