1 Narathiwat Province Provincial Emblem Flag Province . Governor: Sittichai Sakda (since October Government 2015) Capital: Narathiwat Royal capital: - Population: 774,799 (2014) Area: 4,475.0 km2 Administrative divisions Narathiwat is divided into 13 districts (amphoe), which are further subdivided into 77 sub-districts (tambon) and 551 villages. 1. Narathiwat 2. Tak Bai 3. Bacho 4. Yi-ngo 5. Ra-ngae 6. Rueso 7. Si Sakhon 8. Waeng 2 9. Sukhirin 10. Su-ngai Kolok 11. Su-ngai Padi 12. Chanae 13. Cho-airong Local government entities within the province are the two towns (thesaban mueang) Narathiwat and Su-ngai Kolok, and 12 sub-district municipalities (thesaban tambon). Geography Narathiwat Province is on the Gulf of Thailand, on the Malay Peninsula. The Bang Nara is the main river and enters the Gulf of Thailand at the town of Narathiwat. Narathat Beach, the most popular in the province, is near the estuary. Budo–Su-ngai Padi National Park is in the Sankalakhiri mountain range. Established in 1974, the park covers an area of 294 km², extending into neighbouring Yala and Pattani Provinces. The main attraction is Pacho Waterfall. History Historically, Narathiwat was the part of the semi-independent Malay Sultanate of Patani, paying tribute to the Thai kingdoms of Sukhothai and Siamese Ayutthaya Kingdom. After Ayutthaya fell in 1767, the Sultanate of Patani gained full independence, but under King Rama I it again came under Thai control 18 years later and in the early–1800s was divided into seven smaller kingdoms. In 1909, Narathiwat was fully integrated into Siam as part of Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 negotiated with the British Empire. Along with Yala, Narathiwat was then part of Monthon Pattani. Demographics Narathiwat is one of four Thai provinces (along with Yala, Pattani, and Satun) with a predominantly Muslim population; 82 percent are Muslim and 17.9 percent are Buddhist. Also 80.4 percent speak the Patani Malay as their first language. Narathiwat Malays are very similar in ethnicity and culture to the Malays of Kelantan, Malaysia. The inhabitants of Narathiwat are largely farmers and fishermen. Narathiwat is an area with various religious places of historical significance. Symbols The provincial seal shows a sailing boat with a white elephant on the sail. A white elephant is a royal symbol, and was put on the seal to commemorate the white elephant Phra Sri Nararat Rajakarini which was caught here and presented to the king. The provincial symbol is the longkong fruit (Lansium parasiticum). The provincial tree is the Chengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii), and the provincial flower is the Odontadenia macrantha. .