The Documented History Of Phang Nga Bay, Thailand
- The Persaud Foundation
- Apr 30
- 5 min read
In today’s article, we are going to be delving into the documented history of Phang Nga Bay. Phang Nga Bay is a bay on the southern coast of Thailand, between the mainland & Phuket Island. It is well known for its small islands dotted around the bay, limestone formations, underwater caves, & mangrove forests.
Many divers flock to the area each year to photograph marine animals, swim in the bay, & take in the surreal beauty around them. There are many areas for swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, & picnicking on the islands in the bay & on the mainland coastline bordering the bay. It is common for tourists to travel between Phuket, & the Phang Nga, as the drive is approximately 1 hour & 54 minutes under optimal circumstances.
Many tourists travelling along the coast of Thailand will stop in the area for a day trip to enjoy its beauty. The entire bay is protected as a marine protected area within Ao Phang Nga National Park. In addition to its beautiful landscape, the island is extremely biodiverse.
The bay is filled with many beautiful ecosystems, ranging from mangrove forests to coral reefs. One of the popular creatures of the area, is known as the Giant Oceanic Manta Ray. We published an article about this species on the 10th of this month, & it can be found by typing “Manta Ray” into the search function of our website.
Unfortunately, very little is recorded about the history of the bay. Instead of focusing primarily on the anthropogenic history of the bay, we will be focusing on the geologic history of the bay. The underwater limestone caves formed approximately 10,000 years ago. Although they brought many tourists & much biodiversity to the island, it was not officially protected as a Marine Protected Area until 1981, when it was incorporated into Ao Phang Nga National Park.
In this article, we will delve into the geologic history & anthropogenic history of Phang Nga Bay, the Indigenous Aboriginals of Phang Nga Bay, The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters of Phang Nga Bay, & The Economy Of Phang Nga Bay. With that being said, let us delve into the mysterious & intriguing history of Phang Nga Bay.
The Documented History Of Phang Nga Bay
Approximately 10,000 Years Ago
Approximately 10,000 years ago, the sunken limestone caves of Phang Nga Bay were formed as the sea levels rose from glaciers melting.
Historical Events From The 1300s to the 1800s
As trade became more popular between the East & the West, Phang Nga Bay became a strategic location for tradesmen to meet & exchange goods. There is evidence to suggest that both China & India would use this area to trade with each other, & the Aboriginals.
Historical Events From The 1900’s
Although Phang Nga Bay was one of the centers of biodiversity for Thailand, it was not recognized as a Marine Protected Area until April 29th, 1981, when it was established as Ao Phang Nga National Park.
The Indigenous Aboriginals Of Phang Nga Bay
The Orang Asli Indigenous Aboriginals Of Phang Nga Bay
Orang Asli is a term for approximately 18 different ethnic groups scattered throughout Thailand & Malaysia. The primary languages for these groups are Temoq, Semai, Sabum, Kensiu, Batek, Kentaq Bong, Jehai, Medrique, Tonga, Temaun, Jakun, & Temiar. The majority of these languages belong to the Aslian Language Family, which is the southernmost language family of the Austroasiatic languages.
These groups live all around Thailand, & have inhabited the area for centuries. Many groups practice Agroforestry, & will cultivate fields of rice. Modernly, these groups will hunt wild animals & fish for many different marine species. Before the arrival of Europeans, they were largely isolated from the rest of Asia. In the 1950s, many ethnic Chinese communists fled to the areas where the Orang Alsi lived, & as tensions grew, both began harbouring resentment towards one another.
Soon after in the 1960’s, a department of Aborigines was created, in order to provide financial assistance to the Orang Asli, & convert them to Islam. An integration policy was established, in which they were discouraged from having hunter-gatherer lifestyles, & were encouraged to refrain from nomadism. Instead, they were encouraged to cultivate more agriculture.
Modernly, there are many ongoing issues between the Orang Asli, & the Thai Government over land rights. Unfortunately, these communities do not have the best medical resources, & malnutrition as well as disease control are poor in the community. Iodine deficiency disorders are fairly common, & maternal health issues are popular. Approximately 70 percent of the remaining aboriginals practice Animism, 10 percent practice Christianity, & between 15 & 20 percent practice Islam.
In Animism, all inanimate objects have a spirit, & most forces of nature are controlled by spirits. Each spirit has agency as well as freewill, & is completely independent.
The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters Of Phang Nga Bay
Disaster No. 1: The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami
In December of 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. It originated from 30 kilometers deep in the ocean. The earthquake sent a 167-foot-high tsunami towards Thailand, Sri Lanka, & Indonesia. It swept many villages away, & killed hundreds of thousands of people. Many were displaced & left without electricity. It led to approximately 230,000 deaths across South East Asia, & 15 billion U.S.D in damages.
Indonesia was the country that was hardest affected, & the earthquake caused 167,000 deaths in the country, as well as 8 billion U.S.D in damages. It took many years for all countries involved to recover from the Earthquake, as well as the Tsunami. This is one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history.
The Economy Of Phang Nga Bay
The province of Phang Nga’s economy is powered by Tourism, & Agriculture. The economy is relatively stable. The province has a population of approximately 257,493 people. At the current exchange rate, there is a GDP per capita of 3,314 U.S.D.
Directories / Credits
Citation No. 1: “Phang Nga Bay Tourism History”, Written by Unknown, & Published on an Unknown Date. Published by Travel Setu. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 2: “Indigenous Peoples in Malaysia”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the International Group for Indigenous Affairs. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 3: “Orang Asli in Malaysia”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Minority Rights Group. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 4: “Squatters in their Own Land - The Orang Asli of Malaysia”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2024.
Citation No. 5: “Diseases among Orang Asli community in Malaysia: a systematic overview”, Written by Muhammad Hilmi Mahmud, Ummi Mirza Baharudin, & Zahela Md Isa, & Published on November 16th, 2022. Published by BMC Public Health. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026.
Citation No. 6: “The 2004 Tsunami Wiped Towns With ‘Mind-Boggling’ Destruction”, Written By Dave Roos, & Published By October 2nd, 2018. Published by A&E Television Networks. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026.
Citation No. 7: “2004 Indian Ocean earthquake & tsunami: Facts & FAQS”, Written by Sevil Omer, & Published on September 25, 2023. Published by Word Vision. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026.
Citation No. 8: “Jetstream Max: 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. Retrieval Date: May 7th, 2026.
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