Regions of the Public Relations Department

As I mentioned before, the regions nowadays are not clearly defined, and even the different departments or ministries of the government use their own definition. While the ones used in the census data and those by the Ministry of Interior are probably the most important ones, they are by far not the only region definitions used. The Public Relations Department (PRD, กรมประชาสัมพันธ์) is subdivided into 8 regional offices, each responsible for several provinces. Each of these regional offices works as a news agency for their area, so on the websites of each regions one can find all the local news - sadly only in Thai. Apparently each of the regional offices creates their website independently, thus their all have a different look, some display quite ugly in Firefox and only work well in Internet Explorer, some have a RSS feeds for their news while most don't have one. But almost all are cluttered with bitmaps, animations or sliding texts, definitely not looking like being made by a professional web designer.

1. Region 1: Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Loei, Maha Sarakham, Kalasin, Chaiyaphum, Sakon Nakhon, Nong Bua Lamphu
2. Region 2: Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, Buriram, Yasothon, Roi Et, Amnat Charoen, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom
3. Region 3: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Phayao, Nan, Uttaradit
4. Region 4: Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Sukhothai, Uttaradit, Uthai Thani
5. Region 5: Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Ranong, Krabi, Phang Nga, Phuket
6. Region 6: Trang, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phatthalung, Yala, Songkhla, Satun
7. Region 7: Chanthaburi, Rayong, Trat, Chonburi, Sa Kaeo, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi, Chachoengsao, Samut Prakan
8. Region 8: Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Suphanburi, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Samut Sakhon, Chainat, Samut Songkhram, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, Lopburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Saraburi, Pathum Thani, Phetchaburi

Bangkok itself is not part of any of the regional offices, and strangely Uttaradit is claimed on two of the regional websites.

The above regional outline is in effect since 1997, a historic of the regional offices can be found at the PRD website.