Mae Sot
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Mae Sot
| official_name = City of Mae Sot
{{lower|0.1em|{{nobold|{{lang|th|เทศบาลนครแม่สอด}}}}}}
{{lower|0.1em|{{nobold|{{Script|Lana|ᩅ᩠ᨿᨦᨾᩯ᩵ᩈᩬᨯ}}}}}}
| native_name = แม่สอด
| native_name_lang = th
| other_name = ᨾᩯ᩵ᩈᩬᨯ
| settlement_type = City Municipality
| motto =
| image_skyline = Thailand, Burma Mae Sot border 1.jpg
| image_caption = Aerial view of Mae Sot
| image_flag = Mae Sot City Flag.webp
| image_seal = Seal of Mae Sot.png
| seal_size =
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| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Thailand
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Thailand
| pushpin_mapsize =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|Thailand}}
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Tak
| subdivision_type2 = District
| subdivision_name2 = Mae Sot
| government_footnotes =
| government_type = City Municipality
| leader_title = Mayor
| leader_name = Thoedkiat Chinsoranan
| leader_title1 = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
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| unit_pref =
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 27.2
| area_land_km2 =
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| population_as_of =
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| population_note =
| population_density_km2 = 1,925
| timezone = ICT
| utc_offset = +07:00
| timezone_DST =
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| coordinates = {{coord|16|42|47|N|98|34|29|E|region:TH|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes =
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| postal_code_type = Postcode
| postal_code = 63110
| area_code_type = Area code
| area_code = (+66) 55
| website = {{URL|nakhonmaesotcity.go.th}}
| footnotes =
}}
File:Thai-Myanmar friendship bridge.jpg in Mae Sot district]]
Mae Sot ({{Langx|nod|ᨾᩯ᩵ᩈᩬᨯ}}; {{langx|th|แม่สอด}}, {{IPA|th|mɛ̂ː sɔ̀ːt|pron}}; {{langx|my|မဲဆောက်}}, {{IPA|my|mɛ́ sʰaʊʔ|}}; {{langx|shn|{{lang|my|မႄႈသွတ်ႇ}}}}, {{IPA|shn|mɛ sʰɔt̚|}}) is a city in western Thailand that shares a border with Myanmar to the west. It is notable as a trade hub and for its substantial population of Burmese migrants and refugees. The city is part of Tak Province, 87 km from the city of Tak and 492 km from Bangkok. It is home to the district headquarters of Mae Sot District, and is the main gateway between Thailand and Burma. As a result, it has gained notoriety for its trade in gems and teak, as well as black market services such as human trafficking and illicit drugs.
History
In 1937 Mae Sot was a local administration, administered by a headman, usually called village headman or village chief ({{lang|th|ผู้ใหญ่บ้าน}} phu yai ban).{{cite web
|url=http://www.hawaii.edu/thai/thaisongs/villMain.htm
|title=Village Chief Lee
|author=Yudthaphon Vichianin
|date=Aug 5, 2003
|format=interactive
|work=Thai Language Program
|publisher=University of Hawaii at Manoa
|accessdate=March 20, 2012
|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324102451/http://www.hawaii.edu/thai/thaisongs/villMain.htm
|archivedate=March 24, 2012
|url-status=dead
}} Its population at the time was approximately 12,000 people. On 30 September 1939 Mae Sot was established as a municipalitity{{cite journal|journal=Royal Gazette|volume=56|issue=ก|pages=959–962|title=พระราชกฤษฎีกาจัดตั้งเทศบาลตำบลแม่สอด จังหวัดตาก พุทธศักราช ๒๔๘๒|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2482/A/959.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210003740/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2482/A/959.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 10, 2015|date=1939-09-30|language=Thai}} and governed 27 villages. It was upgraded to a city municipality in 2010.{{cite journal|journal=Royal Gazette|volume=127|issue=พิเศษ 50 ง|pages=7|title=ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง เปลี่ยนแปลงฐานะเทศบาลเมืองแม่สอด อำเภอแม่สอด จังหวัดตาก เป็นเทศบาลนครแม่สอด|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2553/E/050/7.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110203501/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2553/E/050/7.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 10, 2011|date=2010-04-21|language=Thai}}
In 1997, the Thai–Myanmar Friendship Bridge opened across the Moei River connecting Mae Sot with Myawaddy.{{Cite news|url=http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/thailand-myanmar-mark-20th-anniversary-first-friendship-bridge/|title=Thailand and Myanmar mark 20th anniversary of first Friendship bridge|date=16 August 2017|work=Thai PBS English News Service|access-date=17 January 2019}} An additional border crossing, the second Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, was opened In 2019 to the north west of Mae Sot to handle goods traffic.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=20 Mar 2019 |title=Thai-Myanmar bridge opens |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/1647584/thai-myanmar-bridge-opens |access-date=2024-06-15 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}
In recent decades, the city has become home to thousands of Burmese migrants.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6397243.stm| title=Life on the Burma-Thai border |publisher=BBC News |access-date=30 November 2021}} Industries in Mae Sot have grown, especially in the areas related to international trade and manufacturing in textiles, garments, gemstones, jade and teak.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6430515.stm| title=Illicit trade on the Thai-Burma border |publisher=BBC News |access-date=30 November 2021}} By 2004, the numbers of Burmese migrants in Mae Sot had reached between 70,000 and 100,000.{{cite book |last=Arnold |first=D |date=2004 |title=The situation of Burmese Migrant Workers |publisher=The Southeast Asia Research Centre (SEARC)}}
Geography
The neighboring districts of Mae Sot include Mae Pa tambon administrative organization (TAO) in the north, Mae Tao (TAO) to the south, Mae Pa and Phra That Pha Daeng (TAO) to the east, and the Tha Sai Luat Sub-district Municipality to the west.
Economy
Trade with Burma constitutes the largest portion of Mae Sot's economy. It has an established market for commodities such as wholesale gems and teak. Most of the town's service industries are supported by Burmese migrants who work in sweat-shops and factories throughout the region. The town also suffers from a black market in illegal smuggling, human trafficking, and narcotics. The Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge is the primary gateway for trade with Burma. The border region, several kilometres west from central Mae Sot, includes the Rim Moei Market that deals in imported goods and woodwork.{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}
Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta leader and prime minister, in May 2015 invoked his authority under Section 44 of the Interim Charter to declare the area of Wang Takhian in Tha Sai Luat subdistrict of Mae Sot a special economic zone (SEZ). The current plan is to transform nearly 2,200 rai of land of Tha Sai Luat into an SEZ. The government has offered to compensate displaced villagers at 7,000-12,000 baht per rai of land and resettle villagers in another district of Tak. {{As of|July 2016}} the current market price of a rai of land in Mae Sot is almost one million baht, leading villagers to reject the offer.{{cite news|title=Local farmers suffer as Thai junta pleases big companies|url=http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/6345|accessdate=12 July 2016|work=Prachatai English|date=2016-07-11}}
Mae Sot is located on the East-West Economic Corridor, which connects Burma, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.{{Cite web |title=Second Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge to Stimulate Cross-border Trade {{!}} Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) |url=https://greatermekong.org/second-thailand-myanmar-friendship-bridge-stimulate-cross-border-trade |access-date=2024-06-15 |website=greatermekong.org}}
Climate
Mae Sot has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at {{convert|36.8|°C|°F}}. The monsoon season runs from May to October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.
{{Weather box
|location = Mae Sot (1991–2020, extremes 1951-present)
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 35.4
|Feb record high C = 38.7
|Mar record high C = 40.3
|Apr record high C = 41.5
|May record high C = 41.6
|Jun record high C = 36.6
|Jul record high C = 35.6
|Aug record high C = 35.4
|Sep record high C = 35.8
|Oct record high C = 38.7
|Nov record high C = 36.5
|Dec record high C = 35.7
|year record high C = 41.6
|Jan record low C = 4.8
|Feb record low C = 8.5
|Mar record low C = 11.8
|Apr record low C = 17.6
|May record low C = 19.5
|Jun record low C = 21.5
|Jul record low C = 20.9
|Aug record low C = 20.6
|Sep record low C = 19.3
|Oct record low C = 15.3
|Nov record low C = 8.4
|Dec record low C = 4.5
|year record low C = 4.5
|Jan high C = 32.0
|Feb high C = 34.3
|Mar high C = 36.1
|Apr high C = 37.2
|May high C = 34.8
|Jun high C = 32.0
|Jul high C = 30.8
|Aug high C = 30.5
|Sep high C = 31.8
|Oct high C = 32.6
|Nov high C = 32.3
|Dec high C = 31.2
|year high C =
|Jan mean C = 23.0
|Feb mean C = 24.9
|Mar mean C = 27.5
|Apr mean C = 29.4
|May mean C = 28.3
|Jun mean C = 26.8
|Jul mean C = 26.0
|Aug mean C = 25.8
|Sep mean C = 26.4
|Oct mean C = 26.5
|Nov mean C = 25.1
|Dec mean C = 23.1
|year mean C =
|Jan low C = 16.0
|Feb low C = 17.1
|Mar low C = 20.2
|Apr low C = 23.3
|May low C = 24.2
|Jun low C = 23.9
|Jul low C = 23.4
|Aug low C = 23.2
|Sep low C = 23.4
|Oct low C = 22.5
|Nov low C = 19.6
|Dec low C = 16.6
|year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 7.5
|Feb precipitation mm = 6.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 20.9
|Apr precipitation mm = 36.1
|May precipitation mm = 153.5
|Jun precipitation mm = 246.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 372.9
|Aug precipitation mm = 353.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 204.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 91.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 19.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 6.7
|year precipitation mm = 1520.5
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 0.6
|Feb precipitation days = 0.5
|Mar precipitation days = 1.8
|Apr precipitation days = 3.3
|May precipitation days = 12.5
|Jun precipitation days = 20.5
|Jul precipitation days = 23.3
|Aug precipitation days = 23.7
|Sep precipitation days = 16.6
|Oct precipitation days = 8.2
|Nov precipitation days = 1.5
|Dec precipitation days = 0.5
|year precipitation days = 113
|Jan humidity = 70.7
|Feb humidity = 63.3
|Mar humidity = 60.9
|Apr humidity = 63.2
|May humidity = 74.8
|Jun humidity = 83.3
|Jul humidity = 85.7
|Aug humidity = 86.7
|Sep humidity = 84.4
|Oct humidity = 80.9
|Nov humidity = 75.3
|Dec humidity = 72.9
|year humidity = 75.2
|Jan dew point C = 16.6
|Feb dew point C = 16.4
|Mar dew point C = 18.3
|Apr dew point C = 20.9
|May dew point C = 23.0
|Jun dew point C = 23.5
|Jul dew point C = 23.3
|Aug dew point C = 23.3
|Sep dew point C = 23.4
|Oct dew point C = 22.6
|Nov dew point C = 19.9
|Dec dew point C = 17.3
|year dew point C = 20.7
|Jan sun = 275.9
|Feb sun = 259.9
|Mar sun = 275.9
|Apr sun = 243.0
|May sun = 158.1
|Jun sun = 57.0
|Jul sun = 58.9
|Aug sun = 58.9
|Sep sun = 108.0
|Oct sun = 179.8
|Nov sun = 219.0
|Dec sun = 275.9
|year sun =
|Jand sun = 8.9
|Febd sun = 9.2
|Mard sun = 8.9
|Aprd sun = 8.1
|Mayd sun = 5.1
|Jund sun = 1.9
|Juld sun = 1.9
|Augd sun = 1.9
|Sepd sun = 3.6
|Octd sun = 5.8
|Novd sun = 7.3
|Decd sun = 8.9
|yeard sun = 6.0
|source 1 = World Meteorological Organization{{cite web
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Thailand/CSV/MaeSot_48375.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| access-date = 12 October 2023}}
|source 2 = Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department (sun 1981–2010){{cite web
| url = http://water.rid.go.th/hwm/cropwater/CWRdata/ETo/ETo_PenMon_2554.pdf
| title = ปริมาณการใช้น้ำของพืชอ้างอิงโดยวิธีของ Penman Monteith (Reference Crop Evapotranspiration by Penman Monteith)
| publisher = Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department
| page = 28
| language = Thai
| accessdate = 31 July 2016}}(extremes){{cite web
| url = http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75
| title = Climatological Data for the Period 1981–2010
| publisher = Thai Meteorological Department
| accessdate = 4 August 2016}}
}}
Transportation
Mae Sot Airport (IATA: MAQ, ICAO: VTPM) serves domestic flights.{{Cite web |last=Flightradar24 |title=Live Flight Tracker - Real-Time Flight Tracker Map |url=https://www.flightradar24.com/data/airports/maq |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=Flightradar24 |language=en}} In 2024, the airport was used to transport Myanmar military officials and families back to Myanmar. As of march 2025, Mae Sot airport only serves flights to and from Bangkok. {{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2024-04-09 |title=Myanmar rescue flights okayed |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2773009/myanmar-rescue-flights-okayed |access-date=2025-01-12 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Thailand Confirms Myanmar Military Evacuation Flight Request After Latest Resistance Gains |url=https://thediplomat.com/2024/04/thailand-confirms-myanmar-military-evacuation-flight-request-after-latest-resistance-gains/ |access-date=2025-01-12 |website=thediplomat.com |language=en-US}}
Mae Sot bus station is located adjacent to the airport.{{Cite web |title=สถานีขนส่งผู้โดยสารอำเภอแม่สอด จ.ตาก (จังหวัด ตาก) |url=https://www.thasailoud.go.th/trv-otp-detail?id=437 |access-date=12 January 2025 |website=เทศบาลตำบลท่าสายลวด}}{{Cite news |last=Ashayagachat |first=Achara |date=2013-04-10 |title=New bus service to Mae Sot from Samut Sakhon |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/344807/new-bus-service-between-samut-sakhon-and-mae-sot |access-date=2025-01-12 |work=Bangkok Post |language=en}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Wikivoyage inline|Mae Sot}}
{{commons category|Mae Sot}}
{{Metropolitan cities of Thailand}}
{{Borders of Thailand}}
{{Border Crossings of Myanmar}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Populated places in Tak province