Ko Chang district
Ko Chang (Thai: เกาะช้าง, pronounced [kɔ̀ʔ t͡ɕʰáːŋ]) is an amphoe (district) in Trat province, Thailand. It is on the Gulf of Thailand's eastern seaboard, 300 km (190 mi) from Bangkok, near the border with Cambodia.
Ko Chang
เกาะช้าง | |
|---|---|
West coast of Ko Chang | |
District location in Trat province | |
| Coordinates: 12°6′13″N 102°21′7″E | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Province | Trat |
| Seat | Ko Chang |
| Area | |
| • Total | 217 km2 (84 sq mi) |
| Population (2019) | |
| • Total | 8,538 |
| • Density | 39.34/km2 (101.9/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 23170 |
| Geocode | 2307 |
The island Ko Chang occupies most of the district's land area, along with several smaller islands. With an area of 210 km2 (81 sq mi), Ko Chang is the third-largest island in Thailand by area, after Phuket and Ko Samui. The name Ko Chang means 'Elephant Island' and derives from its elephant-shaped headland. Despite the presence of elephants on the island, they are not indigenous. At present, there are eight villages on the island.Residents on the island of Koh Chang, as well as local residents in the nearby town of Trat and the pier from Trat to Koh Chang (Koh Chang Ferry Aow Thammachat), often deceive foreign tourists, defraud foreign tourists and even threaten, extort and even physically harm foreign tourists, is an unsafe area.