Krabi is a southern province on Thailand's Andaman seaboard with perhaps the country's oldest history of continued settlement. After dating stone tools, ancient colored pictures, beads, pottery and skeleton remains found in the province's many cliffs and caves, it is thought that Krabi has been home to Homo Sapiens since the period 25,000 - 35,000 B.C. In recorded times it was called the Ban Thai Samor, and was one of twelve towns that used, before people were widely literate, the monkey for their standard. At that time, c. 1,200 A.D., Krabi was tributary to the Kingdom of Ligor, a city on the Kra Peninsula's east coast better known today as Nakhorn Sri Thammarat.
At the start of the Rattanakosin period, about 200 years ago, when the capital was finally settled at Bangkok, an elephant kraal was established in Krabi by order of Jao Praya Nakhorn (Noy), the Rajah of Nakhorn Sri Thammarat, which was by then a part of the Thai Kingdom. He sent his vizier, the Pra Palad to oversee this task, which was to ensure a regular supply of elephant for the larger town. So many emigrated in the steps or the Pra Palad that soon Krabi has a large community in three different boroughs: Pakasai, Klong Pon, and Pak Lao.
In 1872, King Chulalongkorn graciously elevated these to town status, called Krabi, a word that preserves in its meaning the monkey symbolism of the old standard. The town's first governor was Luang Tehp Sena, though it continued a while as a dependency of Nakhorn Sri Thammarat, this was changed in 1875, when Krabi was raised to a fourth level town in the old system of Thai government in Bangkok, and Krabi's history as a unique entity, separate from the other provinces, had begun.
During the present reign, the corps of civil servants, the merchants, and the population gene-rally of Krabi and nearby province have together organized a royal residence at Laem Hahng Nak Cape for presentation to Her Majesty the Queen. This lies thirty kilometers to the west of Krabi Town on the Andaman coast.
Krabi is on Andaman Sea coast of southwest Thailand between 7"30' and 8"30' north latitude, and 98"30' and 99"30' west longitude, total area is 4,709 square kilometers bounded thus:
On the North: Lies Phang nga and Surat Thani Provinces.
On the South: Lies Trang province and the Andaman Sea.
On the East: Lies Trang and Nakorn Sri Thammarat Provinces.
On the West: Lies Phang Nga Province and the Andaman Sea.
Krabi is divided into eight districts: Muang (Krabi town), Kao Panom, Klong Tom, Plai Praya, Koh Lanta, Ao Luk, Lam Tap, and Neua Klong.
Krabi's mountainous physical geography is broken by highlands and plains on the mainland; the provincial administration also covers more than 130 islands big and small in the Andaman. Natural forest cover is chiefly mangrove and Cassia trees. Krabi's sandy clay soil conditions are perfect for a variety of agricultural products, including: Rubber trees, palms, oranges, coconuts and coffee. The Krabi River flows 5 kilometers through the city and fall into the Andaman Sea at Tambon Pak Nam. There are other streams as well: The Klong Pakasai; the Klong Krabi Yai; and the Klong Krabi Noy; these have their source in the province's highest range of mountains, the Kao Panom Benja.
Weather in Krabi is typically that of the tropical monsoon, providing the province with just two seasons, the hot season from November to April, and the rainy season from May to October. Monsoon winds, which change according to season, blow from the southeast, the southwest, and the northeast. Temperatures for the year range between 16.9 and 37.3 degrees Celsius; yearly rainfall averages 2,586.5 millimeters
By Road
From Bangkok take Route 4, passing Petchaburi, Prachuab Khirikhan, Chumphorn, Ranong, and Phang nga Provinces before reaching Krabi; a total distance of 946 kilometers. An alternate route is to take Route 4 to Chumphorn and then turn onto Route 41. This leads through Lang Suan District of Chumphorn to Chaiya and Wieng Sah District of Surat Thani; from there follow Route 4035, passing Ao Luk district of Krabi, back onto Route 4, and down to Krabi Town. This shortcut is just 814 kilometers, and is followed by the bus services from Bangkok. For information regarding bus transport, contact Tel. 0-2435-1195-6 (non-air conditioned buses).
From Phuket take Route 402 to Route 4 and pass tambon Kok Kloy of Takua Tung District in Phang Nga; and enter Ao Luk district of Krabi; the Total distance is 185 kilometers. Regarding bus transport, Tel.0-762-1480.
By Train
From Bangkok Station take the train to one of the following stations : Trang Province, Puhn Pin in Surat Thani Province, of Tung Song in Nakhorn Sri Thammarat Province; from any of these places a bus may be taken onward to Krabi, Regarding train schedules and costs, contact the office of State Railway of Thailand, Tel. 0-2223-7010.
By Air
Details about flights to and from Krabi Airport can be obtained from Thai Airways in Bangkok Tel. 0-2280-0070, 0-2280-0080, or in Krabi Tel.0-7562-2440-2, Bangkok Airways Tel.0-7562-2955-6, PB Air Tel. 0-7569-2143, Silk Air Tel. 0-7562-3370-1, Phuket Air Tel 0-7563-6393-4.
Krabi Berk Fah Andaman
This festival takes place in November and celebrates the opening of the tourist season in Krabi. Water-sport competitions, cultural shows, and good-natured fun are the schedule.
The Setting Adrift of the Chao Ley Boats
Takes place on Lanta Island during full moon of the sixth and eleventh months in the lunar calendar. This is religious rite performed by Sea Gypsies who gather on the beach near Ban Saladan Village. They dance their famous Rong Geng round the boats to be set adrift. Ceremonies feature signing and dancing; the reason for the fest is to bring prosperity and happiness to the participants, it is something hard to find elsewhere.
Laanta Lanta Festival
This festival takes place on December of every year in Phra Ae Beach. Lanta Island has cultural shows by Thais, Muslim local food, life Style and interesting ceremonies.