Phan Thong is a district (amphoe) of the province of Chonburi in Thailand. Neighbouring districts are (from north clockwise) Bang Pakong, Ban Pho (both Chachoengsao province), Phanat Nikhom, Ban Bueng and Mueang Chonburi.

History & toponymy

The district is home to a large Catholic community. The community owns 10,000 rai of land in Ban Hua Pai of Tambon Khok Ki Non where the St Philip and St James Catholic Church is located. The church was founded by Francois Marie Guego, a French missionary who arrived in Thailand in 1867. His mission was to spread the Gospel in Chachoengsao. Today, more than 3,000 Catholics reside on the land. The community, the largest landholder in the area, is under pressure from developers to sell the property to feed the industrialization fostered by the Eastern Economic Corridor. Its name Phan Thong literally translates to "golden pedestal tray". It is said that its name is distorted from the name of a local hunter (phran in Thai) "Thong", who led warlord Phraya Tak to flee the Burmese army from Ayutthaya to the eastern region during the second fall of Ayutthaya, before the counterattack and established himself as a new king Taksin the Great.

Administration

Central administration

Phan Thong is divided into 11 sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 76 administrative villages (mubans).

Local administration

There are two sub-district municipalities (thesaban tambons) in the district: There are eight subdistrict administrative organisations (SAO) in the district: