About Tak Province
Tak is a large, forested province in western Thailand along the Myanmar border, bisected by the Ping River and containing some of the country's most significant historical and natural sites. Mae Sot, the border town across from Myawaddy in Myanmar, is a fascinating multicultural hub of Burmese, Karen, and Chinese communities and one of Southeast Asia's busiest informal trade crossings. Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary in the south of the province contains Thi Lo Su — Thailand's largest and arguably most spectacular waterfall. The province is also the birthplace of King Taksin. Doi Inthanon National Park straddles the border with Chiang Mai province.
Key facts
- Population
- 670,265 (2020)
- Area
- 16,407 km²
- Density
- 41 / km²
- Districts
- 9
- Capital
- Tak
- ISO code
- TH-63
- Airports
- Mae Sot Airport (MAQ), Tak Airport (TKT)
UNESCO World Heritage
- Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary — inscribed 1991
National parks (1)
Nam Tok Pha Charoen National Park
All 9 districts
Ban Tak · Mae Ramat · Mae Sot · Mueang Tak · Phop Phra · Sam Ngao · Tha Song Yang · Umphang · Wang Chao
Top Highlights
Mae Sot border town
multicultural Burmese-Karen-Chinese hub on the Myanmar border
Thi Lo Su Waterfall in Umphang
Thailand's largest waterfall, in a remote jungle sanctuary
Mae Sot Gems Market
one of Thailand's most active ruby and jade trading centres
Bhumibol Dam
one of Southeast Asia's largest dams with boat tours on the reservoir
Getting There
Mae Sot Airport (MAQ) has daily flights from Bangkok with Nok Air and Bangkok Airways. Buses to Mae Sot from Bangkok take 8–9 hours. Umphang (for Thi Lo Su Waterfall) is 165 km south of Mae Sot by a mountain road that takes 3–4 hours. Organised tours to Umphang typically depart from Mae Sot.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources
Facts on this page last checked 1 August 2026.
- 1.Q275758 — population, area, districts, coordinates — Wikidata (Wikidata), retrieved 1 August 2026
- 2.Background reading — Wikipedia (Wikipedia), retrieved 1 August 2026Linked for context; no text is reproduced from it.
- 3.Official provincial website — Provincial administration (Official source), retrieved 1 August 2026
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