In 2018, Chumphon was selected as the "Charming City" of Thailand at the 15th China-ASEAN Expo. There are two legends about the origin of the name “Chumphon”.
One is due to its special geographical location. Chumphon is long and slender. It is located in the Khokhok Kra, the narrowest part of the Malay Peninsula. Most of the land is flat, and there are some small hills in the west. Chumphon is translated in Thai as "a place to rest during the march. This is because the army, whether it is from north to south or from south to north, must be set up here. Geographical location is extremely important and it has been contested by military strategists of the past. In addition, the same pronunciation of ชุมนุมพร also has the meaning of gathering blessings, which is consistent with the ceremonies such as praying before the ancient war.
Another theory is that it is derived from a tree that is abundant in the local area, ficus racemosa. This kind of tree is widely distributed in the local area and is the provincial tree of Chumphon. Like the luxuriant lush greenery of Jficus racemosa, Chumphon has a very rich variety of tropical plants, especially fruits, including bananas, pineapples, rambutans, durians and more. Crops such as rice and corn are the pillar industries of Chumphon.
One of the important contents of the “Charming City” of the China-ASEAN Expo is tourism cooperation. This content is even more advantageous for Chumphon. Chumphon has a long and narrow coastline with many surrounding islands, such as Koh Samet and Koh Tao. The beautiful and colorful coral reefs, exotic sea flowers, and a wide variety of marine fish on the island are dizzying. The water is warm all year round, the environment is quiet and pleasant, and there are large corals and fish schools. The wooden hut by the sea is a favorite choice for foreign tourists.
As early as August 2018, the Thai government has announced the launch of the Southern Economic Corridor development plan. The four provinces of Ranong, Chumphon, Surat Thani and Nakhon Si Thammarat will be included in the key development zones. The development of Chumphon into a fruit logistics center can not only promote the development of luxury tourism projects in Chumphon, but also promote its diversified economic development.
