Betong, meaning bamboo, is named in the Malay language. It is administratively divided into 4 tambons, i.e. Yarom, Aiyerweng, Tanah Merah, Tan Namtip, and one municipality - the Tambon Betong Municipality. With a population of around 48,487 which can be classified into two major groups Muslims and Chinese, the majority of its people are agriculturists. Climatically speaking, Betong is under the influence of the Southwest and Northwest monsoons. Therefore, there is a lot of rain and the weather is nice and cool with fog in the morning. This is perhaps how it got is name - 'A Town in the Mist with Beautiful Flowers'. World's Largest Mailbox
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Betong
is a district of Yala Province, situated in the southernmost province
of Thailand in Sankalakhiri mountain range. With an are of 1,328 sq. km,
it borders the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perak. Its terrain is mostly
mountainous and hilly with forested plateaus. About 1,900 feet above sea
level, it is 140km from Yala and 1,224km from the capital city of Bangkok.
The
world's largest mailbox is located at the Clock Tower Intersection in
the town center. It was built in 1924 by Mr. Sa-Nguan Jirajinda, the former
head of Betong Post and Telegraph Office and the Lord Mayor of Betong.
The purpose of this mail-box is to distribute news and to give services
in posting and distributing mails for the people of Betong. It is made
of reinforced concrete, with a cylindrical shape divided into 2 parts
- the base and the box. The circumference of the base is 265cm and that
of the box is 240cm. At a total height of 320cm, it is at present used
as an ordinary mailbox.
