Thma Puok district (Khmer: ស្រុកថ្មពួក) is an administrative district (srok) of Banteay Meanchey province in north‑western Cambodia. It lies along the border with Thailand and is part of the Tonlé Sap basin. The district’s administrative centre is the town of Thma Puok.
Etymology
The name “Thma Puok” derives from the Khmer words thma (“stone”) and puok (“bench” or “pile”), a literal translation that may refer to a local geological feature or historic landmark.
Geography
The district occupies a low‑lying plain characterized by irrigated rice fields, subsidiary watercourses, and a mix of forested and cultivated land. It shares a western border with Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province and is bounded to the east by other districts of Banteay Meanchey, including Mongkol Borei and Serei Saophoan.
Administrative divisions
Thma Puok is subdivided into communes (khum) and villages (phum). According to the 1998 Cambodia General Population Census, the district comprised eight communes and a total of 93 villages. Subsequent administrative re‑organisation may have altered these figures, but current official data are not publicly available.
Demographics
The 1998 census recorded a population of 70,222 persons residing in Thma Puok district. The population is predominantly Khmer-speaking, with minority groups of ethnic Thai and other indigenous peoples. The local economy is largely agrarian, centered on rice cultivation, livestock rearing, and small‑scale trade with neighboring Thai communities.
Infrastructure and transport
National Road 5 traverses the province north of the district, providing road connections to the provincial capital, Serei Saophoan, and to Battambang. Within Thma Puok, a network of secondary roads links the district centre to its constituent communes and to border crossing points used for trade and travel.
Education and health services
The district hosts a number of primary schools administered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, as well as a secondary school in the district centre. Health care is provided by a district health centre and several health posts serving the surrounding villages.
Economy
Agriculture dominates the district’s economic activity. The primary crop is paddy rice, cultivated during the wet season. Secondary crops include maize, cassava, and various vegetables. Livestock, particularly cattle and poultry, are raised for local consumption and market sale. Cross‑border trade with Thailand contributes additional income for merchants and transport operators.
References
- National Institute of Statistics, Cambodia. General Population Census of Cambodia 1998 (Provincial and District Tables). Phnom Penh, 2000.
- Ministry of Interior, Cambodia. Administrative Map of Banteay Meanchey Province. Phnom Penh, latest available version.
Note: Subsequent census data and administrative updates may have revised population figures, commune counts, and other statistics for Thma Puok district.