Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand is located in the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean), surrounded by the countries Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The north tip of the Gulf is the Bight of Bangkok at the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, near Bangkok. The gulf covers roughly 320,000 km².
The Gulf of Thailand is relatively shallow, the mean depth is 45 m, and the maximum depth only 80 m. This makes water exchange slow, and the strong water inflow from the rivers like the Chao Phraya or Mekong make the Gulf lower in salinity and also rich in sediments. At the height of the last ice age the Gulf of Thailand did not exist at all due to the lower sea level, but did instead continue the Chao Phraya river valley.
Due to the tropical warmth of the water the Gulf of Thailand harbours many coral reefs, and thus several diving resorts. Most popular for tourism is the island Ko Samui in the Surat Thani province.
The gulf also contains some oil and natural gas resources.
Referenced By
Bangkok | Bangkok, Thailand | Cambodia | Cambodia/Geography | Cambodian | Chachoengsao province | Chanthaburi province | Chao Phraya | Chao Phraya River | Chao Phraya Valley | Chon Buri province | Chonburi province | Chumphon province | Chumpon province | Geography of Cambodia | Geography of Thailand | Geography of Vietnam | ISO 3166-1:KH | ISO 3166-1:TH | Isthmus of Kra | Kampuchea | Kingdom of Cambodia | Kra Isthmus | Krung Thep | Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit | Krungthepmahanakornamornratanakosinmahintarayutth... | Krungthepmahanakornamornratanakosinmahintarayutthayamahadilokphopnopparatrajathaniburiromudomrajaniwesmahasatharnamornphimarnavatarnsathitsakkattiyavisanukamprasit | List of Cambodia-related topics | List of Thailand-related topics | List of Thailand related topics | List of rivers of Asia | List of seaports | Long-snouted Spinner Dolphin | Nakhon Si Thammarat province | Narathiwat province | Pattani province | Phetchaburi province | Prachuap Khiri Khan province | Rayong province | Rivers of Asia | Samut Prakan province | Samut Sakhon province | Samut Songkhram province | Short-snouted Spinner Dolphin | Siam | Sihanoukville | Songkhla province | South China Sea | Spinner Dolphin | Surat Thani province | Thailand | Thailand/Geography | Trat province | Vietnam/Geography
|
