Thailand's forgotten eastern corner — gateway to Ko Chang and the Cambodian border
Trat is the sleepy provincial capital of Thailand's easternmost province, the last Thai city before Cambodia and the jumping-off point for Ko Chang, Ko Kood, and the Ko Chang archipelago. The town has a well-preserved wooden shophouse district, excellent gem trading (a ruby and sapphire hub), and the unhurried pace of a market town that hasn't adapted for tourists.
Trat province changed hands between Siam and Cambodia several times before firm incorporation into Siam. The French briefly administered it (1904–1907) during the territorial negotiations that defined modern Southeast Asian borders. The jewel trade centred on Trat's Bo Rai mines has been operating since the 18th century.