Thesaban (Thai: เทศบาล, RTGS: thetsaban, pronounced [tʰêːt.sā.bāːn], Pali: desapāla, lit. 'protector of region') are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the thesaban system.
The municipalities assume some of the responsibilities which are assigned to the districts (amphoe) or subdistricts (tambon) for non-municipal (rural) areas. Historically, this devolution of central government powers grew out of the Sukhaphiban (สุขาภิบาล) sanitary districts first created in Bangkok by a royal decree of King Chulalongkorn in 1897.
