Narathiwat, originally a small fishing village on the Gulf of Thailand, became part of the Pattani administrative region during the reign of King Rama I. Initially under the governance of Saiburi, it was later transferred to Ra-ngae, one of the provinces in Pattani Circle. In 1812, a surge in piracy led to a military intervention from Songkhla to restore order, resulting in the division of Pattani into seven provinces: Pattani, Nong Chik, Yala, Raman, Ra-ngae, Saiburi, and Yaring. During King Rama III’s reign, rebellions in these provinces prompted additional military efforts to maintain peace, with Ra-ngae becoming an administrative center at Tanyong Mat, now Ra-ngae District.

By 1915, under King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), the old administrative system was restructured as Narathiwat evolved into a major trade center by both land and sea. To accommodate this growth, Ra-ngae’s administration moved to the larger community of Manalo. On June 10, 1915, King Vajiravudh visited Banganara, renaming it Narathiwat, meaning "Abode of Good People." The transformation was formalized in 1922 when the area’s designation changed from "city" to "province," establishing Narathiwat as an official province in Thailand’s administrative framework.