Trang has been a trading center since at least the 1st century CE. It grew to power and prosperity between the 7th and 13th centuries during the Srivijaya period and remains an important commercial town today. Rubber, palm oil and fishing are the mainstays of the province's economy. Tourism is making an increasing impact as Trangˇs Anadaman Coast and islands are increasingly developed and popularized. The town has a strong Overseas Chinese character (and hence good Chinese restaurants) as a result of an influx of Chinese labor in the latter half of the 19th century. Trang province was dependent on tin mining until the first rubber seedlings were brought into Thailand around 1901  part of a long journey from South America via the neighboring Malay States.