Pailin is a city in the west of Cambodia near the border of Thailand. Pailin was a major Khmer Rouge strongpoint and resource center. The surrounding area was rich in a variety of gemstones which were mined almost clean to support the Khmer Rouge.

Until 2001 Pailin was part of the Battambang Province, but was then elevated to city status and thus became a province and autonomous zone of its own.

The province is divided into two districts