Lampang
Encyclopedia
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and capital of Lampang Province
Lampang Province
Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The old name of Lampang is Khelang Nakhon.-Geography:...
and the Lampang district
Amphoe Mueang Lampang
Mueang Lampang is the capital district of Lampang Province, northern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are : Mueang Pan, Chae Hom, Mae Mo, Mae Tha, Ko Kha and Hang Chat of Lampang Province, Mae Tha of Lamphun Province, and Mae On of Chiang Mai Province.-Administration:The district is...
. Traditional names for Lampang include Wiang Lakon and Khelang Nakhon. The city is still growing rapidly as trading and transportation center. It offer much of the historic interest of Lanna as well as Chiangmai, but without the overt commercialization. Located in the hearth of the North, Lampang is also a good base for excursions and travel within Northern Thailand.
Geography and climate
Lampang city is situated in the valley of the Wang RiverWang River
The Wang River is a river in northern Thailand.-Geography:The Wang River is altogether 335nsnp;km long. Its waters flow from north to south. One of the principal settlements along the river is Lampang, which is situated on the north bank of a curve in the river. From Lampang, the river extends...
in the heart of Northern Thailand, bordered by the Khuntan Range on the west and the Pi-Pan-Num range on the east. The river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...
, flows directly through the city. The city focuses on the south side of Wang River, although the old parts of the city had been originally developed in the north side of it. Nowadays, the downtown of Lampang has grown in the south-east of the river along Bunyawat and Pahon Yothin roads, the main roads of the city are filled with dense commercial and residential buildings.
Lampang has a relatively dry climate relative to nearby provinces. "Winter" starts from the last rains, typically November, and lasts until March. Cold air masses from Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
sometimes lead to nighttime temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, although that is quite rare. Winter is characterized by dry, sunny, and quite pleasant days, and cool and occasionally foggy nights. In recent times, the blue winter sky is often marred by the practice of burning the fields after the harvest, as well as the smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
generated by Mae Mo coal-fired power plants.
Summer typically starts from March until June. The temperature could soar to 40 degrees Celsius in April. Late afternoon thunderstorms and hailstorms are frequent.
Rainy season runs from June until November. Being in a relative rain shadow, Lampang receives less precipitation than neighboring provinces and rarely suffers from extensive flooding which has plagued Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
in recent years.
History
The founding myth of Lampang. Hariphunchai Period.Lampang was a major city in the Lanna
Lanna
The Kingdom of Lanna was a kingdom centered in present-day northern Thailand from the 13th to 18th centuries. The cultural development of the people of Lanna, the Tai Yuan people, had begun long before as successive Tai Yuan kingdoms preceded Lanna...
kingdom. However, its historical prominence is largely overshadowed by Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
or Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai
-Demographics:Official Population count: According to the Thailand National Statistical Office, as of September 2010, Chiang Rai municipal district has a population of 199,699...
which were the traditional seats of government, and whose histories were well recorded in chronicles. Following decades of warfare with both the Ava
Ava
Innwa is a city in the Mandalay Division of Burma , situated just to the south of Amarapura on the Ayeyarwady River. Its formal title is Ratanapura , which means City of Gems in Pali. The name Innwa means mouth of the lake, which comes from in , meaning lake, and wa , which means mouth...
Burmese and Ayudhya
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...
during the 17th-18th century, the region was in decline, severely depopulated, and subject to Burmese control. In the late 18th century, the famed marksman and Lampang native Nan Thip Chang assassinated the local Burmese leader in the Wat Phra That Lampang Luang
Wat Phra That Lampang Luang
Wat Pra That Lampang Luang is a Lanna-style Buddhist temple in Lampang in Lampang Province, Thailand.-Etymology:The first element, prathat, means Buddha relic . The second element, Lampang, is the name of a location in Thailand. the third element, luang, means great...
, and led an uprising which led to a rollback of Burmese rule over Lanna. Allied with Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, the descendents of Nan Thip Chang, known as Chao Ched Ton (The Seven Princes), became the vassal rulers of the various Lanna cities until the annexation of Lanna into Siam (Thailand) proper under King Chulalongkorn
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
(Rama V).
Economy
Besides the traditional rice paddy farming, pineapple, and sugarcane constitute major food crops. Lampang has a large deposit of ligniteLignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
in Mae Moh district, and hosted several coal-fired electricity generating plants, whose pollution has severely affected the local populations. Lampang also has a large deposit of kaolin which is widely utilized in the ceramics industry. Historically, logging was an important industry, since Lampang, together with nearby Phrae
Phrae
Phrae is a town in northern Thailand, capital of the Phrae Province.The town covers the whole tambon Nai Wiang of the Mueang Phrae district. It covers an area of 9 km² and as of 2005 it has a population of 17,971....
had a large stand of teak
Teak
Teak is the common name for the tropical hardwood tree species Tectona grandis and its wood products. Tectona grandis is native to south and southeast Asia, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Burma, but is naturalized and cultivated in many countries, including those in Africa and the...
. Many elephants were employed to transport the logs to the river for transport to Bangkok, hence a founding of the 'Elephant School', the predecessor of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center. Much of the old growth teak stands in Lampang had been thoroughly harvested.
Culture
Lampang, also called "mueang rot ma" in Thai, meaning "Horse Carriage City", is considered by some Thais as the last paradise in Thailand. It is located about 100 km to the southeast of Chiang MaiChiang Mai Province
Chiang Mai is the second-largest province of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Tak, and Mae Hong Son. In the north it borders Shan State of Burma...
. Although well-connected by rail, and 4-lane highways to both Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and Chiang Mai, it is here that tourists can still find the horse-drawn carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s in regular use for transportation. This, together with the relative lack of skyscrapers that have contaminated Chiang Mai's skyline of late, make Lampang an increasingly favored setting for period drama. One account attributes the horse-drawn carriage to the Portuguese, via Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, although a more likely origin is colonial Burma—Lampang was an important center of timber industry in the early 20th century and saw an influx of migrants from British-controlled Burma. The horse-drawn carriage is one of the most memorable symbols of Lampang, as reflected in many traditional products.
Lampang has a few institutions of higher learning, such as Yonok College, and a branch of Thammasat University
Thammasat University
Thammasat University , or in brief TU , is Thailand's second oldest university. Officially established on 27 June 1934, the university was originally named by founder Pridi Banomyong, University of Moral Science and Politics , reflecting the political fervor of the time...
.
Transportation
Lampang is approximately 600 km from Bangkok. The city is an important highway hub, with a 4-lane divided highways link to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, as well as major highway to PhraePhrae
Phrae is a town in northern Thailand, capital of the Phrae Province.The town covers the whole tambon Nai Wiang of the Mueang Phrae district. It covers an area of 9 km² and as of 2005 it has a population of 17,971....
and eastern Lanna provinces.
Lampang is a major stop for the Chiang Mai-bound train, approximately 10 hours from Bangkok.
Lampang Airport
Lampang Airport
Lampang Airport serves Lampang, the capital city of Lampang Province, Thailand.-Airlines and destination:...
is currently served by Bangkok Airways, which operate daily flights to Bangkok via Sukhothai
Sukhothai
Sukhothai may refer to:* Sukhothai , the historic city* Sukhothai Historical Park* Sukhothai Kingdom, the historic Thai kingdom* Sukhothai Province, one of the northern provinces of ThailandSukhothai may also refer to:...
Landmarks and tourist attractions
While Lampang is a major northern city well-served by road, rail, and air transportation, it has been spared from mass tourism which has altered the character of nearby cities such as Chiang MaiChiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
and Chiang Rai
Chiang Rai
-Demographics:Official Population count: According to the Thailand National Statistical Office, as of September 2010, Chiang Rai municipal district has a population of 199,699...
. Tourists typically stop by for lunch and visit the more famous attractions such as Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and the Thai Elephant Conservation Center
National Elephant Institute
The National Elephant Institute was founded as the Thai Elephant Conservation Center . Subsequently in January 2002, in order to enlarge the scope of conservation efforts and address the issues facing Thailand's elephants, it was proposed that the TECC be renamed the National Elephant Institute...
and then proceed to points further north such as Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai. Less well-known tourist attractions in Lampang are thus mostly visited by locals. Among these are the Wang Kaeo waterfall and the Chae Son National Park, a compact yet charming park which combine a natural hot springs with large waterfalls.
Many temples in downtown Lampang were built in the Burmese style, originally endowed by the logging tycoons of the late-19th century. Wat Si Bun Rueang, Wat Si Chum and Wat Pa Fang are among the extant examples. Nine of the 31 remaining Burmese-style temples in Thailand are located in Lampang. Traditional Lanna
Lanna
The Kingdom of Lanna was a kingdom centered in present-day northern Thailand from the 13th to 18th centuries. The cultural development of the people of Lanna, the Tai Yuan people, had begun long before as successive Tai Yuan kingdoms preceded Lanna...
architecture can be found at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang
Wat Phra That Lampang Luang
Wat Pra That Lampang Luang is a Lanna-style Buddhist temple in Lampang in Lampang Province, Thailand.-Etymology:The first element, prathat, means Buddha relic . The second element, Lampang, is the name of a location in Thailand. the third element, luang, means great...
, which situated at the site of the ancient Lampang city. It is famous for its murals from the 19th century. The city seal features a white rooster in the temple's gate. Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, on the West Bank of the Wang River, is said to have housed the Emerald Buddha
Emerald Buddha
The Emerald Buddha is the palladium of the Kingdom of Thailand, a figurine of the sitting Buddha, made of green jadeite , clothed in gold, and about 45 cm tall...
between 1436 and 1468. Wat Phra That Chedi Sao (The Temple of Twenty Chedis) is famous for its array of twenty pagodas. Other temples of some renown include Wat Phra That Chom Ping and Wat Lai Hin both in the Ko Kha district.
Mae Mo
Mae Mo
Mae Mo is a village and tambon of Mae Mo District, in Lampang Province, Thailand.In 2005 it had a total population of 16,589 people. The tambon contains 8 villages....
mine is a vast open pit
Open-pit mining
Open-pit mining or opencast mining refers to a method of extracting rock or minerals from the earth by their removal from an open pit or borrow....
lignite
Lignite
Lignite, often referred to as brown coal, or Rosebud coal by Northern Pacific Railroad,is a soft brown fuel with characteristics that put it somewhere between coal and peat...
mine in the Mae Mo basin. The mine and the adjoining power generation facilities
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
are operated by EGAT
Égat
Égat is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France.-References:*...
; the power station is a major source of electric power for Thailand.
Education
Lampang has a number of fairly well developed educational institutions, including a large number of kindergartens, primary, secondary and vocational schools. Schools teach in the English, Thai and Chinese mediums. Lampang also has a number of universities; Lampang Rajabhat University, Rajmangala University of Technology, Nation University (formerly Yonok) and a satellite campus of Thammasat University.Lampang College of Commerce and Technology (LCCT) and Lampang International Technical College (LIT) are well known schools which teach technology.