Lampang

Province

Lampang ( Thai: ลำปาง, old name Nakhon Khelang ) is a large city ( เทศบาล นคร ลำปาง ) in the Thai province of Lampang. It is the capital of the district ( Amphoe ) Mueang Lampang and the capital of the province of Lampang. The Lampang Province is located in the northern region of Thailand.

The city of Lampang has 55 852 inhabitants. However (as of 2012) This refers only to the urban core. This has also made a densely populated surrounding areas. In the western and southern suburbs, which were combined to thesaban Mueang Nakhon Khelang (after the historical name Lampang ), live another 60,740 in the northeast bordering thesaban Mueang Phichai 12,850 inhabitants.

Geography

Lampang is located about 80 kilometers southeast of Chiang Mai in a vast plain of Maenam Wang, distance from the capital Bangkok is about 500 kilometers. The city is surrounded by forests and a scenic mountain landscape, the Khuntan mountains to the west and the Pi - Pan - Num mountains to the east. The town is enriched by horse-drawn carriages.

Climate

Lampang has a relatively dry climate. The "Winter" begins after the last monsoon showers in November and lasts until March. Cold air masses from Siberia sometimes lead (though relatively rare) to night temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. Winter is usually very dry, sunny, clear and quite pleasant during the day, cool and often foggy at night.

The summer lasts from March to June. In April, the temperatures rise to 40 degrees Celsius. In the afternoon there are more storms and showers.

The rainy season begins in June and lasts until November. Lampang is located outside the major monsoon winds and therefore does not suffer from the major floods that Chiang Mai often plagued in recent years.

Economy

• Rice cultivation
• Cotton
• Corn
• Ceramic production

Traffic

Airport

• Lampang airport

Educational institutions

• Rajabhat University, Lampang

History

Lampang was the capital of an eponymous Mon principality, which was founded in the 7th century. In the 11th century it came to the Khmer Empire, under King Mangrai to Lan Na. In the 16th century, the Burmese conquered the entire north of present-day Thailand, including Lampang. In the late 18th century Nan Thip Chang assassinated the local Burmese rulers in Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and drove in a riot the Burmese. The successor Nan Thip Chang, known as the Chao Ched Ton ( " the seven princes " ) was the ruler of the Lanna cities until the Lan Na kingdom under King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of Siam (Thailand) were annexed.

Attractions

While Lampang is easily accessible by train, bus or plane, it remained untouched by mass tourism, which has the character of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai changed so much. Tourists usually come only for a short stop and visit one of the famous Buddhist temple ( Wat ).

• Wat Phrathat Lampang Luang - built in the traditional Lanna style is one of the oldest surviving temples of Thailand and is known for its ancient wall paintings from the 19th century.
• Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao - one of the most revered temples in Thailand, built in 1680, nice wooden carvings in the Burmese style and an earthen elephant to remember that once the famous Emerald Buddha was held here in the 15th century.
• Wat Sri Bunrueang and Wat Pa Fang are two broad temple in Burmese style, which were extended in the late 19th century by a wealthy Thais.
• Wat Phra That Chedi Sao - The Temple of Twenty Chedis.
• The station building in the community Phichai was designed and built 1906-1912 by the German architect Karl Dohring.
• North of Lampang is the Thai Elephant Conservation Center
• Very popular with local tourists is the Wang Khaeo waterfall and the Chae Son National Park, where there are hot springs and larger waterfalls.