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Lampang

Lampang Province located in the north of Thailand, some 375 miles from Bangkok and 62 miles from Chiang Mai, at the intersection of the highways of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.  It takes up 12,533 sqkm, and is divided administratively into 13 districts – Muang, Thoen, Mae Phrik, Ngao, Ko Kha, Wang Nuea, Mae Tha, Chae Hom, Sop Prap, Seom Ngam, Hang Chat, Mae Mo, and Mueang Pan. Going clockwise from the north, it shares borders with the following provinces – Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothia, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. It is located in the wide river valley of the Wang River, on the right bank of the river, with mountain ranges on all sides, with the 1697m Doi Luang being the highest peak. The province is not necessarily high on the list of tourists to Thailand, as is better known for its mining operations and the production of ceramics, but it has a fascinating history worth exploring further.
 
Lampang boasts a long history of human habitation, going back some 1000 years, concentrated in the Wang River basin. There is significant architectural evidence dating from the ancient civilistions of Lanna, Burma, and Hariphunchai. Over history, Lampang was first part of the Haripunchai Kingdom of the Mon, until the 11th Century when the Khmer Empire occupied the region. It first became part of the then Lanna Kingdom in 1292 when King Mengrai of Lannathai incorporated the entire Haripuncha Kingdom into his own. Following the fall of the Lanna Empire, Lampang fell under Burmese rule until it finally became part of Thailand, then Siam, in 1774. In 1892, it became a Thai province in its own right.
 
The emblem of the state is a white rooster, pictured in the entrance to the Phra That Lampang Luang temple – legend has it that when the lord Buddha visited the province, the god Indra was concerned that people would not get up to pay their respects to Buddha, so he turned into a white rooster to ensure that they were all wakened in time!
 
The city of Lampang boasts two unique features – it is the only place in Thailand that still uses horse-drawn carriages as an everyday mode of transport, and it is the only place in the world with a training school for baby elephants!
Getting To Lampang
By Road
From Bangkok, take Highway 1, until the turn off for Highway 32, which takes you to Nakhon Sawan via Sing Buri and Chai Nat. The road then becomes Highway 1 again, and you can travel all the way to Lampang via Kamphaeng Phet and Tak, a total distance of 375 miles. There is a regular bus service – both air conditioned and non air conditioned - that departs from the Northern Bus Terminal in Bangkok. There are also regular buses from Chiang Mai.
 
By Train
There are six trains per day that connect Lampang with Bangkok and Chiang Mai.
 
By Plane
Thai Airways International operates one flight per day to Lampang from Bangkok, and PB Air has two daily flight services.


Things to See and Do in Lampang
 
  1. Temples
There are numerous temples to visit in Lampang – here are some of the finest: Wat Chai Mongkhon is a stunning building, the main feature of which is the monks’ living quarters, with a Burmese style wooden roof, and whose columns are decorated with golden wires and coloured glass. Inside the building is a bronze Buddha statue that was coast in Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma); Wat Si Rong Mueang is located on the west side of town, and is a Burmese style temple constructed just over 100 years ago, at a period when the region was the commercial and forestry centre of the region. In the complex are several wooden features, and there are some elaborate carvings, and coloured glass; Wat Phra That Sadet is located about 12 miles from Lampang on the road to Ngao. It is believed to have been build 500 years ago by Queen Chamthevi; Wat Phra That Mon Phaya Chae is just a short journey from Lampang, and the main feature of the temple is the long stairway which leads up to the chedi in which is enshrined a Holy relic; Wat Pa Fang, on Sanam Bin Road, was constructed during the reign of King Rama IV by the Burmese, and one of its main features is a glittering golden chedi, which contains a holy relic which was brought to Thailand from Myanmar in 1906. The preaching hall of the complex is made completely out of wood, and the ubosot has a Burmese style wooden feature over its roof. Many Burmese monks live here; Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, on Phra Kaeo Road was home to the Emerald Buddha for 32 years, which is now found in the Royal Palace complex in Bangkok, and other interesting features include a large 50m high chedi which contains a hair of the Lord Buddha, as well as an ancient vihan in which there is a reclining Buddha, and a museum showcasing ancient Lanna relics; Wat Phra That Chom Ping is an old temple, whose unique feature is the reflections of the chedi’s natural colours which can be seen on the floor of the dark ubosot; Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, 12 miles to the south west of the town is a model of Lanna architecture. Positioned on a hill, and surrounded by walls, the temple complex includes a golden chedi containing a holy relic, a vihan which has a bronze Buddha stature, and a second vihan which is believed to be the oldest in northern Thailand; Wat Chedi Sao Lang is a monastery just over a mile from the town centre. If you approach from the highway, you can see a collection of 20 pagodas in the middle of a rice field, which are designed in a Lanna – Burmese style.
 
  1. National Parks
There are several national parks in the province, all offering spectacular scenery and some opportunities for hiking and other outdoor pursuits. The Doi Khun Than National Park, which houses the mountain range of the same name, forms the border between Lampang and neighbouring Lamphung province. The northern rail line that leads to Chiang Mai also passes through the park, through the longest rail tunnel in Thailand, which takes five minutes to pass through.  The park covers an area of 225sqkm.  The mountains are covered in both pine forest and virgin jungle. It is possible to camp overnight in the park (be sure to bring your own food as there is nowhere to purchase provisions once you are here). The best time to visit this national park is between November and February, when temperatures are not too high and rainfall is minimal. Chae Son National Park, in the Mueang Pan district some 45 miles from Lampang town, is a lush mountainous and forested area, with hot springs, where water temperatures reach around 80 degrees and the six level Chae Son Waterfall, where the water falls in a vertical jet. The hot spa park offers bathing facilities and the water is said to have curative properties for skin ailments. Accommodation and camping sites are available. Tham Pha Thai National Park, located between Ngao and Mueang districts, about 37 miles from the provincial capital, is home to a number of caves, each with their own unique features. 
 
  1. Horse drawn Carriages
Lampang is the only remaining province in Thailand where horse-drawn carriages are used as an everyday means of transport within the town. Visitors can hire these vehicles to tour the city and visit the attractions. 
 
  1. Thai Elephant Conservation Centre
Located in the Tung Kwian forest park in Hang Chat district, 24 miles from Lampang on the way to Chiang Mai, this is the first and only elephant training school in Thailand and in fact in the whole world, dedicated towards the training of elephants for work in the timber industry. There are two shows put on each morning, at 9.30am and 11am, with extra shows put on at 1.30pm at weekends and on festival days. Visitors can also join in the training sessions, and ride the elephants around the area to see the natural surroundings. 

  1. Kiu Lon Dam
Located 24 miles from town on the Lampang-Ngao road, and then a further nine miles towards the Royal Irrigation department, the Kiu Lom Dam was constructed for irrigation purposes, but also have a scenic reservoir where boating and rafting are popular pastimes – you can even stay overnight on a raft! Bungalow accommodation is also available, but you ened to send a letter to the Royal Irrigation department in advance.
 
  1. Chao Pho Pratu Pha Shrine
The Chao Pho Pratu Pha Shrine can be found about 31 miles from town on the Lampang-Ngao raod, close to the 650km market. The shrine is considered a sacred place by locals, and you can usually see many offerings around the site – passers by also tend to honk their horns or set off firecrackers as a mark of respect.    The legend tells us the Chao Pho Pratu Pha was a brave warrior and right hand man to the King of Lampang, who fought off the Burmese and died mid-fight with his swords still in his hands.
 
  1. Ban Chang Luang
Ban Chang Luang houses an extensive collection of wood carvings, and is also a training establishment for local people wanting to learn traditional skills to provide them with an occupation. 
 
  1. Local Products
There are numerous local products that visitors are able to buy. Hand woven cotton in a variety of patterns designed by various villages in the Muang district are popular buys, and there are several different weaving mills and shops in the region. In Tambon Na Krhua, in the Mae Tha District, wood-carving is a major industry, and many local people still earn a living by carving wooden animal figures. Lampang has long since been renowned for its ceramics industry and the ceramics and terracotta produced here are the best in the country, and the province is the centre of the industry in Thailand.  Paper production is another cottage industry, and the production of “sa” paper made from a soft wood is centred on the village of Ban Nam Thong. The paper is used to make into parasols, lampshades, and decorative flowers.




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