Lopburi ( Thai : ลพบุรี , RTGS : Lop Buri , pronounced [lóp bū.rīː] ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand . It is about 150 kilometres (93 mi) northeast of Bangkok . It has a population of 58,000. The town ( thesaban mueang ) covers the whole tambon Tha Hin and parts of Thale Chup Son of Mueang Lopburi District , a total area of 6.85 km.
49-534: The city has a history dating back to the Dvaravati period more than 1,000 years ago. According to the Northern Chronicles, Lavo was founded by Phraya Kalavarnadishraj, who came from Takkasila (Modern Day Tak, Thailand ) in 648 CE. According to Thai records, Phraya Kakabatr from Takkasila (it is assumed that the city was Tak or Nakhon Chai Si ) set the new era, Chula Sakarat in 638 CE, which
98-481: A Bhagadatta and ended by a Sundaravarman and his sons Narapatisimhavarman and Mangalavarman. But at that time, the 12th century, Dvaravati began to come under constant attacks and aggressions of the Khmer Empire and central Southeast Asia was ultimately invaded by King Suryavarman II in the first half of the 12th century. Hariphunchai survived its southern progenitors until the late 13th century, when it
147-485: A bronze chandelier, earrings , bells and cymbals . Lampang Lampang , also called Nakhon Lampang ( Thai : นครลำปาง , pronounced [náʔkʰɔːn lampaːŋ] ) to differentiate from Lampang province , is the third largest city in northern Thailand and capital of Lampang province and the Mueang Lampang district . Traditional names for Lampang include Wiang Lakon and Khelang Nakhon. The city
196-454: A branch of Thammasat University . The main hospital of Lampang is Lampang Hospital , operated by the Ministry of Public Health . The city is an important highway hub, with a four lane highway link to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai , as well as a major highway to Phrae and the eastern Lanna provinces. Lampang is roughly a 1.5 hour bus ride to Chiang Mai . Nakhon Lampang railway station is
245-585: A bronze gun acquired by the Burmese in 1767, when Ayuthia, Siam's capital at the time, fell to an invading Burmese force, the Burmese still referred to Ayutthaya as Dvaravati. Several genetic studies published in the 2020s also founded the relations between the Mon people and Siamese people (Central Thai people) who were the descendants of the Ayutthaya. The culture of Dvaravati was based around moated cities,
294-580: A relative rain shadow, Lampang receives less precipitation than neighboring provinces and rarely suffers from the flooding which has plagued Chiang Mai in recent years. Besides the traditional rice paddy farming, pineapple, and sugarcane constitute major food crops in Lampang Province. The province has a large deposit of lignite in Mae Moh district, fuelling several coal-fired electricity generating plants, whose pollution has severely affected
343-409: A relatively dry climate relative to nearby provinces. "Winter" starts after the last rains, typically November, and lasts until March. Cold air masses from Siberia sometimes lead to nighttime temperatures below 10 °C (50 °F), 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
392-554: A son of Prathivindravarman, father of Bhavavarman I of Chenla , which shows the royal lineage relation between Dvaravati and Chenla. However, the name of such a king was missing. The other king was mentioned in the Nern Phra Ngam inscription, found in Nakhon Pathom province , dated mid 5th – mid 6th centuries CE but the name was missing as well. The following is a list of rulers of Dvaravati. Dvaravati itself
441-773: A stop for the Chiang Mai-bound train, approximately 10 hours from Bangkok. Lampang Airport is served by Bangkok Airways (three flights daily to Suvarnabhumi Airport ) and Nok air (four flights daily to Don Mueang ) (Oct 2015). 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 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
490-787: Is Route 1 ( Phahonyothin Road ), which starts in Bangkok , and continues through Lopburi, Chai Nat , Nakhon Sawan , Kamphaeng Phet , Tak , Lampang , Chiang Rai , and the border with Burma at Mae Sai . Route 311 leads west to Sing Buri , and Route 3196 leads south-west to Ang Thong . Lopburi is a station of the State Railway of Thailand 's Northern Line , forming the end of Bangkok's suburban service. Train service from Bangkok railway station (Hua Lamphong) in Bangkok usually takes about 2 hours. The third class train costs less than $ 1 and
539-408: Is a great way to experience the local culture and the "Real Thailand". Lopburi had a short-lived tramway system , operating between 1955-1962. It was the only provincial tramway system outside Bangkok. The Khok Kathiam Air Force Base is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) northeast of the town. Today, the city is best known for the thousands of long-tailed macaques ( Macaca fascicularis ) that live in
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#1732776433039588-675: Is a trading and transportation center. Lampang lies 601 km (373 mi) north of Bangkok and 101 km (63 mi) southeast of Chiang Mai. Lampang city is in the valley of the Wang River , bordered by the Khun Tan Range on the west and the Phi Pan Nam Range on the east. The river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya , flows through the city. The city lies mainly on the south side of Wang River, although
637-586: Is known about the administration of Dvaravati. It might simply have been a loose gathering of chiefdoms rather than a centralised state, expanding from the coastal area of the upper peninsula to the riverine region of Chao Phraya River . Hinduism and Buddhism were significant. The three largest settlements appear to have been at Nakhon Pathom , Suphanburi , and Praak Sriracha, with additional centers at U Thong , Chansen, Khu Bua , Pong Tuk, Mueang Phra Rot, Lopburi , Si Mahosot, Kamphaeng Saen , Dong Lakhon, U-Taphao, Ban Khu Mueang, and Si Thep . According to
686-521: Is often marred by the practice of burning the fields after the harvest, as well as the smog generated by Mae Mo coal-fired power plants . Summer typically runs from March until June. The temperature could soar to 40–43 °C (104–109 °F) in April. Late afternoon thunderstorms and hailstorms are frequent. Rainy season runs from June until November, and significant rain may occur in May as well. Being in
735-604: Is referred to as "Lo-ho" in chapter 20 of the History of Yuan (元史 : Yuán Shǐ ), the official history of the Mongol, or Yuan Dynasty of China. Due to a scribal error in Book III of Marco Polo's travels treating of the route southward from Champa , where the name Java was substituted for Champa as the point of departure, Java Minor was 1,300 miles to the south of Java Major , instead of from Champa, on or near an extension of
784-616: The Ava Burmese and Ayudhya 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 Thipchang assassinated the local Burmese leader in Wat Phra That Lampang Luang , and led an uprising which led to a rollback of Burmese rule over Lanna. Allied with Bangkok , the descendants of Nan Thipchang, known as Chao Ched Ton (the seven princes), became
833-713: The Khmer Empire access to trade going through the Kra Isthmus . There is some evidence the Khmer Empire, under Suryavarman II , fought against the Mons in the 12th century over suzerainty . Lopburi sent embassies to China in 1115 and 1155. Lopburi (Lavo) is described in Book III of Marco Polo 's Travels , where it is called Locach . This came from the Chinese (Cantonese) pronunciation of Lavo, "Lo-huk". The city
882-635: The Ratsadaphisek Bridge across the Wang river was opened and became the longest bridge in Thailand at the time. However, the flow of logs down the Wang caused damage to the bridge until the current version was completed in 1917. On 1 April 1916, the first train arrived at Nakhon Lampang Railway Station, which was then the northernmost train station in Thailand. During World War II , Lampang became an important location for Japanese operations as
931-535: The Terra Australis . As explained by Sir Henry Yule , the editor of an English edition of Marco Polo's Travels : "Some geographers of the 16th century, following the old editions which carried the travellers south-east of Java to the land of Boeach (or Locac), introduced in their maps a continent in that situation". After the foundation of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century, Lopburi
980-419: The 6th century to the 11th century, located in the region now known as central Thailand , and was speculated to be a succeeding state of Lang-chia or Lang-ya-hsiu ( หลังยะสิ่ว ). It was described by Chinese pilgrims in the middle of the 7th century as a Buddhist kingdom named To-lo-po-ti situated to the west of Isanapura ( Cambodia ), to the east of Sri Ksetra ( Burma ), and adjoined Pan Pan in
1029-626: The 9-year civil wars in the Angkor in the early 11th century, which led to the devastation of Lavo , as well as the Pagan invasion of Menam Valley around the mid-11th century. All of these potentially are the causes of the fall of the Dvaravati civilization. However, a new kingdom, Ayutthaya , was subsequently founded southward on the bank of the Chao Phraya River in 1351, as
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#17327764330391078-615: The Chinese record during the Tang Dynasty , Dvaravati has two vassal kingdoms, including Tou Yuan (陀垣) near the present- Chanthaburi , and an island kingdom Tanling (曇陵), whose exact location remains unknown. The excavation in several sites found silver coins dated the 7th century that mentioned the king and queen of the kingdom written in Sanskrit with Pallava script : śrīdvaravatīsvarapunya (King Sridvaravati, who has great merit) and śrīdvaravatīsvaradevīpuṇya (the goddess of
1127-550: The Dvaravati Civilization to the Menam Valley around 3000 BCE, which continued to the presence of a "Proto-Dvaravati" period that spans the 4th to 5th centuries, and perhaps earlier. The rise of the Angkor in the lower Mekong basin around the 11th–13th centuries, the Menam Valley and the upper Malay peninsula conquered of Tambralinga 's king Sujita who also seized Lavo in the mid-10th century,
1176-611: The Ko Kha District. Mae Mo mine is a vast open pit lignite mine in the Mae Mo basin. The mine and the adjoining power generation facilities are operated by EGAT . The power plant is a major source of electric power for Thailand. Lampang is known for its horse-drawn carriages , which were introduced in 1916 and remain popular with tourists. Lampang has a number of educational institutions, including kindergartens, primary, secondary and vocational schools. Schools teach in
1225-594: The South. Its northern border met Chia-lo-she-fo , which was speculated to be either Kalasapura , situated along the coast of the Bay of Bengal somewhere between Tavoy and Rangoon , or Canasapura in modern northeast Thailand . Dvaravati sent the first embassy to the Chinese court in around 605–616. Dvaravati also refers to a culture, an art style, and a disparate conglomeration of principalities of Mon people . The Mon migrants as maritime traders might have brought
1274-656: The Wang Kaeo Waterfall and the Chae Son National Park , a compact park which combines a natural hot spring 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 in Lampang. Traditional Lanna architecture can be found at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang , on
1323-514: The city, especially around the Khmer temple, Prang Sam Yot and a Khmer shrine, Sarn Phra Karn . It is suspected that urban expansion caused the monkeys to adapt to city life. They are fed by the local people, especially during the annual Monkey Festival . This festival usually occurs on the last Sunday of November. The monkeys can be aggressive, are not afraid of humans, and often steal whatever items or food they can find from unwary visitors. Most of
1372-412: The earliest of which appears to be U Thong in what is now Suphan Buri Province . Other key sites include Nakhon Pathom , Phong Tuk , Si Thep , Khu Bua and Si Mahosot , amongst others. Legends engraved on royal urns report the following kings: Suryavikrama (673-688), Harivikrama (688-695), Sihavikrama (695-718). A Khmer inscription dated 937 documents a line of princes of Canasapura started by
1421-467: The fractions was discovered probably the center of Dvāravatī. The traditional chronology of Dvaravati is mainly based on the Chinese textual account and stylistic comparison by art historians. However, the results from excavations in Chan Sen and Tha Muang mound at U-Thong raise questions about the traditional dating. Newly dated typical Dvaravati cultural items from the site of U-Thong indicate that
1470-507: The horse-drawn carriage to the Portuguese, via Macau , although a more likely origin is colonial Burma . Lampang was an important center of the 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
1519-549: The hotels and guesthouses in Lopburi are "monkey-proofed" using screen wire or sealed windows. In the city, signs are posted reading: To prevent monkeys attacking people, the officer will feed monkeys in 3 designated areas outside San Phrakan twice a day, at 10am and 4pm. Those who want to feed monkeys other than these times, please contact the officer or caretaker During the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic , lack of tourists prompted hungry monkeys to harass local residents. To address
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1568-530: 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 had a large stand of teak . Many elephants were employed to transport the logs to the river for transport to Bangkok, hence the founding of an "elephant school", the predecessor of the Thai Elephant Conservation Center. Much of
1617-665: The main Japanese headquarters in Thailand, as well as the target of Allied bombings. In 1942, a squadron of P-40 Tomahawks belonging to the American Flying Tigers were supposed to bomb Lampang, but mistook Lamphun for Lampang and returned back after seeing no troop movements in Lamphun. The Allied forces also attempted to bomb the Ratsadaphisek Bridge to disrupt Japanese operations. Lampang has
1666-399: The meritorious King Dvaravati). In addition, the copper plate dating from the 6th–mid 7th centuries found at U Thong also mentions King Harshavarman (หรรษวรมัน), who was assumed by Jean Boisselier to be one of the kings of Dvaravati, while George Cœdès considered the plate was brought from the Khmer Empire , and the name mentioned might be the Khmer king as well. However,
1715-416: The name Lavapura is on silver coins inscribed "lava" on the obverse and "pura" on the reverse in a Pallava-derived script of the seventh or eighth century; several such coins were recovered in 1966 from a hoard found in an ancient jar in U Thong . Inscriptions say that Lopburi was incorporated into the administration structure of the Khmer Empire during the reign of Suryavarman I . Control of Lopburi gave
1764-426: The north-east. Lopburi has a tropical savanna climate ( Köppen climate classification Aw ). Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at 36.8 °C (98.2 °F). The monsoon season runs from late April through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm. The main road through Lobpuri
1813-544: The old growth teak stands in Lampang had been thoroughly harvested. 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 about 100 km (62 mi) to the southeast of Chiang Mai . Although well-connected by rail, and four lane highways to both Bangkok and Chiang Mai, it is here that tourists can still find horse-drawn carriages in regular use for transportation. One account attributes
1862-574: The old parts of the city had been originally developed in the north side of it. Nowadays, downtown Lampang has grown in the southeast of the river along Bunyawat and Pahon Yothin Roads. Lampang was a major city in the Lanna kingdom. However, its historical prominence is largely overshadowed by Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai which were the traditional seats of government, and whose histories were well recorded in chronicles. Following decades of warfare with both
1911-466: The periods seem unrelated since King Harshavarman I of Khmer reigned from 910–923, 200 years later than the age of the inscription, and Harshavarman I's grandfather was Indravarman I , not Isanavarman as the inscription mentioned. Moreover, the inscription found in Ban Wang Pai, Phetchabun province (K. 978), dated 550 CE, also mentions the enthronement of the Dvaravati ruler, who was also
1960-399: The problem, the government implemented a mass roundup and sterilization program in 2024. Within five months, 1,600 of the estimated 3,000 monkeys had been captured for neutering. 14°48′0″N 100°37′37″E / 14.80000°N 100.62694°E / 14.80000; 100.62694 Dvaravati Dvaravati ( Thai : ทวารวดี ) was a medieval Mon political principality from
2009-537: The ruler of Lampang assembled a force of 1,000 and Leonowens had organized defences around the town. They were also reinforced by 54 policemen from Chaing Mai led by Danish captain Hans Markvard Jensen. The following battle resulted in the defeat of the Shans, however Chao Bunwatwongse, Lampang's ruler, was evacuated to Chiang Mai over fears of another attack but returned to Lampang on August 7. In 1894,
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2058-583: The site of 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 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
2107-674: The starting point of the tradition of Dvaravati culture possibly dates as far back as 200 CE. Archaeological, art historical, and epigraphic (inscriptions) evidence all indicate, however, that the main period of Dvaravati spanned the seventh to ninth centuries. Dvaravati culture and influence also spread into Isan and parts of lowland Laos from the sixth century onward. Key sites include Mueang Fa Daet in Kalasin Province , Sema [ th ] in Nakhon Ratchasima Province , and many others. Little
2156-534: The succeeded state, as its capital's full name referred to the Kingdom of Dvaravati; Krung Thep Dvaravati Si Ayutthaya ( Thai : กรุงเทพทวารวดีศรีอยุธยา ). All former Dvaravati principalities, Lavo, the northern cities of the Sukhothai Kingdom , and Suphannabhumi, was later incorporated to the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1388, 1438, and the mid-15 century, respectively. According to an inscription on
2205-512: The vassal rulers of the various Lanna cities until the annexation of Lanna into Siam (Thailand) proper under King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the region experienced a growth in teak logging. Lampang later became home to Louis Leonowens , who operated teak plantations around Lampang. During the Ngiao Rebellion , Lampang was attacked by 200 Shan rebels led by Phaka Mong on 3 August 1902. Prior to this,
2254-526: Was a stronghold of Ayutthaya's rulers. It became the capital of the kingdom during the reign of King Narai the Great in the mid-17th century and the king resided there about eight months a year. Lopburi lies on the Lopburi River at an elevation of 20 metres (66 ft) mostly surrounded by alluvial plains , although some hills rise to between 300 metres (980 ft) and 600 metres (2,000 ft) to
2303-494: Was heavily influenced by Indian culture, and played an important role in introducing Buddhism and particularly Buddhist art to the region. Stucco motifs on the religious monuments include garudas , makaras , and Nāgas . Additionally, groups of musicians have been portrayed with their instruments, prisoners, females with their attendants, soldiers indicative of social life. Votive tablets have also been found, also moulds for tin amulets , pottery, terracotta trays, and
2352-596: Was incorporated into Lan Na . The term Dvaravati derives from coins which were inscribed in Sanskrit śrī dvāravatī . The Sanskrit word dvāravatī literally means "that which has gates". According to the inscription N.Th. 21 found in 2019 in Wat Phra Ngam in Nakhon Pathom, dated the 6th century, three regional cities were mentioned, including Śrīyānaṁdimiriṅga or Śrīyānaṁdimiriṅgapratipura, then Hastināpurī and Dvāravatī, which made Nakhon Pathom where
2401-554: Was the era used by the Siamese and the Burmese until the 19th century. His son, Phraya Kalavarnadishraj founded the city a decade later. Lopburi, or Lavapura as it then was, was under the rule of the rising Angkor regime and became one of the most important centers in the Chao Phraya Basin from then on. Epigraphic evidence indicates that the dominant population of the city was Mon . The earliest confirmed occurrence of
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