Lampang, or Nakhon Lampang, is an ancient town located between Chiang Mai and Sukhothai in northern Thailand. Lampang was originally a Mon settlement (Mon is a people from Lower Burma). It was founded by one of the twin sons of Queen Chamathewi, and was called Khelang Nakhon and later Lakhon when it was part of the Haripunchai kingdom.
Lampang is situated in the Wang valley bordered by the Khuntan Range on the west and the Pi-Pan-Num range on the east. The Wang river is a major tributary of the Chao Phraya. It flows directly through Lampang.
History of Lampang
The history of ancient Thailand is characterised by warfare among small states, and it is no different with Lampang. When Mon kingdom of Haripunchai was conquered by the Tai King Mangrai of Chiang Mai, its king Yi Ba retreated to Khelang Nakhon, where his son was king. There they prepared a retaliation on the Tai forces. However, they were defeated once more, and Khelang Nakhon was absorbed into the kingdom of Lanna.
From the middle of the 16th century to 1774, Lampang fell under Burmese occupation. In 1774, Prince Kawila of Lampang joined forces with Phraya Chaban of Chiang Mai, and with help from the Siamese troops of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, succeeded in defeating the Burmese army and ended two centuries of suppression. Kawila was enthroned as the king of Chiang Mai, and ruled the state as a vassal of Ayutthaya.
Wat Sri Chum in Lampang.
Tourist Attractions in Lampang
Although it is an ancient city with a lot of heritage attractions, Lampang has so far been spared from mass tourism which has altered the character of nearby cities such as Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai. Tourists typically stopover in Lampang on the way from Sukhothai to Chiangmai, just as we did too. Probably the most famous attraction in Lampang is the Thai Elephant Conservation Center and Wat Phra That Lampang Luang . Among the less well-known tourist attractions in Lampang are Wang Kaew waterfall and the Chae Son national park, a charming park with a natural hot spring and large waterfalls.
You will find that many of the temples in Lampang were built in the Burmese style, among them Wat Sri Boonreung and Wat Pa Fang. Traditional Lanna architecture can be found at Wat Phra That Lampang Luang. Wat Phra That Lampang Luang 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 Wanr River, is said to have housed the Emerald Buddha between 1436 and 1468.
Wat Sri Chum
Wat Sri Chum is a Burmese style monastery in Lampang, on Sri Chum Road. The monastery and the adjacent chedi are within a walled area set among coconut palms. The original usobot, or ordination hall, was built by craftsmen brought from Mandalay; unfortunately, it burned down in 1992. The replacement simply cannot compare to it in terms of refinement.
Another view of Wat Sri Chum in Lampang.
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