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! A B R A N T E S R & D I N T E R N A T I O N A L!

!is"ry of Lampan#

PHRA THAT LAMPANG LUANG HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE KIU LOM DAM

DISCOVERER

Lampang is a province older than 1300

years and flaunts a rich history. The city

of Lampang is famous for its horse-

drawn carriages and has a rooster as its

provincial emblem.

The history of Lampang boasts of

human settlements on the Wang River

basin, some of which date back to more

than 1000 years. It is rich in

archaeological findings reflecting the

earliest civilizations of Hariphunchai,

Lanna, and Burma.

Lampang Town was built in 680. As per

the Yonok historical record, a hermit

named Suphrom Ruesi planned a town

for Prince Anantayot, son of Queen

Jamadevi of Haripunchai’s Lamphune.

The town, at first named as Kelang

Nakorn, then changed into Nakorn

Lampang.

In Yonok Chiangsaen’s reign, Nakorn

Lampang was governed by Khmer. It

was later settled by Berma and Chaing

Mai in the period of King Thonburi

about 250 years ago. Later, Lord

Tipchang of Lampang has fought for

Lampang’s independence and was

recognized as Phraya Sulavalue-

chaisongkram, King of Lampang in

1736.

The history of Lampang also states that

in 1764 Prince Kaewfa, son of Lord

Tipchang, governed Lampang and was

the first ancestor of Na Lampang, Na

Lamphune, and Na Chiang Mai

families. Prince Boonyawat Vongmanit

was the last monarch of Lampang.

Lampang was recognized as a province

in Thailand in 1892 in the reign of King

Rama V. Visit Lampang and explore the

rich history of the province and the city.

Lampang (Thai !"#$%) is

one of the northern provinces

(changwat) of Thailand

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Lampang, in the north of Thailand, is

home to various cultural sights and

horse-drawn carriages. The medium-

sized province offers pleasant weather

that is typical in the north of Thailand

and has a rich, long history dating back

more than 1,000 years, encompassing

the ancient civilizations of Lanna,

Burma and Hariphunchai.

The provincial capital shares its name

with the province and is home to a host

of sights, including beautiful temples

with stunning architecture and

important Buddha statues.

The highlights of Lampang include Wat

Phra Kaeo Don, where the famous

Emerald Buddha was once located, and

Wat Si Rong Muang, an exquisite

Burmese temple to the west of the city.

There are several interesting sights

outside Lampang town. The Kiu Lom

Dam, originally built for irrigation, is

now a popular hotspot offering boating

and rafting. Spending a night on raft is

an option, while visiting nearby cliffs,

isles, and quaint fishing villages will

make your visit more worthwhile.

Other notable spots are the Thai

Elephant Conservation Center, where

you can watch elephant shows and even

feed these docile elephants. The Khun

Than mountain range features scenic

views of the surroundings. Nature

lovers can also visit the Tham Pha Thai

and the Chae Son national parks and the

spectacular Wang Kaeo waterfall, the

major places for relaxation in Lampang.

Lampang offers a wide range of

accommodations for tourists, while

there are numerous watering holes

located along the river. Local markets

and a few shopping centers are scattered

around the provincial capital, which can

easily be explored on foot or on a horse-

drawn carriage.

A Wisdom Archive on the Lampang Province

The City of Horse-drawn Carriages

SIGHTS

WAT MON PU YAK

WAT PONG SANOOK

WAT SI CHUM

WAT CHEDI SAO LANG

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Approximately an hour’s drive from

Chiang Mai, the Thai Elephant

Conservation Centre provides

treatments for sick and maimed

elephants. Under the Royal Patronage,

the 500-hectare sanctuary is the only

elephant hospital in the world. Captured

wild and discarded out-of-work

domesticated elephants are looked after

here.

The center, whose main objective is to

conserve Thai elephants, works on a

variety of academic and veterinary

projects such as Biogas Producing

System from Elephant dung, an

Education Center for Veterinary

Students, Elephant Sperm Bank Project,

Elephant adoption, Elephant Nursery

Center, and Elephant Mobile Clinic.

Visitors can watch elephant shows, have

a ride on an elephant’s back, join an

elephant trek, or even spend some days

learning about elephants.

The latter is a program called the

“mahout training program.” This 10-day

internship program offers elephant

lovers to experience the life of a mahout

and his elephant. Participants will stay

at the same house as the mahout and

join in various communal activities

from bathing an elephant to learning

how to instruct the elephant to haul

logs. The program also includes

cooking and dining in northern Khan

Tok style.

Thai Elephants Conservation Centre (!"#$%&#'()*+%,-./01$) is the only facility in the world

devoted to the training of elephants for timber work using these pachyderms as laborers. You

can watch performances and training demonstrations.

ACTIVITY

ELEPHANT ARTIST

ELEPHANTS SHOWERING

ELEPHANTS WORKING

ELEPHANTS PARADE

To see the elephants in action, please click here.

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THAI ELEPHANTS CONSERVATION CENTRE

EDITED BY

PARICHART THONGPARKDEE ABRANTES

MBA IN MANAGEMENT AND BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE VISIT

WWW.ABRANTES.ORG