Udon Thani province
Udon Thani (Thai
อุดรธานี) is one of the north-eastern
provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nong Khai, Sakon Nakhon,
Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Nongbua Lamphu
and Loei.
Geography
Udon Thani is located in the heart of the Khorat Plateau. It is
located between Khon Kaen and Nong Khai on the railway line that goes north
from Khorat to the border of Laos, Vientiene. The provincial capital, which we'll just call Udorn ("Ooh-dorn") to prevent
confusion, is Thailand's fifth-largest MSA. In English, Udon/Udorn can be spelled
either way.
History
The province is most famous for the archeological site Ban Chiang with its
remains of the Bronze age, located in what is now a hamlet about 85 miles east
of Udorn. Udorn is one of the more bustling markets for agricultural goods in the relatively dry northeast of Thailand, and
received its biggest economic boost in the 1960s when the US built a joint-force military base there during the Vietnam War (the Mel Gibson film Air America refers to Udorn and includes shots from the Udorn military base).
The U.S. turned the base over to the Thai military in 1976, but there were three significant afteraffects of the base's US
presence. First, a number of the natives in the area were paid well and learned English, which helped them become more marketable
to the outside world (a significant percentage of the more educated group now work in the Middle East oilfields). Second, the
base created ties, including a US Consulate in Udorn which was closed in 1995, and a VFW (veterans of foreign wars) Post.
Finally, the base and the consulate caused the city to be viewed as a regional hub, and this impression has continued.
Symbols
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The provincial seal shows a Hindu mythological giant (yaksha in Thai yak),
referring to Thao Kuwane (Vaishravana or kuvera), the god of the North.
The provincial tree is the Teng (Shorea obtusa), and the provincial flower is the Flame of the forest (Butea monosperma).
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Administrative divisions
The province is subdivided into 18 districts (Amphoe) and 2 minor districts
(King Amphoe). The districts are further subdivided into 155 communes (tambon) and 1682 villages.
| Amphoe |
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King Amphoe |
- Mueang Udon Thani
- Kut Chap
- Nong Wua So
- Kumphawapi
- Non Sa-at
- Nong Han
- Thung Fon
- Chai Wan
- Si That
|
- Wang Sam Mo
- Ban Dung
- Ban Phue
- Nam Som
- Phen
- Sang Khom
- Nong Saeng
- Na Yung
- Phibun Rak
|
- Ku Kaeo
- Prachaksinlapakhom
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External links
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