View source for Lampang

{{about|the city|the province|Lampang province}}
{{redirect|Khelang Nakhon|the municipality|Khelang Nakhon (city/town/village)}}
{{Distinguish|Lampung}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name               = Lampang
| native_name        = ลำปาง
| native_name_lang   = th
| official_name      = Lampang City Municipality<br />เทศบาลนครลำปาง<br />{{Script|Lana|ᩅ᩠ᨿᨦᩃᩣᩴᨻᩣ᩠ᨦ}}
| settlement_type    = [[List of municipalities in Thailand|City Municipality]]
| image_skyline      = Nakhon Lampang Railway Station สถานีรถไฟ นครลำปาง (Dec 2021) IMG 02.jpg
| image_caption      = [[Nakhon Lampang railway station]]
| image_flag         = Flag of Lampang Municipality.png
| image_map          = Location Lampang town.png
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Location in [[Northern Thailand]]
| pushpin_map        = Thailand
| pushpin_label_position = Right
| pushpin_map_alt    = 
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in [[Thailand]]
| coordinates        = {{coord|18|18|N|99|30|E|region:TH|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{Flag|Thailand}}
| subdivision_type1  = [[Provinces of Thailand|Province]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Lampang province|Lampang]]
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
| founder            = 
| seat_type          = 
| seat               = 
| government_footnotes = 
| leader_party       = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Punnasin Maninant
| unit_pref          = Metric<!-- or US or UK -->
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
<!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->| area_footnotes     = <!-- square kilometers -->
| area_total_km2     = 22.17
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| elevation_m        = 
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 58074
| population_as_of   = 2010
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym = 
| population_note    = 
| timezone1          = [[Time in Thailand|ICT]]
| utc_offset1        = +7
| timezone1_DST      = 
| utc_offset1_DST    = 
| postal_code_type   = 
| postal_code        = 
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbers in Thailand|Area code]]
| area_code          = (+66) 54
| iso_code           = 
| website            = {{URL|lampangcity.go.th}}
| footnotes          = 
| government_type    = City Municipality
| leader_title1      = Vice Mayor
| leader_name1       = 
| subdivision_type2  = [[Districts of Thailand|District]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Mueang Lampang district|Mueang Lampang]]
| image_seal         = Seal of Lampang.png
| other_name         = {{Script|Lana|ᩃᩣᩴᨻᩣ᩠ᨦ}}
}}
{{Contains special characters|Lanna}}'''Lampang''', also called '''Nakhon Lampang''' ({{Langx|nod|ᩃᩣᩴᨻᩣ᩠ᨦ}}; {{langx|th|นครลำปาง}}, {{IPA|th|náʔkʰɔːn lampaːŋ|pron}}) 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 is a trading and transportation center. Lampang lies {{cvt|601|km}} north of Bangkok and {{cvt|101|km}} southeast of Chiang Mai.{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Lanna- Thai lampang.svg
| picsize = 160px
| piccap = "Lampang" in [[Thai language]] (top) and<br/>[[Northern Thai language|Northern Thai]] with [[Tai Tham script]] (bottom)
| tha = ลำปาง
| rtgs = Lampang
| lang1 = [[Northern Thai language|Northern Thai]]
| lang1_content = {{Script|Lana|ᩃᩣᩴᨻᩣ᩠ᨦ}}<br/><small>(Lam phuang)</small>
}}

==Geography==
[[File:Wang River at Lampang.jpg|thumb|340x340px|Wang River]]
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 River|Chao Phraya]], flows through the city. The city lies mainly on the south side of Wang River, although 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.

==History==
[[File:Lampanghorses0005a.jpg|thumb|Horse carriages in Lampang|250x250px]]

Lampang was a major city in the [[Lanna]] kingdom.<ref>"Historic Lampang", in: Forbes, Andrew, and Henley, David, ''Ancient Chiang Mai'' Volume 4. Chiang Mai, Cognoscenti Books, 2012. ASIN: B006J541LE</ref>  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 the [[Ava Kingdom|Ava]] Burmese and [[Ayutthaya Kingdom|Ayudhya]] during the 17th-18th century, the region was in decline, severely depopulated, and subject to Burmese control.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

In the late 18th century, the famed marksman and Lampang native Nan Thipchang [[assassin]]ated 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 the vassal rulers of the various Lanna cities until the annexation of Lanna into Siam (Thailand) proper under King [[Chulalongkorn]] (Rama V).<ref>[http://www.thapra.lib.su.ac.th/objects/thesis/fulltext/thapra/Kiriya_Chayakul/Fulltext.pdf Burmese-influenced Architecture in Lampang]</ref>

=== Modern history ===
During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the region experienced a growth in [[teak]] logging. Lampang later became home to [[Louis T. Leonowens|Louis Leonowens]], who operated teak plantations around Lampang. During the [[Ngiao rebellion|Ngiao Rebellion]], Lampang was attacked by 200 Shan rebels led by Phaka Mong on 3 August 1902. Prior to this, the ruler of Lampang assembled a force of 1,000 and Leonowens had organized defences around the town.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Bristowe |first=W. S. (William Syer) |url=http://archive.org/details/louiskingofsiam0000bris |title=Louis and the King of Siam |date=1976 |publisher=London : Chatto & Windus |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-7011-2164-8}}</ref> They were also reinforced by 54 policemen from Chiang Mai led by Danish captain Hans Markvard Jensen.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=[เรื่องเล่ารัฐฉาน ล้านนา ล้านช้างและสยามประเทศ] #นายร้อยเอก เอช.มาร์ค เยนเซ่น ชาวเดนมาร์ค ซึ่งเดินทางเข้ามาเป็นครูฝึกตำรวจในเมืองแพร่ ได้ร่วมกับนายตำรวจยศร้อยโทและพลตำรวจอีก ๕๔ นาย ซึ่งทราบข่าวพวกกบฏเงี้ยวได้จับตัวพระยาไชยบูรณ์ ข้าหลวงประจำเมืองแ |url=https://www.blockdit.com/posts/5f55864ab68eab0ca0726ace |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=www.blockdit.com}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":3" />

In 1894, 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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Newsroom |first=T. A. T. |date=2019-09-13 |title=Living history in Lampang |url=https://www.tatnews.org/2019/09/living-history-in-lampang/ |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=TAT Newsroom |language=en-US}}</ref>

==== World War II ====
During [[World War II]], Lampang became an important location for Japanese operations as the main Japanese headquarters in Thailand, as well as the target of Allied bombings. In 1942, a squadron of [[P-40 Tomahawk|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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-08 |title=The Forgotten Legacy of World War Two in Northern Thailand |url=http://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/citylife-articles/the-forgotten-legacy-of-world-war-two-in-northern-thailand/ |access-date=2023-10-06 |website=Chiang Mai Citylife |language=en-US}}</ref> The Allied forces also attempted to bomb the Ratsadaphisek Bridge to disrupt Japanese operations.<ref name=":0" />[[File:Nakhon Lampang Railway Station สถานีรถไฟ นครลำปาง (Dec 2021) IMG 03.jpg|thumb|[[Nakhon Lampang railway station]]|250x250px]]

==Climate==
{{Unsourced|section|date=August 2022}}
Lampang has 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 {{cvt|10|C}}, 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 is often marred by the practice of burning the fields after the harvest, as well as the [[smog]] generated by Mae Mo [[Fossil fuel power station|coal-fired power plants]].

Summer typically runs from March until June. The temperature could soar to {{cvt|40-43|C}} 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 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.

{{Weather box|width=auto
| location     = Lampang (1991–2020, extremes 1951-present)
| metric first = Yes
| single line  = Yes
|Jan record high C = 36.9
|Feb record high C = 40.0
|Mar record high C = 42.5
|Apr record high C = 44.0
|May record high C = 43.6
|Jun record high C = 41.1
|Jul record high C = 38.6
|Aug record high C = 37.6
|Sep record high C = 38.2
|Oct record high C = 37.8
|Nov record high C = 36.5
|Dec record high C = 36.0
|year record high C = 44.0
|Jan record low C = 3.9
|Feb record low C = 8.1
|Mar record low C = 11.5
|Apr record low C = 17.2
|May record low C = 18.5
|Jun record low C = 21.9
|Jul record low C = 21.2
|Aug record low C = 21.2
|Sep record low C = 19.6
|Oct record low C = 14.1
|Nov record low C = 7.1
|Dec record low C = 3.7
|year record low C = 3.7
|Jan high C = 	31.8
|Feb high C = 	34.6
|Mar high C = 	37.3
|Apr high C = 	38.4
|May high C = 	36.0
|Jun high C = 	34.5
|Jul high C = 	33.6
|Aug high C = 	33.0
|Sep high C = 	33.1
|Oct high C = 	32.6
|Nov high C = 	32.1
|Dec high C = 	30.7
| year high C =
|Jan mean C = 	22.6
|Feb mean C = 	24.9
|Mar mean C = 	28.2
|Apr mean C = 	30.2
|May mean C = 	29.2
|Jun mean C = 	28.6
|Jul mean C = 	28.0
|Aug mean C = 	27.5
|Sep mean C = 	27.3
|Oct mean C = 	26.5
|Nov mean C = 	24.7
|Dec mean C = 	22.4
| year mean C =
|Jan low C = 	15.6
|Feb low C = 	16.9
|Mar low C = 	20.5
|Apr low C = 	23.8
|May low C = 	24.4
|Jun low C = 	24.6
|Jul low C = 	24.3
|Aug low C = 	24.0
|Sep low C = 	23.2
|Oct low C = 	22.5
|Nov low C = 	19.4
|Dec low C = 	16.2
| year low C =
|precipitation colour = green	
|Jan precipitation mm = 	14.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 	8.7
|Mar precipitation mm = 	27.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 	69.7
|May precipitation mm = 	176.4
|Jun precipitation mm = 	119.7
|Jul precipitation mm = 	139.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 	202.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 	209.7
|Oct precipitation mm = 	106.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 	21.3
|Dec precipitation mm = 	10.9
| year precipitation mm = 	1107.2
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 	1.0
|Feb precipitation days = 	1.0
|Mar precipitation days = 	2.5
|Apr precipitation days = 	5.0
|May precipitation days = 	12.3
|Jun precipitation days = 	11.1
|Jul precipitation days = 	13.0
|Aug precipitation days = 	15.4
|Sep precipitation days = 	14.9
|Oct precipitation days = 	8.4
|Nov precipitation days = 	2.1
|Dec precipitation days = 	1.1
|year precipitation days = 	87.8
|Jan humidity = 	71.2
|Feb humidity = 	62.2
|Mar humidity = 	57.4
|Apr humidity = 	60.1
|May humidity = 	71.7
|Jun humidity = 	75.5
|Jul humidity = 	77.4
|Aug humidity = 	81.0
|Sep humidity = 	82.8
|Oct humidity = 	82.1
|Nov humidity = 	78.0
|Dec humidity = 	75.0
| year humidity = 	72.9
 | Jan dew point C = 16.2
 | Feb dew point C = 15.9
 | Mar dew point C = 17.6
 | Apr dew point C = 20.5
 | May dew point C = 22.8
 | Jun dew point C = 23.4
 | Jul dew point C = 23.3
 | Aug dew point C = 23.6
 | Sep dew point C = 23.8
 | Oct dew point C = 22.9
 | Nov dew point C = 20.1
 | Dec dew point C = 17.1
 | year dew point C = 20.6
|Jan sun = 272.8
|Feb sun = 257.1
|Mar sun = 294.5
|Apr sun = 243.0
|May sun = 198.4
|Jun sun = 156.0
|Jul sun = 120.9
|Aug sun = 117.8
|Sep sun = 144.0
|Oct sun = 182.9
|Nov sun = 216.0
|Dec sun = 254.2
|year sun = 
|Jand sun = 8.8
|Febd sun = 9.1
|Mard sun = 9.5
|Aprd sun = 8.1
|Mayd sun = 6.4
|Jund sun = 5.2
|Juld sun = 3.9
|Augd sun = 3.8
|Sepd sun = 4.8
|Octd sun = 5.9
|Novd sun = 7.2
|Decd sun = 8.2
|yeard sun = 6.7
|source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organization]]<ref name=WMOCLINO>{{cite web
| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Thailand/CSV/Lampang_48328.csv
| title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020
| publisher = World Meteorological Organization
| access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department (sun 1981–2010)<ref name=RID>{{cite web
| url = http://water.rid.go.th/hwm/cropwater/CWRdata/ETo/ETo_PenMon_2554.pdf
| title = ปริมาณการใช้น้ำของพืชอ้างอิงโดยวิธีของ Penman Monteith (Reference Crop Evapotranspiration by Penman Monteith)
| publisher = Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department 
| page = 17
| language = th
| access-date = 31 July 2016}}</ref>(extremes)<ref name=TMD1>{{cite web
| url = http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75
| title = Climatological Data for the Period 1981–2010
| publisher = Thai Meteorological Department
| accessdate = 4 August 2016
| archive-date = 26 December 2018
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035029/http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75%0A
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
}}

==Economy==
<!-- Please don't mix town, Amphoe Mueang and province, currently it's all the same as Lampang Province#Economy. -->

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 the local populations.{{Citation needed|date=November 2016}} 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 the old growth teak stands in Lampang had been thoroughly harvested.

==Culture==
Lampang, also called "mueang rot ma" in Thai, meaning "horse carriage city", is considered by some Thais as the last paradise in Thailand.{{Citation needed|date=November 2016}} It is about {{cvt|100.|km}} to the southeast of [[Chiang Mai Province|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 [[carriage]]s in regular use for transportation. One account attributes 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 a branch of [[Thammasat University]].

== Health ==
The main hospital of Lampang is [[Lampang Hospital]], operated by the [[Ministry of Public Health (Thailand)|Ministry of Public Health]].

==Transportation==
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 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 International Airport|Don Mueang]]) (Oct 2015).

==Landmarks and tourist attractions==
[[File:Wat Phradhart Lampangluang.jpg|thumb|301x301px|Wat Phradhart Lampangluang]]
[[File:Lampang - elephant train.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Elephant train in  Thai Elephant Conservation Center,Hang chat district Lampang, Thailand]]
Tourists typically stop by for lunch and visit the more famous attractions such as Wat Phra That Lampang Luang and the [[National Elephant Institute|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 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.<ref>{{cite video |people=Kyaw Thein Kha, The Irrawaddy |date=2010-09-16 |title=Burmese Architecture in Lampang (English Subtitle) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz8eqPM3RNg  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/uz8eqPM3RNg| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|language=my |publisher=The Irrawaddy |location=Lampang |access-date=2010-09-18 }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Traditional [[Lanna]] architecture can be found at [[Wat Phra That Lampang Luang]], on 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 the Ko Kha District.

Mae Mo mine is a vast [[open-pit mining|open pit]] [[lignite]] mine in the [[Mae Mo District|Mae Mo]] basin. The mine and the adjoining [[power station|power generation facilities]] are operated by [[EGAT]]. The power plant is a major source of electric power for Thailand.

Lampang is known for its [[Lampang horse carriage|horse-drawn carriages]], which were introduced in 1916 and remain popular with tourists.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rai |first=Mai Pen |date=2011-01-02 |title=Lampang’s Horse Carriages |url=https://sanuksanuk.wordpress.com/2011/01/03/a-horse-carriage-ride-to-wat-sri-chum-in-lampang/ |access-date=2022-08-10 |website=Sanuk |language=en}}</ref>

==Education==
Lampang has a number of educational institutions, including kindergartens, primary, secondary and vocational schools. Schools teach in the English, Thai, and Chinese languages. Lampang also has a number of universities: Lampang Rajabhat University, Rajmangala University of Technology, [[Nation University (Thailand)|Nation University]] (formerly Yonok) and a satellite campus of Thammasat University. Lampang College of Commerce and Technology (LCCT) and Lampang International Technical College (LIT) are well known schools which teach technology.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Wikivoyage-inline|Lampang}}
{{Commons category|Lampang}}

{{Metropolitan cities of Thailand}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities and towns in Thailand]]
[[Category:Populated places in Lampang province]]