UDON THANI

Udon Thani

Udon Thani

Udon Thani

Udon Thani

Udon Thani

Udon Thani

Udon Thani

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Located 546 kilometers from Bangkok, Udon Thani was once a flourished community dating back to period Nowadays,it stands as a hub of transport and communications of the upper Northeast with several tourist destinations and facilities.

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.

Attractions:

Nong Prachak located within the province, the lake is centered by an islet arranged as a public park with a great variety of trees and flowers. It is a popular place for recreation among the townspeople.

Na Kha Village 16 kilometers from the province on Udon Thani-Nong Khai route (the Highway 2), the village is famous for its hand woven cloth called "Khit" of which various types of products are made and also put on sale.

Udon Saeng Tawan (Sunshine) Orchid Garden located in Soi Kamol Watthana on Udon-Nong Samrong route, the garden produces and puts on sale a new species of Thai scented orchid called "Undon Sunshine".

Phra Phutthabat (Holy Footprint) Bua Bok enshrined at the foot of the Khao (Mount) Phu Phan ten Kilometers west of Amphoe Ban Phu, which is itself some fifty kilometers from Udon proper, is greatly revered by the people. Celebrations are held from March 11 to 15 each year to pay respect to the 40-meter tall pagoda housing the Holy Footprint and a piece of Holy Relic.

Phu Phra Bat Historical Park covers the entire area of the Phra Phutthabat Bua Bok which is around 1,200 acres. Rocks of different sizes and shapes dot the beautiful landscape, with caves and caverns. Pre-historic paintings over cliff faces have been discovered, although many leave only the faintest of traces. Nature-loving trekkers may take a hike around the area, which takes around two hours.

Ban Chiang National Museum Located at Ban Chiang, Tambon Ban Chiang, Amphoe Nong Han, it comprises two parts. The first part stores antiques. Inside the building, old artifacts, ancient Ban Chiang culture, tools and utensils that show ancient technology and surroundings, as well as earthenware pots from 4,000 to 7,500 years old, are displayed. The second part comprises an open museum in the compound of Wat Po Si Nai. The Fine Arts Department has retained the conditions of archaeological excavations to show how earthenware pots, and other items were buried along with the dead. Ban Chiang National Museum is considered the first open museum in Thailand. As for the ''Ban Chiang'' earthenware pots, they are known world-wide because ''Ban Chiang" was the origin of a pre-historic civilization many years ago. Archaeologists believe the designs on Ban Chiang earthenware are the oldest pot designs in the world.

Travelling to Ban Chiang National Museum is very easy. It is only fifty-six kilometers from Amphoe Muang. The route runs along Highway 22 and turns left onto Highway 2225 at kilometer 50 there, a road sign indicates the way to Ban Chiang which is six kilometres away. The museum is open to the general public every day, expect Mondays and Tuesdays, from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. The admission fee is 20 baht. The museum has a parking area. Toilets and village shops are located nearby.