Chanuman ( th, ชานุมาน, ) is the northeasternmost district (''

amphoe An amphoe (sometimes also ''amphur'', th, อำเภอ, )—usually translated as "district"—is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Groups of ''amphoe'' or districts make up the provinces, and are analogous to countie ...

'') of Amnat Charoen province, northeastern Thailand (Isan).

History

Mueang Mueang ( th, เมือง ''mɯ̄ang'', ), Muang ( lo, ເມືອງ ''mɯ́ang'', ; Tai Nuea: ᥛᥫᥒᥰ ''muang''), Mong ( shn, ''mə́ŋ'', ), Meng () or Mường (Vietnamese), were pre-modern semi-independent city-states or principali ...

'' Chanuman Monthon was established in 1879. As it was a subordinate ''mueang'' of Ubon Ratchathani, it became a district of Ubon Ratchathani Province during the ''Thesaphiban'' administrative reform. Later the city fell into an economic crisis and people migrated to other regions. In 1912 Prince Sapphasitthiprasong downgraded it to a minor district ('' king amphoe'') and made it a subordinate of Khemarat District. It was upgraded to a district again in 1958. In 1993 it was one of the districts that formed the new province, Amnat Charoen.

Etymology

The district's name came from

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

from both sides of the Mekong: ''Yak Sa Lue Khue'' or ''Yak Ku'', a villain ogre who ran out of energy and knelt on the ground, causing holes of various sizes and shapes on the district's land. The term ''Chanuman'', refers to 'ogre's knee'.

Geography

Chanuman is 85 km (52 mi) from Mueang Amnat Charoen district and 680 km (422 mi) from Bangkok. Neighboring districts are (from the southeast clockwise): Khemarat of Ubon Ratchathani province; Pathum Ratchawongsa and Senangkhanikhom of Amnat Charoen Province; Loeng Nok Tha of

Yasothon province Yasothon province ( th, ยโสธร, ), one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (''changwat''), lies in central northeastern Thailand also called Isan. The province was established by the revolutionary council of Field Marshal Thanom Kittika ...

; and

Don Tan Don Tan (, ) is the southeasternmost district (''amphoe'') of Mukdahan province, northeastern Thailand. History Originally Don Tan was a ''tambon'' of Mukdahan district, Nakhon Phanom province. Don Tan was upgraded to a minor district ('' kin ...

of Mukdahan province. To the east across the Mekong River is Salavan province of

Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...

. The important water resource is the Mekong. It is the only district of the province that is on the Mekong and is a border town.

Administration

The district is divided into five sub-districts (''

tambon ''Tambon'' ( th, ตำบล, ) is a local governmental unit in Thailand. Below district (''amphoe'') and province (''changwat''), they form the third administrative subdivision level. there were 7,255 tambons, not including the 180 ''khwaeng'' ...

s''), which are further subdivided into 59 villages (''

muban Muban ( th, หมู่บ้าน; , ) is the lowest administrative sub-division of Thailand. Usually translated as 'village' and sometimes as 'hamlet', they are a subdivision of a tambon (subdistrict). , there were 74,944 administrative mu ...

s''). Chanuman is a township (''

thesaban tambon Thesaban ( th, เทศบาล, , ) are the municipalities of Thailand. There are three levels of municipalities: city, town, and sub-district. Bangkok and Pattaya are special municipal entities not included in the ''thesaban'' system. The mu ...

'') which covers parts of ''tambon'' Chanuman. There are a further five tambon administrative organizations (TAO).

Local tradition

The parade of Yak Ku, who is the origin of the district's name. which comprise quite a number of locals painting their faces like Yak Ku and competing among others humorously. It is a new festival to promote tourism. Apinan Buahapakdee (story & photos), อำนาจเจริญ เมืองน่ารัก เมืองหน้ายักษ์...ชานุมาน (From a lovely town to the tale of Chanuman), Osotho, Vol. 59 Issue 12 (July 2019).

Notable people

* Angkhanang Khunchai: luk thung singer * Am Cholticha: luk thung singerชลธิชานุมาน
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References

External links

amphoe.com
(Thai) Chanuman {{AmnatCharoen-geo-stub