Mukdahan ( th, มุกดาหาร, ) is a town (''
thesaban mueang
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 ...
'') and
capital
Capital may refer to:
Common uses
* Capital city, a municipality of primary status
** List of national capital cities
* Capital letter, an upper-case letter Economics and social sciences
* Capital (economics), the durable produced goods used f ...
of
Mukdahan Province, which became
Thailand's 73rd province in 1982. In the northern region of the country, on the right (west) bank
Mekong River, it was formerly a district of
Nakhon Phanom Province. The
population of the municipal area was 180,600 in 2010. Mukdahan is 645 km northeast of Bangkok.
Etymology
The city was established at the mouth of Muk Creek ( th, ห้วยมุก) and named ''Mukdahan'' from ''Kaeo Mukdahan'', derived from the following:
*''Kaeo'' แก้ว noun or adjective: glass other than sheet glass; a glass, a tumbler; gem-like, precious, exquisite.
*''Muk'' มุก noun: mother-of pearl; nacre.
*''Da'' ดา verb intransitive: to advance along a wide front
*''Han'' หาร verb intransitive or transitive: to divide; to be divided.
History
Prehistoric paintings and other archaeological discoveries show that the area of Mukdahan was the site of ancient communities. The modern history of the city begins late in the
Ayutthaya Era (1350-1767). In the years 1767–1770, Prince
Kinnari, son of Prince Suriwong, ruler in Ban Luang Phonsim of
Savannakhét
Savannakhet (ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ), officially named Kaysone Phomvihane ( lo, ໄກສອນ ພົມວິຫານ; th, ไกสอน พมวิหาน) since 2005 and previously known as ''Khanthaboury'' (ຄັນທະ ...
, established a settlement at the mouth of Muk Creek, across the
Mekong from Savannakhét. In the reign of King
Taksin, 1768–1782, Prince Kinnari received appointment as ''Phraya Chandara Sri Surat'' with a rank equivalent to
viceroy. In
1893
Events
January–March
* January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America.
* Mark Twain started writing Puddn'head Wilson.
* January 6 – Th ...
, Savannakhét District of Mukdahan was ceded to
France.
[Ho Kaeo Mukdahan Museum Brochure]
Climate
Mukdahan has a
tropical savanna climate (
Köppen climate classification ''Aw''). Winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is hot with the average daily maximum at . The
monsoon season runs from late-April through early-October, with heavy rains and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.
Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge
The
Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, across the Mekong to
Savannakhet,
Laos
Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist ...
was completed in December 2006.
Ho Kaeo Mukdahan
Ho Kaeo Mukdahan ( th, หอแก้วมุกดาหาร), or Mukdahan Tower, is an
observation tower 65.5 metres in height, constructed in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the king's accession to the throne.
*1st Floor—Art and Culture Museum
*2nd Floor—History and Culture of eight ethnic tribes of Mukdahan
:*
Tai Kha ( th, ไทยข่า)
:*
Tai Kha Soe
Tai or TAI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain
*Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film ''Clueless''
*Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon''
Businesses and organisations ...
( th, ไทยกะโซ่)
:*
Tai Kha Lerng
Tai or TAI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain
*Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film '' Clueless''
* Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon''
Businesses and organisati ...
( th, ไทยกะเลิง)
:*
Isan Peoples ( th, ชาวไทยอิสาน)
:*
Tai Yor
Tai or TAI may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Tai (comics) a fictional Marvel Comics supervillain
*Tai Fraiser, a fictional character in the 1995 film '' Clueless''
*Tai Kamiya, a fictional character in ''Digimon''
Businesses and organisatio ...
( th, ไทยย้อ)
:*
Tai Saek ( th, ไทยแสก)
:*
Tai Kula ( th, ไทยกุลา)
:*
Phu Tai ( th, ชาวผู้ไทย)
*3rd-5th Floors—Pillar of the tower
*6th Floor—360° Observation deck
*7th Floor—A
silver Buddha image in the
meditation position called ''Phra Buddhanavamingmongkol'' ( th, พระพุทธนวมิ่งมงคลดาหาร), and the Buddha image for each day of the week
References
External links
*
Populated places in Mukdahan province
Laos–Thailand border crossings
Populated places on the Mekong River
Cities and towns in Thailand
Isan
{{Borders of Thailand