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Ubon Ratchathani ( th, อุบลราชธานี, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan (with Khorat/
Nakhon Ratchasima Nakhon Ratchasima ( th, นครราชสีมา, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, known as the "big four of Isan". The city is commonly known as Korat (, ), a shortened form of its name. It is the governmental seat o ...
,
Udon Thani Udon Thani ( th, อุดรธานี, ) is a city in Isan (Isan, Northeast Thailand), the capital of Udon Thani Province and with a population of approximately 430,000 in its urban area the 7th largest city in the country. The city municip ...
, and
Khon Kaen Khon Kaen ( th, ขอนแก่น, ) is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, also known as the "big four of Isan", the others being Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Ubon Ratchathani. It is the capital of Khon Kaen province and ...
), also known as the "big four of Isan." The city is on the
Mun River The Mun River ( th, แม่น้ำมูล, , ), sometimes spelled ''Moon River'', is a tributary of the Mekong River. It carries approximately of water per year. Geography The river begins in the Khao Yai National Park area of the Sank ...
in the southeast of the Isan region of Thailand, and is located away from
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populatio ...
. It is known as Ubon () for short. The name means "royal lotus city". Ubon is the administrative center of Ubon Ratchathani Province. As of 2006, the Ubon Ratchathani urban area had a population of about 200,000. This included 85,000 in Thetsaban Nakhon Ubon Ratchathani (Ubon municipality), 30,000 each in Thetsaban Mueang Warin Chamrap (Warin municipality) and Thetsaban Tambon Kham Yai, 24,000 in Thetsaban Tambon Saen Suk, 10,000 each in Thetsaban Tambon Pathum and Tambon Kham Nam Saep, and 6,000 in Thetsaban Tambon Ubon.


History

The city was founded in the late 18th century by Thao Kham Phong, descendant of Phra Wo and Phra Ta, who escaped from King Siribunsan of Vientiane into the Siam Kingdom during the reign of King
Taksin King Taksin the Great ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช, , ) or the King of Thonburi ( th, สมเด็จพระเจ้ากรุงธนบุรี, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; April 17, ...
the Great. Later, Thao Kham Phong was appointed to be "" (Thai: พระประทุมวงศา) and the first ruler of Ubon Ratchathani. In 1792, Ubon Ratchathani became a province and was also the administrative center of the
monthon ''Monthon'' ( th, มณฑล) were administrative subdivisions of Thailand at the beginning of the 20th century. The Thai word ''monthon'' is a translation of the word ''mandala'' (', literally "circle"), in its sense of a type of political for ...
Isan. Until 1972, Ubon Ratchathani was the largest province of Thailand by area. Yasothon Province was split off from Ubon Ratchathani Province in 1972, followed by Amnat Charoen Province in 1993. Ubon Ratchathani Province now ranks fifth in area. The city was attacked by French forces during the 1940
Franco-Thai War The Franco-Thai War (October 1940 – January 28, 1941, th, กรณีพิพาทอินโดจีน, Krṇī phiphāth xindocīn; french: Guerre franco-thaïlandaise) was fought between Thailand and Vichy France over certain areas o ...
. Ubon grew extensively during World War II when Japanese forces brought in prisoners of war by rail from
Kanchanaburi Kanchanaburi ( th, กาญจนบุรี, ) is a town municipality (''thesaban mueang'') in the west of Thailand and part of Kanchanaburi Province. In 2006 it had a population of 31,327. That number was reduced to 25,651 in 2017. The town ...
, the survivors of the
Burma Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...
. One legacy of this is a monument in the city's central Thung Si Meuang Park, erected by
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
prisoners of war in gratitude to the citizens of Ubon Ratchathani for assisting them. During the Vietnam War, United States armed forces constructed
Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility located near the city of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province. It is approximately 488 km (303 miles) northeast of Bangkok. The Laos border is about di ...
, which is now also a dual-use
commercial airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface ...
. Some of the city's religious buildings show the influence of Lao architecture. The city has branches of the
National Archives of Thailand The National Archives of Thailand (NAT) ( th, สำนักหอจดหมายเหตุแห่งชาติ; ) is a Thai government agency under the Fine Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture. It was established in 1916 (B.E ...
and National Museum of Thailand. The world-famous meditation teacher
Ajahn Chah Chah Subhaddo ( th, ชา สุภัทโท, known in English as Ajahn Chah, occasionally with honorific titles ''Luang Por'' and ''Phra'') also known by his honorific name "Phra Bodhiñāṇathera" ( th, พระโพธิญาณเถ ...
, teacher of
Ajahn Sumedho Luang Por Sumedho or Ajahn Sumedho ( th, อาจารย์สุเมโธ) (born Robert Karr Jackman, July 27, 1934) is one of the senior Western representatives of the Thai forest tradition of Theravada Buddhism. He was abbot of Amara ...
, was born in Ubon Ratchathani.


Geography

The elevation is . It is from Bangkok. Ubon Ratchathani sits on the north bank of the
Mun River The Mun River ( th, แม่น้ำมูล, , ), sometimes spelled ''Moon River'', is a tributary of the Mekong River. It carries approximately of water per year. Geography The river begins in the Khao Yai National Park area of the Sank ...
. The south bank of the river is occupied by the suburb of Warin Chamrap (Warin for short), which is effectively incorporated into the city.


Climate

Ubon Ratchathani has a
tropical wet and dry climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of ...
( Köppen climate classification ''Aw''). Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April with an average daily maximum of . The monsoon season runs from late April to October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.


Festivals

Ubon Ratchathani is best known for its annual Candle Festival, held in July to mark the beginning of the rainy season retreat for
Buddhists Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gr ...
, Wan Khao Phansa, also called Buddhist Lent. One day prior, candles are taken to Thung Si Mueang, the central park in the middle of the city; the park is decorated and exhibited in the evening. On the same evening, there are many smaller processions during which candles are carried to practically all Buddhist temples in Thailand. The main procession in Ubon Ratchathani takes place early the next morning.


Sights and attractions

The province is known for its strong Buddhist tradition, particularly the practice of monks dwelling in the forest ( th, พระธุดงค์ ''Phra thudong'', pilgrimage, lit. "hiking monk").
Wat Nong Pah Pong ''Wat Nong Pah Pong'' (Generally shortened to: ''Wat Pah Pong'', Thai: วัดหนองป่าพง) is a Theravada Buddhist monastery in Ubon Ratchathani Province, (Amphoe) Warin Chamrap, Thailand. It was established by the late Ajahn C ...
, for example, is a Buddhist forest monastery in the Thai Forest Tradition, which was established by Venerable
Ajahn Chah Chah Subhaddo ( th, ชา สุภัทโท, known in English as Ajahn Chah, occasionally with honorific titles ''Luang Por'' and ''Phra'') also known by his honorific name "Phra Bodhiñāṇathera" ( th, พระโพธิญาณเถ ...
Subhaddo in 1954. Ajahn Chah's style of teaching and personality had a notable ability to reach people of other nationalities. Many foreigners came to learn from, train under, and be ordained by Ajahn Chah.
Wat Pa Nanachat Wat Pah Nanachat ( th, วัดป่านานาชาติ; ''Bung Wai International Forest Monastery'') is a Thai Theravada Buddhist monastery in northeast Thailand about 15 kilometres from the city of Ubon Rachathani. It was established ...
(International Forest Monastery) was established in 1975. It currently has over fifty monks representing twenty-three nationalities. Other Buddhist temples in and around the city include ''Wat Thung Si Mueang'' ( th, วัดทุ่งศรีเมือง), in the center of the city, featuring an old wooden library on stilts in a small lake, and ''Wat Nong Bua'' near the
Big C Big C ( th, บิ๊กซี ซูเปอร์เซ็นเตอร์), is a grocery and general merchandising retailer headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. Big C is as of 2016 Thailand's second-largest hypermarket operator after Lotus's ...
mall, featuring a chedi modelled on
Bodh Gaya Bodh Gaya is a religious site and place of pilgrimage associated with the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Gaya district in the Indian state of Bihar. It is famous as it is the place where Gautama Buddha is said to have attained Enlightenment ( pi, ...
in India.


Education


High schools

There are two major high schools in the central part of Ubon Ratchathani. These two schools are more than 100 years old.
Benchama Maharacha School
(Thai: เบ็ญจะมะมหาราช), which offers an English language stream.
Narinukun School
which offers an English language stream. *Ave Maria School. * Assumption School, next to the ''Tesco-Lotus'' store on Chayangkun Road is a private Catholic school.


Higher education

* Ubon Ratchathani University, a rural campus south of the city, but accessible by two
songthaew A songthaew ( th, สองแถว, , two rows, , ; lo, ສອງແຖວ, ; ms, dua baris) is a passenger vehicle in Thailand and Laos adapted from a pick-up or a larger truck and used as a share taxi or bus. Overview The songthaew tak ...
routes. * Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University, an upgraded technical college just north of the central city. *Ratchathani University, a private university with a large campus between the km5 post on the Ring Road and the Mun River. * Mahachulalongkorn Ratchawitthayalai University is a Bangkok Buddhist university with a small campus on ''Wat Mahawanaram'' in the city, and a new and much larger, but isolated campus in Tambon Krasop, northeast of the Ring Road. *North Eastern Polytechnic College, with a campus on Chayangkun Road near the Big C Mall. *Ubon Polytechnic College, with a campus on Chongkonnithan Road west of the city centre. *Ratchathani Technology Vocational College, north of the Ring Road on Ubon 2 Road. * Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, while Bangkok-based, operates the small ''Sun Witthaya Phatthana Ubon Ratchathani centre'' next to the National Archives, a block west of the Ring Road. *Ubon Ratchathani Technical College is near SK Mall. *Ubon Ratchathani Vocational College, on Phrommarat Road in the city centre. *Boromarajonani College of nursing Sappasithipasong, a block east of Sapphasit Prasong hospital.


Notable people

* Parinya Saenkhammuen (born 1983), footballer * Mina Tanaka (born 1994), Japanese footballer


Transportation


Airport

As well as being a commercial facility,
Ubon Ratchathani Airport Ubon Ratchathani Airport ( th, ท่าอากาศยานอุบลราชธานี) is an airport in the capital district of Ubon Ratchathani, in Ubon Ratchathani Province, Northeastern Thailand. It currently serves as both a c ...
(IATA: UBP) is also an active
Royal Thai Air Force "Royal Thai Air Force March" , mascot = , anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day) , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles ...
(RTAF) base, the home of 2nd Air Division/21st Wing Air Combat Command. During the Vietnam War, US and Australian squadrons were based here.


Bus terminal

The town's main bus station is in the northwest of the city, on the Ring Road (Highway 231), west of its intersection with Chayangkun Road (Highway 212) on the outskirts of the city and close to Big C store. Nakhonchai Air operates its own private bus terminal just across from the main bus station.


Railway terminal

The eastern terminus of the north-eastern railway line from Hua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok's central station, is in Warin Chamrap. The rail-head reached Warin in April 1930. The terminal station is called Ubon Ratchathani, but is in Warin Chamrap municipality, which is south of Ubon Ratchathani.


Sister cities

* Rome, Italy * Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo * Paris, France *
Kigali Kigali () is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is near the nation's geographic centre in a region of rolling hills, with a series of valleys and ridges joined by steep slopes. As a primate city, Kigali has been Rwanda's economic, cultu ...
, Rwanda


Gallery

File:Watnongbua1.jpg, Chedi, Wat Nong Bua File:Tungsrimuanglibrary.jpg, Library, Thung Si Mueang temple File:Songthaew1.jpg, Songthaew near Thung Si Mueang File:Ubon Nightmarket.jpg, Night market File:Carving candle.jpg, Candle festival


References


External links

* * {{Authority control Isan Populated places in Ubon Ratchathani province