Small province in North Thailand with a rich history
Lamphun is a small Northern province of valleys, mountains, forests and historical sights. Its agriculture consists mainly of rice farming and longan orchards. The provincial seal shows the chedi of its most highly revered temple, the Wat Phra That Haripunchai.
The capital of the province, also called Lamphun, is a small town with a relaxed atmosphere situated on the banks of the Kuang river in a valley surrounded by mountains.
One of Thailand’s oldest towns, Lamphun is rich in historical sights from several era’s. A number of monuments date back to the towns founding like the Ku Chang-Ku Mah chedis, that according to legend enshrine the remains of two animals that belonged to the town’s founder.
The town was founded by Queen Chama Thewi, believed to be a Princess of the Lavo Kingdom from Lopburi. A large bronze statue of her in the Nong Dok public park honors the Queen to this day.
According to ancient chronicles the city was founded much earlier in the year 661 when a hermit named Suthewa Rusi requested Chama Thewi to found a new city and establish Buddhism in the area. A statue of the hermit stands in front of the Lamphun town hall.
In 1281 King Mengrai of the Lanna Kingdom conquered the city and incorporated Haripunchai into Lanna. The Lamphun area was under the control of the Burmese for over two centuries until the end of the 18thcentury.
Taxi
The most comfortable way to get to Lamphun is by private taxi. Hiring one for 4 hours to visit sights in the Chiang Mai and Lamphun area would cost around 800 to 1,000 Baht excluding fuel. Agree on price, duration of the trip and places to visit before leaving.
Train
Lamphun is easily reached by train from Chiang Mai. The 22 kilometer trip takes 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of service. Fares for 1st, 2nd and 3rd class are 21, 11 and 5 Baht respectively. For more info, visit the website of the State Railway of Thailand. The Lamphun train station is located North of the town center. To get to the sights, take a songthaew, a converted pick up truck with benches in the back.
Bus
Lamphun is a small Northern province of valleys, mountains, forests and historical sights. Its agriculture consists mainly of rice farming and longan orchards. The provincial seal shows the chedi of its most highly revered temple, the Wat Phra That Haripunchai.
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| Ku Chang chedi |
One of Thailand’s oldest towns, Lamphun is rich in historical sights from several era’s. A number of monuments date back to the towns founding like the Ku Chang-Ku Mah chedis, that according to legend enshrine the remains of two animals that belonged to the town’s founder.
History of Lamphun
The town of Lamphun is believed to have been founded in the early 9thcentury. It was the capital of the Haripunchai Kingdom, a Mon Kingdom in North Thailand. Then called Haripunchai, the town was bordered on the East side by the Kuang river and surrounded by a moat and defensive walls on the other three sides.The town was founded by Queen Chama Thewi, believed to be a Princess of the Lavo Kingdom from Lopburi. A large bronze statue of her in the Nong Dok public park honors the Queen to this day.
According to ancient chronicles the city was founded much earlier in the year 661 when a hermit named Suthewa Rusi requested Chama Thewi to found a new city and establish Buddhism in the area. A statue of the hermit stands in front of the Lamphun town hall.
In 1281 King Mengrai of the Lanna Kingdom conquered the city and incorporated Haripunchai into Lanna. The Lamphun area was under the control of the Burmese for over two centuries until the end of the 18thcentury.
Getting to Lamphun
Lamphun is located some 670 kilometers North of Bangkok and 40 kilometers South of Chiang Mai. The town can easily be visited as a day trip from Chiang Mai.Taxi
The most comfortable way to get to Lamphun is by private taxi. Hiring one for 4 hours to visit sights in the Chiang Mai and Lamphun area would cost around 800 to 1,000 Baht excluding fuel. Agree on price, duration of the trip and places to visit before leaving.
Train
Lamphun is easily reached by train from Chiang Mai. The 22 kilometer trip takes 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of service. Fares for 1st, 2nd and 3rd class are 21, 11 and 5 Baht respectively. For more info, visit the website of the State Railway of Thailand. The Lamphun train station is located North of the town center. To get to the sights, take a songthaew, a converted pick up truck with benches in the back.
Bus
Busses to Lamphun leave from Chiang Mai’s Chang Puak station near the South city gate. The trip takes around one hour, the fare is 25 Baht.
Read more details
http://www.renown-travel.com/north/lamphun.html
Read more details
http://www.renown-travel.com/north/lamphun.html
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