Udon Thani Province
| Udon Thani | ||
|---|---|---|
| Province | ||
| อุดรธานี | ||
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| Motto: กรมหลวงประจักษ์สร้างเมือง ลือเลื่องแหล่งธรรมะ อารยธรรมบ้านเชียงมรดกโลกห้าพันปี ธานีผ้าหมี่ขิด ธรรมชาติเนรมิตทะเลบัวแดง | ||
| Udon Thani in Thailand |
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| Coordinates: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. | ||
| Capital | Udon Thani | |
| Government | ||
| • Governor | Amnat Phakarat | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 11,730 km2 (4,530 sq mi) | |
| Population (2014) | ||
| • Total | 1,572,300[1] | |
| Human Development Index | ||
| • HDI (2010) | 0.810 (very high) (1st) | |
| Postal code | 41xxx | |
| Calling code | 042 | |
| Vehicle registration | อุดรธานี | |
| Accession into Kingdom of Thailand | 1868 | |
| Accession into Kingdom of Thailand | 1932 | |
| Website | http://www.udonthani.go.th | |
Udon Thani is a province (changwat) in northeast Thailand. It is bordered by the provinces of Nong Khai to the north, Sakon Nakhon to the east, Kalasin Province to the southeast, Khon Kaen to the south, and Loei and Nong Bua Lam Phu Province to the west. It occupies an area of 11,730 km².[2] The provincial capital is Udon Thani, the major city in the province.
Contents
Etymology
Udon Thani is said to mean "northern city". "Udon" is derived from "utara" in Sanskrit, meaning "northern direction", as Udon Thani is north of Bangkok. "Thani" means "city". Udon Thani was the capital city of Udon county, the northern region of Thailand.
History
Udon Thani first marked its name in the Bangkok era's history when Anuwong staged an uprising and marched Laotian troops to Nakhon Ratchasima during the period 1826–1828. Met with fierce resistance from the local troops led by Lady Mo, wife of the Nakhon Ratchasima governor. Anuwong was forced to retreat back to Nong Bua Lamphu, a city close to present-day Udon Thani. The Laotians eventually lost to Siam's troops and the Nong Bua Lamphu militia.[3]
Formerly known as Ban Mak-kaeng, Udon Thani was first settled as a military base established by Prince Prachak to crack down on an uprising in the northeastern state of Lao Puan. Ban Mak-kaeng has evolved from a rural city eventually into what is present-day Udon Thani.
The province is best known for the archeological site Ban Chiang and its Bronze Age remains, located in what is now a hamlet about 50 kilometres (31 mi) east of Udon. Udon 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 the Udon Royal Thai Air Force Base as a joint-force military base during the Vietnam War. The Mel Gibson film Air America depicts Udon and includes shots from the Udon base. Udon Thani was also the largest base in the region for the CIA's anti-communism campaign.[citation needed]
The US turned the base over to the Thai military in 1976, but there were three significant after-effects of the US presence. First, a number of the natives in the area were well paid 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 Udon, closed in 1995, and a US 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.
In recent years the province has received international attention due to the discovery of a large potash deposit in the area. Some anticipate that the region will become a major exporter of the mineral. The granting of the necessary approvals, however, has been substantially delayed due to public opposition to the mine. Many villagers who live directly above the proposed mine site have expressed concern that the company and its environmental impact assessment (EIA) have not adequately addressed concerns of salinization of groundwater and soil or land subsidence. Both would threaten the economic stability of local communities that rely primarily on income derived from rice farming.
Climate
| Climate data for Udon Thani (1981–2010) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.0 (86) |
32.4 (90.3) |
34.9 (94.8) |
36.3 (97.3) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.2 (91.8) |
32.6 (90.7) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.9 (89.4) |
31.6 (88.9) |
30.7 (87.3) |
29.1 (84.4) |
32.42 (90.37) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 16.5 (61.7) |
18.9 (66) |
21.9 (71.4) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.8 (76.6) |
25.0 (77) |
24.9 (76.8) |
24.6 (76.3) |
24.2 (75.6) |
22.9 (73.2) |
19.7 (67.5) |
16.4 (61.5) |
22.02 (71.63) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 6.3 (0.248) |
16.1 (0.634) |
39.3 (1.547) |
102.7 (4.043) |
199.3 (7.846) |
159.6 (6.283) |
145.8 (5.74) |
184.9 (7.28) |
235.0 (9.252) |
123.3 (4.854) |
20.0 (0.787) |
8.7 (0.343) |
1,241 (48.857) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1 mm) | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 21 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 118 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 65 | 63 | 60 | 63 | 74 | 78 | 78 | 81 | 81 | 76 | 69 | 67 | 71.3 |
| Source: Thai Meteorological Department (Normal 1981-2010), (Avg. rainy days 1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
Population and demographics
Udon Thani's geographic position in the north of northeastern Thailand and its proximity to the Laotian capital, Vientiane, has contributed to the province's rapid development as a transport and industrial hub. This has created jobs and attracted migrants from other states as well as from overseas, particularly from Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and China. In recent decades, the influx of illegal immigrants, particularly from Vietnam, has further swelled Udon Thani's population.[citation needed]
| Rank | Districts | Population 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mueang Udon Thani | 397,049 |
| 2 | Kumphawapi | 125,193 |
| 3 | Ban Dung | 123,227 |
| 4 | Nong Han | 114,982 |
| 5 | Phen | 110,190 |
| 6 | Ban Phue | 107,965 |
| 7 | Kut Chap | 62,301 |
| 8 | Nong Wua So | 61,658 |
| 9 | Wang Sam Mo | 55,730 |
| 10 | Nam Som | 55,622 |
| 11 | Non Sa-at | 48,459 |
| 12 | Si That | 47,888 |
| 13 | Chai Wan | 38,209 |
| 14 | Thung Fon | 31,029 |
| 15 | Sang Khom | 28,441 |
| 16 | Nong Saeng | 25,802 |
| 17 | Na Yung | 25,701 |
| 18 | Prachaksinlapakhom | 24,693 |
| 19 | Phibun Rak | 24,185 |
| 20 | Ku Kaeo | 21,962 |
Udon Thani had a population of 1,548,107 as of 2010. The province's ethnic composition consists of Lao, Chinese, and other ethnic groups.[citation needed] The most populated cities in Udon Thani as of 2010[citation needed] are:
| Rank | City | Population 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Udon Thani | 315,329 |
| 2 | Nong Samrong | 27,051 |
| 3 | Bandung | 16,003 |
| 4 | Non Sung - Nam Kham | 10,008 |
Administrative divisions
The province is divided into six districts (amphoe). Another five are now in Nong Bua Lamphu Province. The districts are further subdivided into 155 sub-districts (tambon) and 1682 villages (muban):
Transportation
Udon Thani is linked to the rest of Thailand by comprehensive air, road and rail connections. Most of the major highways that run through the northeastern Thailand, including Mittraphap Road, serve Udon Thani as well.
Udon Thani International Airport, the province's primary airport, is in the district of Mueang Udon Thani near the border with Nong Khai Province.
Education
Udon Thani has several tertiary education institutions. Udon Thani is also home to an international school. Most of these academic centres are concentrated in major towns and cities in Udon Thani:
Public universities
| Name | Acronym | Founded | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Udon Thani Rajabhat University | UDRU | 1923 | Mueang Udon Thani |
Private universities and university colleges
| Name | Acronym | Founded | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santapol College | STU | 1998 | Mueang Udon Thani |
International schools
| Name | Acronym | Founded | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Udon Thani International School | UDIS | 2013 | Mueang Udon Thani |
Healthcare
Notable hospitals in Udon Thani are listed below:
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Public Hospitals |
Private Hospitals
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Media
Television
Television in Udon Thani consists of thirteen free-to-air stations, one satellite television network, and two Internet television services. Seven of the thirteen free-to-air stations are broadcast from Laos (with four foreign relay stations). All of Thai stations are broadcast from Bangkok, except for NBT which has two hours of local programming.
- Free-to-air
- MCOT
- National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT)
- Royal Thai Army
- Public
- Lao National Television
- Vietnam Television
- China Central Television
- Satellite television
- Internet television
- UDTV
- Nation Channel (Alternative News Network)
Radio
Radio stations in Udon Thani are available on FM frequencies.
Commercial radio stations available in Udon Thani include Radio One (88.5), New Music (89.0), Cool FM (89.3), SR Radio (89.9), UFM (90.25), Kiss FM (90.75), NN Radio (91.75), Big FM (92.5), Udon FM (97.0), Nice FM (97.25), Live Hits (98.0), WOW FM (98.25), Sayamchai FM (98.5), OK Love (100.0), P Radio (104.4), Mittaphap FM (104.75), Isama Radio (105.25), Wansabai Radio (106.5), and Hit FM (107.0). Commercial radio stations are operated by a few media companies.
Local community radio stations include Rajabhat University Radio (107.7) operated by Udon Thani Rajabhat University (only available in Udon Thani and Phen), EFM (101.25), and Education Radio (96.0) which targets university students.
The seven government radio networks available are Modern Radio (91.5), NBT (93.75), Parliament FM (87.5), Post FM (99.0), Border Patrol FM (100.25), Police FM (105.75), Air Force FM (104.0). The regions of Udon Thani that border other provinces can also receive two other MCOT radio stations; Khon Kaen FM (Udon Thani-Khon Kaen border) and Nong Khai FM (Udon Thani-Nong Khai border).
The radio stations from Laos available are LNR 1 (103.7), LNR 2 (97.3), and Vientiane City Radio (105.5).
Image gallery
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Huai Luang reservoir
References
External links
- Official website
Udon Thani travel guide from Wikivoyage
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Loei | Sakhrai/Mueang,  Nong Khai |
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Sawang Daen Din,  Sakon Nakhon |
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| Nong Bua Lamphu | Khao Suan Kwang / Kranuan,  Khon Kaen |
 Kalasin |
