Ubon Ratchathani (often in short Ubon, Thai อุบลราชธานี) is one of the north-eastern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Sisaket[?], Yasothon[?], Amnat Charoen[?] and Mukdahan[?]. To the north and east it borders Laos, to the south Cambodia.
At Khong Chiam the Mun river, the biggest river of the
Khorat Plateau, joins the
Mekong, which forms the north-eastern boundary of Thailand with Laos. The area where the borders of the three countries Thailand, Laos and Cambodia meet is promoted as the
Emerald Triangle, in contrast to the
Golden Triangle in the north of Thailand. The
Emerald refers to the large intact monsoon forests there.
The area was part of the
Khmer Empire, until King
Ramathibodi of
Ayutthaya defeated it and made it part of his kingdom. After the fall of Ayutthaya in
1767 several new tribes settled there, including the Kha and Suai. Twenty years later King
Rama I offered a noble title to the local leader who could unite the many small settlements into one town. This was acomplished in
1786 with the founding of Ubon Ratchathani by Thao Khamphong, and in
1792 it became a province. It was later incorporated into
Nakhon Ratchasima province, and in
1933 it regained its provincial status.
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The provincial seal shows a Lotus flower in a pond. This refers to the meaning of the name of the province, which translates to Royal city of the lotus flower. Therefore the provincial flower also is the Lotus (Nymphaea lotus). The provincial tree is the Yang-khao (Dipterocarpus alatus[?]).
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Amphoe (districts) | |
King Amphoe (minor districts) |
- Mueang Ubon Ratchathani
- Si Mueang Mai
- Khong Chiam
- Khueang Nai
- Khemarat
- Det Udom
- Na Chaluai
- Nam Yuen
- Buntharik
- Trakan Phuet Phon
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- Kut Kaopun
- Muang Sam Sip
- Warin Chamrap
- Phibun Mangsahan
- Tan Sum
- Pho Sai
- Samrong
- Don Mot Daeng
- Sirindhorn
- Thung Si Udom
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- Na Yai
- Na Tan
- Lao Suea Kok
- Sawang Wirawong
- Nam Khun
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