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Ubon Ratchathani อุบลราชธานี | |
|---|---|
| City of Ubon Ratchathani เทศบาลนครอุบลราชธานี | |
 Ubon Ratchathani Train Station | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: Ubon | |
  Ubon Ratchathani Location inThailand | |
| Coordinates:15°13′41″N104°51′34″E / 15.22806°N 104.85944°E /15.22806; 104.85944 | |
| Country |  Thailand |
| Province | Ubon Ratchathani |
| District | Mueang Ubon Ratchathani |
| Government | |
| • Type | City Municipality |
| • Mayor | Sompratana Wikraijerdcharoen |
| Area | |
• Total | 29.04 km2 (11.21 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 125 m (410 ft) |
| Population (January 2025)[1] | |
• Total | 68,477 |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postcode | 35000 |
| Area code | (+66) 45 |
| Website | cityub |
Ubon Ratchathani (Thai:อุบลราชธานี,pronounced[ʔubonrâːt.tɕʰa.tʰaːniː]) is one of the four main cities in Thailand'sIsan region, alongsideNakhon Ratchasima (Khorat),Udon Thani, andKhon Kaen, collectively known as the "big four of Isan." Located on the Mun River in the southeastern Isan, Ubon Ratchathani sits about 615 km (382 mi) fromBangkok.[2] Commonly shortened to Ubon (อุบลฯ), the city’s name means "royal lotus city". It serves as the administrative center ofUbon Ratchathani Province.[3]
As of 2006, the urban area of Ubon Ratchathani 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, and 10,000 each in Thetsaban Tambon Pathum and Tambon Kham Nam Saep, as well as 6,000 in Thetsaban Tambon Ubon.
The city was founded in the late 18th century by Thao Kham Phong, a descendant of Phra Wo and Phra Ta, who escaped from King Siribunsan ofVientiane into the Siam Kingdom during the reign of KingTaksin the Great. Later, Thao Kham Phong was appointed to be "Phra Pathum Wongsa [th]" (Thai: พระประทุมวงศา)[clarification needed] and the first ruler of Ubon Ratchathani. In 1792, Ubon Ratchathani became aprovince and was also the administrative center of the Isanmonthon. Until 1972, Ubon Ratchathani was the largest province of Thailand by area.Yasothon Province was split off from Ubon Ratchathani Province in 1972, followed byAmnat Charoen Province in 1993. Ubon Ratchathani Province now ranks fifth in the area.
The city was attacked by French forces during the 1940Franco-Thai War.
Ubon grew extensively duringWorld War II whenJapanese forces brought inprisoners of war by rail fromKanchanaburi, the survivors of theBurma Railway. One legacy of this is a monument in the city's central Thung Si Mueang Park, erected[when?] byBritish prisoners of war in gratitude to the citizens of Ubon Ratchathani for assisting them. During theVietnam War, theUnited States armed forces constructed theUbon Royal Thai Air Force Base, which is now also a dual-usecommercial airport.
Some of the city's religious buildings show the influence ofLaotian architecture.
The city has branches of theNational Archives of Thailand and theNational Museum of Thailand.
The world-famous meditation teacherAjahn Chah, teacher ofAjahn Sumedho, was born in Ubon Ratchathani.
Ubon Ratchathani sits at an elevation of 410 ft (125 m), approximately 615 km (382 mi) from Bangkok. The city lies on the north bank of theMun River, while the suburb ofWarin Chamrap, often referred to as Warin, spans the south bank and forms part of the urban area.
Ubon Ratchathani has atropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classificationAw). Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April with an average daily maximum of 36.4 °C (97.5 °F). Themonsoon season runs from late April to October, characterized by heavy rain and somewhat cool daytime temperatures, although nights remain warm.
| Climate data for Ubon Ratchathani (1991–2020, extremes 1951-present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 37.2 (99.0) | 39.2 (102.6) | 40.6 (105.1) | 43.1 (109.6) | 42.3 (108.1) | 38.3 (100.9) | 38.5 (101.3) | 35.8 (96.4) | 37.1 (98.8) | 35.2 (95.4) | 36.5 (97.7) | 35.9 (96.6) | 43.1 (109.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.1 (89.8) | 34.1 (93.4) | 35.9 (96.6) | 36.6 (97.9) | 35.1 (95.2) | 33.8 (92.8) | 32.7 (90.9) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.1 (89.8) | 32.3 (90.1) | 32.2 (90.0) | 31.2 (88.2) | 33.4 (92.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.6 (76.3) | 26.5 (79.7) | 29.0 (84.2) | 30.1 (86.2) | 29.3 (84.7) | 28.7 (83.7) | 28.1 (82.6) | 27.8 (82.0) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.0 (78.8) | 24.3 (75.7) | 27.4 (81.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 18.1 (64.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 23.0 (73.4) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.9 (76.8) | 24.9 (76.8) | 24.6 (76.3) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.1 (75.4) | 22.8 (73.0) | 20.9 (69.6) | 18.7 (65.7) | 22.6 (72.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) | 11.5 (52.7) | 10.3 (50.5) | 16.4 (61.5) | 18.8 (65.8) | 20.2 (68.4) | 20.0 (68.0) | 20.0 (68.0) | 19.2 (66.6) | 15.9 (60.6) | 12.5 (54.5) | 8.5 (47.3) | 7.6 (45.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 3.2 (0.13) | 11.3 (0.44) | 28.6 (1.13) | 82.6 (3.25) | 222.9 (8.78) | 236.9 (9.33) | 293.8 (11.57) | 291.4 (11.47) | 314.4 (12.38) | 112.1 (4.41) | 21.8 (0.86) | 5.0 (0.20) | 1,624 (63.94) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 0.3 | 0.9 | 2.6 | 5.2 | 12.2 | 14.0 | 16.4 | 17.8 | 16.3 | 7.7 | 1.7 | 0.3 | 95.4 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 64.9 | 62.8 | 62.1 | 65.6 | 73.9 | 77.6 | 79.5 | 81.3 | 82.1 | 76.5 | 70.5 | 67.3 | 72.0 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 259.5 | 242.7 | 245.0 | 234.4 | 214.7 | 165.1 | 152.0 | 139.1 | 141.3 | 197.2 | 231.9 | 238.1 | 2,460.9 |
| Mean dailysunshine hours | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 6.2 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 6.2 | 7.2 | 5.5 |
| Source 1:World Meteorological Organization[4] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department (daily sun 1981–2010)[5](extremes)[6] | |||||||||||||
Ubon Ratchathani is best known for its annualCandle Festival, held in July to mark the beginning of therainy season retreat forBuddhists, 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. The events are marked by ceremonies and processions in the form of large-scale, colourful parades of magnificent floats with huge, extravagant candlewax sculptures, Thai traditional dance, and music.
The province is known for its strong Buddhist tradition, particularly the practice of monks dwelling in the forest (Thai:พระธุดงค์Phra thudong, pilgrimage, lit. "hiking monk").Wat Nong Pah Pong, for example, is a Buddhist forest monastery in theThai Forest Tradition, which was established by VenerableAjahn Chah 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 (International Forest Monastery) was established in 1975. It currently has over fifty monks representing twenty-three nationalities.[7]
Other Buddhist temples in and around the city includeWat Thung Si Muang (Thai:วัดทุ่งศรีเมือง), in the center of the city, featuring an old wooden library on stilts in a small lake, andWat Nong Bua near theBig C mall, featuring achedi modelled onBodh Gaya in India.
There are two major high schools in the central part of Ubon Ratchathani. These two schools are more than 100 years old.
As well as being a commercial facility,Ubon Ratchathani Airport (IATA: UBP) is also an activeRoyal Thai Air Force (RTAF) base, the home of 2nd Air Division/21st Wing Air Combat Command. During the Vietnam War, US and Australian squadrons were based here.
The town's main bus station is in the northwest of the city, on the Ring Road (Highway 231), 500 m (1,640 ft) 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.
The eastern terminus of thenorth-eastern railway line fromHua Lamphong Railway Station, Bangkok's central station, is inWarin Chamrap. The railhead reached Warin in April 1930. The terminal station is called Ubon Ratchathani but is in Warin Chamrap municipality, which is south of Ubon Ratchathani.
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Ubon Ratchathani travel guide from Wikivoyage15°13′41″N104°51′34″E / 15.22806°N 104.85944°E /15.22806; 104.85944
| 1,000,000 and more |
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| 500,000–999,999 |
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| 200,000–499,999 | |
| 100,000–299,999 | |
| International | |
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| Other | |
