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Tak Province

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Tak Province



 
 
Tak is one of the northern provinces
Provinces of Thailand

Thailand is divided into 75 provinces , which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 76th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 75 provinces....
 (changwat) of Thailand
Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son Province

Mae Hong Son is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand, and at the same time the westernmost. Neighboring provinces are Shan State of Myanmar, Chiang Mai province and Tak province....
, Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Province

Chiang Mai is the second-largest Provinces of Thailand of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai Province, Lampang Province, Lamphun Province, Tak Province, and Mae Hong Son Province....
, Lamphun
Lamphun Province

Lamphun is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Mai Province, Lampang Province and Tak Province....
, Lampang
Lampang Province

Lampang is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai Province, Phayao Province, Phrae Province, Sukhothai Province, Tak Province, Lamphun Province and Chiang Mai Province....
, Sukhothai
Sukhothai Province

Sukhothai is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phrae Province, Uttaradit Province, Phitsanulok Province, Kamphaeng Phet Province, Tak Province and Lampang Province....
, Kamphaeng Phet
Kamphaeng Phet Province

Kamphaeng Phet is one of the Provinces of Thailand of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Sukhothai province, Phitsanulok province, Phichit province, Nakhon Sawan province and Tak province....
, Nakhon Sawan
Nakhon Sawan Province

Nakhon Sawan is one of the Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring Provinces are Kamphaeng Phet Province, Phichit Province, Phetchabun Province, Lopburi Province, Sing Buri Province, Chainat Province, Uthai Thani Province and Tak Province....
, Uthai Thani
Uthai Thani Province

Uthai Thani is one of the Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan Province, Chainat Province, Suphanburi Province, Kanchanaburi Province and Tak Province....
 and Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi Province

Kanchanaburi is the largest of the central Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Tak Province, Uthai Thani Province, Suphanburi Province, Nakhon Pathom Province and Ratchaburi Province....
. The western edge of province has a long boundary with Kayin State
Kayin State

Kayin State is a administrative divisions of Burma of Myanmar. The capital city is Pa-an....
 of Myanmar
Myanmar

Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia, or Indochina. The country is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest with...
 (Burma).

Bhumibol Dam
Dam

A dam is a barrier that Reservoirs surface water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates, levees, and Dike are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions....
 (named after king Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej

Bhumibol Adulyadej , is the current Monarchy of Thailand. Publicly acclaimed "the Great" , he is also known as Rama . Having reigned since 9 June 1946, he is the world's List of longest reigning current monarchs current head of state and the List of longest reigning monarchs of all time monarch in History of Thailand....
, the old name was Yanhee Dam) is located in Khao Kaew Tambon
Tambon

Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2000 census there are 7254 tambon, not including the 154 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every Amphoe contains 8-10 tambon....
 (sub-district), Amphoe Sam Ngao
Amphoe Sam Ngao

Sam Ngao is the northernmost district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
 (district) of Tak and was built from 1958-1964.






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Encyclopedia


Tak is one of the northern provinces
Provinces of Thailand

Thailand is divided into 75 provinces , which are geographically grouped into 6 regions. The capital Bangkok is not a province but a special administrative area and is included as the 76th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 75 provinces....
 (changwat) of Thailand
Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar....
. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son Province

Mae Hong Son is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand, and at the same time the westernmost. Neighboring provinces are Shan State of Myanmar, Chiang Mai province and Tak province....
, Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Province

Chiang Mai is the second-largest Provinces of Thailand of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai Province, Lampang Province, Lamphun Province, Tak Province, and Mae Hong Son Province....
, Lamphun
Lamphun Province

Lamphun is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Mai Province, Lampang Province and Tak Province....
, Lampang
Lampang Province

Lampang is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai Province, Phayao Province, Phrae Province, Sukhothai Province, Tak Province, Lamphun Province and Chiang Mai Province....
, Sukhothai
Sukhothai Province

Sukhothai is one of the northern Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phrae Province, Uttaradit Province, Phitsanulok Province, Kamphaeng Phet Province, Tak Province and Lampang Province....
, Kamphaeng Phet
Kamphaeng Phet Province

Kamphaeng Phet is one of the Provinces of Thailand of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Sukhothai province, Phitsanulok province, Phichit province, Nakhon Sawan province and Tak province....
, Nakhon Sawan
Nakhon Sawan Province

Nakhon Sawan is one of the Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring Provinces are Kamphaeng Phet Province, Phichit Province, Phetchabun Province, Lopburi Province, Sing Buri Province, Chainat Province, Uthai Thani Province and Tak Province....
, Uthai Thani
Uthai Thani Province

Uthai Thani is one of the Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan Province, Chainat Province, Suphanburi Province, Kanchanaburi Province and Tak Province....
 and Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi Province

Kanchanaburi is the largest of the central Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Tak Province, Uthai Thani Province, Suphanburi Province, Nakhon Pathom Province and Ratchaburi Province....
. The western edge of province has a long boundary with Kayin State
Kayin State

Kayin State is a administrative divisions of Burma of Myanmar. The capital city is Pa-an....
 of Myanmar
Myanmar

Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia, or Indochina. The country is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest with...
 (Burma).

Geography

The Bhumibol Dam
Dam

A dam is a barrier that Reservoirs surface water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates, levees, and Dike are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions....
 (named after king Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej

Bhumibol Adulyadej , is the current Monarchy of Thailand. Publicly acclaimed "the Great" , he is also known as Rama . Having reigned since 9 June 1946, he is the world's List of longest reigning current monarchs current head of state and the List of longest reigning monarchs of all time monarch in History of Thailand....
, the old name was Yanhee Dam) is located in Khao Kaew Tambon
Tambon

Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2000 census there are 7254 tambon, not including the 154 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every Amphoe contains 8-10 tambon....
 (sub-district), Amphoe Sam Ngao
Amphoe Sam Ngao

Sam Ngao is the northernmost district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
 (district) of Tak and was built from 1958-1964. It stops the river Ping
Ping River

The Ping River , along with the Nan River, is one of the two main contributaries of Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Chiang Dao in Amphoe Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai Province....
, one of the two sources of the Chao Phraya river. The artificial lake created covers an area of 300 km˛ and is the largest in Thailand. The Taksin Maharat and the Lan Sang National parks are also located in the province. Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary
Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary

Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Thailand. It is located in the northern part of Kanchanaburi province and southern part of Tak province and was created on April 24, 1974....
 share half of the lake front with Kanchanaburi and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary

Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Thailand. It is located in the Provinces Kanchanaburi Province, Tak Province and Uthai Thani Province....
 at the border with Uthai Thani and are World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site that is on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 Sovereign state which are elected by their General Assembly for a four-year term....
s.
Thi Lo Su

History

Tak was a historical kingdom built over 2,000 years ago, even before the Sukhothai period
Sukhothai kingdom

The Sukhothai kingdom was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai , in north central Thailand. It existed from 1238 till 1438. The old capital, now 12 km outside of New Sukhothai in Tambon Mueang Kao, is in ruins and is a Sukhothai historic park....
. The ancient kingdom had its peak around the 1st century. By the 5th century the capital of this kingdom was moved south to Lavo (present day Lopburi Province
Lopburi Province

Lop Buri is one of the central Provinces of Thailand of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchabun Province, Chaiyaphum Province, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Saraburi Province, Ayutthaya Province, Ang Thong Province, Sing Buri Province and Nakhon Sawan Province....
). A city named Ban Tak
Amphoe Ban Tak

Ban Tak is a district in the northern part of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
 was established by Jamadevi
Jamadevi

Queen Jamadevi , also known as Nang Chamthewi of Hariphunchai, Channa Devi or Channadevi .First ruler of the Mon kingdom of Hariphunchai . She gave birth to twins, one of whom succeeded her as ruler of Lamphun, while the other became ruler of Lampang....
 (?????????????), princess of the Lavo kingdom, around 663 AD. It became part of the Sukhothai kingdom
Sukhothai kingdom

The Sukhothai kingdom was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai , in north central Thailand. It existed from 1238 till 1438. The old capital, now 12 km outside of New Sukhothai in Tambon Mueang Kao, is in ruins and is a Sukhothai historic park....
 through battles led by Ramkhamhaeng the Great
Ramkhamhaeng the Great

Ram Khamhaeng was the third king of the Phra Ruang dynasty, ruling the Sukhothai Kingdom from 1279-1298, during its most prosperous era. He is credited with the creation of the Thai alphabet and the firm establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the state religion of the kingdom....
 and formed the main fortress on the western front. The city was moved further west and renamed Mueang Rahang when the Ayuthaya kingdom was lost to Burma during King Maha Thammaracha's
Maha Thammaracha

His Majesty King Maha Thammaracha was the 24th monarch of Ayutthaya Kingdom and the fifth monarch to come from the Ayutthaya Kingdom#Sukhothai Dynasty,...
 reign. The city was moved back to the east side of the Ping River
Ping River

The Ping River , along with the Nan River, is one of the two main contributaries of Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Chiang Dao in Amphoe Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai Province....
 during the early Bangkok period.

King Taksin
Taksin

Somdet Phrachao Taksin Maharaj or Somdet Phrachao Krung Thonburi ; ; Teochew: D?nchao; was the first and only monarch of Thonburi kingdom....
 was vice-governor of Tak before the Ayutthaya kingdom fell during the war with Burma. As his name was Sin, he became called Tak-Sin during his time in Tak.

Economy

Agriculture is a major part of the Tak economy. The province of Tak produces rice
Rice

Rice is a staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in tropical Latin America, and East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, making it the second-most consumed cereal grain, after maize....
, corn
Maize

Maize , known as corn in some countries, is a cereal domesticated in Mesoamerica and subsequently spread throughout the American continents....
, vegetable
Vegetable

The term "vegetable" generally means the Eating parts of plants. The definition of the word is traditional rather than scientific, however, and therefore the usage of the word is somewhat arbitrary and subjective, as it is determined by individual cultural customs of food selection and food preparation....
s, fruit
Fruit

The term fruit has different meanings dependent on context, and the term is not synonymous in food preparation and biology. In botany, which is the scientific study of plants, fruits are the ripened Ovary of flowering plants....
s, beef
Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle . Beef is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of Australia, European cuisine and the Americas, and is also important in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia....
, tilapia
Tilapia

'Tilapia' is the Common name#Biological common names for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe . Tilapias inhabit a variety of fresh water and, less commonly, brackish water habitats from shallow streams and ponds through to rivers, lakes, and estuaries....
, and other foods. Industries in Tak include mining, granite
Granite

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of Intrusion , felsic, igneous rock rock . Granite has a medium to coarse texture, occasionally with some individual crystals larger than the groundmass forming a rock known as Porphyry ....
, andjewelry. Handicraft
Handicraft

Handicraft, also known as craftwork or simply craft, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or using only simple tools....
s and Myanmar
Myanmar

Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia, or Indochina. The country is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest with...
 products are also important for trade. The Bhumibol Dam in the northern part of Tak is its most popular tourist attraction. Tourism, especially ecotourism
Ecotourism

Ecotourism is a form of tourism, that appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals. Generally speaking, ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live on the planet....
, in the southern part is seasonal with popular destinations such as Thi Lo Su Waterfall, Thi Lo Le Waterfall, hiking
Hiking

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often on trail. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous :Category:Hiking organizations worldwide....
 and white water rafting in its various forest reserves. Tak is also famous for its Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong

Loy Krathong is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand....
 festival where krathong sai (????????) consisting of many krathongs are floated in a long line down the river. The Loy Krathong festival is held on the Ping River
Ping River

The Ping River , along with the Nan River, is one of the two main contributaries of Chao Phraya River. It originates at Doi Chiang Dao in Amphoe Chiang Dao, Chiang Mai Province....
 in Amphoe Mueang Tak
Amphoe Mueang Tak

Mueang Tak is the capital district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
 on Loy Krathong night.

Transportation

Thai Myanmar Friendship Bridge
Tak is a key communication and transportation centre of the North, with three Asian highways passing through the province. AH1
AH1

AH1 is the longest route of the Asian Highway Network, running 12,845 miles from Tokyo, Japan via Korea, China, Southeast Asia and India to the border between Iran ,Turkey and Bulgaria west of Istanbul....
 enters through the Myanmar-Thai border at Amphoe Mae Sot; AH2
AH2

The AH2 is a road in the Asian Highway Network running 8230 miles from Denpasar, Indonesia to Khosravi, Iran. The route is as follows:...
 passes through the province from north to south. Also AH16 terminates at Tak. Tak is located 426 km
Kilometre

The kilometre , symbol km is a Units of measurement of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres.Slang terms for kilometre include click and kay ....
 from Bangkok. Daily flights were also between Bangkok and Mae Sot by Phuket Air
Phuket Air

Phuket Air is an airline based in Bangkok, Thailand. The airline currently specialises in leasing its fleet of Boeing 747 and 737 aircraft on an ACMI /wet lease basis to airlines worldwide needing extra passenger capacity....
 but now the service has been stopped. The flight takes one and a half hours.

Demographics

About a quarter of the population belongs to one of Thailand's hill tribes: Yao
Yao people

The Yao nationality is a government classification for various minorities in China. They form one of the Chinese nationalities officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where they reside in the mountainous terrain of the southwest and south....
, Karen
Karen people

The Karen , self-titled Pwa Ka Nyaw Po or Kayan, and also known in Thailand as the Kariang or Yang, are an ethnic group in Burma and Thailand....
 (Thai
Thai language

Thai , is the national language and official language language of Thailand and the mother tongue of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group....
 Gariang), Akha
Akha

The Akha are hill tribe of subsistence famers known for their artistry. The ethnic group may have originated in Mongolia around 1500 years ago....
 (Thai Akha), Lahu (Thai Musay), Hmong
Hmong people

The terms Hmong and Mong refer to an Asian ethnic group in the mountainous regions of southeast Asia. Hmong are also one of the largest sub-groups in the Miao people minzu population in southern China....
 (Thai Meo), and Lisu (Thai Lisaw). The largest tribe in Tak is Karen.

Refugees

According to the UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees at the request of a government or the UN itself and assists in their voluntary repatriation, local integration or resettlement to a third country....
 data of 2006, nearly 100,000 of Thailand's 130,000 registered refugee
Refugee

Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecutionOwing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality,...
s from Burma are housed in several refugee camps in Tak province of which Mae La camp is the largest with around 45,000 Karen
Karen people

The Karen , self-titled Pwa Ka Nyaw Po or Kayan, and also known in Thailand as the Kariang or Yang, are an ethnic group in Burma and Thailand....
 refugees.

Symbols

 The seal of the province shows King Naresuan
Naresuan

Naresuan was King of Siam from 1590 until his death in 1605. During his reign, Siam reached its greatest territorial extent....
 on the royal elephant. Sometimes below the elephant a garuda
Garuda

The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hinduism and Buddhism mythology.Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and the Brahminy kite is considered to be the contemporary representation of Garuda...
 is depicted, as the garuda is the state symbol of Thailand. King Naresuan is shown pouring consecrated water on the ground, a symbolic act to declare independence. This refers to the war of 1584 with Burma, when Tak was the first border town to be liberated from Burmese control. The provincial tree is the Asian Jatoba (Xylia kerrii), the provincial flower is the Orchid tree (Bauhinia sp.
Bauhinia

Bauhinia is a genus of more than 200 species of flowering plants in the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the large flowering plant family Fabaceae, with a pantropical distribution....
).


Administrative divisions

Amphoe Tak
The province is subdivided in 9 districts (amphoe
Amphoe

An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the Provinces of Thailand....
). These are further subdivided into 63 subdistricts (tambon
Tambon

Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2000 census there are 7254 tambon, not including the 154 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every Amphoe contains 8-10 tambon....
) and 493 villages (muban
Muban

Muban is the lowest Administrative divisions of Thailand. Usually translated as village, they are the subdivision of tambon. As of the census of 2000 there were 69,307 villages, including some villages in the more rural districts of Bangkok....
).
  1. Mueang Tak
    Amphoe Mueang Tak

    Mueang Tak is the capital district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
  2. Ban Tak
    Amphoe Ban Tak

    Ban Tak is a district in the northern part of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
  3. Sam Ngao
    Amphoe Sam Ngao

    Sam Ngao is the northernmost district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
  4. Mae Ramat
    Amphoe Mae Ramat

    Mae Ramat is a district in the northwestern part of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
  5. Tha Song Yang
    Amphoe Tha Song Yang

    Tha Song Yang is the northwesternmost district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
  6. Mae Sot
    Mae Sot

    Mae Sot is a town in western Thailand that shares a border with Burma to the west. It is notable as a trade hub and for its substantial population of Burmese migrants and refugees....
  7. Phop Phra
    Amphoe Phop Phra

    Phop Phra is a district in the southwestern part of Tak Province, northern Thailand....
  1. Umphang
    Amphoe Umphang

    Umphang is the southernmost district of Tak Province, Thailand at the Thai-Myanmar border. It is also the name of the town center of the district....
  2. Wang Chao
    Amphoe Wang Chao

    Wang Chao is a district of Tak Province, northern Thailand....


Tourism


Sights

Si Maharat City Pillar Shrine (?????????????????????) A shrine was established in 1992 to commemorate the royal grace of the four great kings as well as be a public-spirit centre of the people of Tak.

King Taksin the Great Shrine (????????????????????????????) In 1947, the people in the town considered that the existing shrine did not receive appropriate honour, they, therefore, built a new shrine and commissioned the Fine Arts Department to sculpture an over life-size statue of King Taksin the Great in a sitting position with a sword across his lap.

Wat Bot Mani Si Bunrueang (??????????????????????) The Ubosot (ordination hall) was built during the reign of King Rama IV. There is a Mon – styled pagoda that enshrines the Buddha’s relics in its umbrella-shaped top. The Wihan or Vihara hall houses the magnificent principal Buddha image called ‘Luangpho Phutthamon,’ which was built during the Sukhothai period.

Wat Doi Khoi Khao Kaeo or Wat Phrachao Tak (????????????????? ???? ?????????????) The important ancient places are the Ubosot (ordination hall) with double-slab-boundary stones signifying royal patronage, the Buddha’s footprint in the Ubosot, and two Chedis (pagodas) where the ashes of King Taksin the Great’s father and mother are contained.

Wat Mani Banphot Worawihan (??????????????????) It is a provincial royal monastery and an example temple of development. It has an angular Mon-styled Chedi (pagoda) with 16 indented corners at the back. Inside the Ubosot (ordination hall), there is a portrait of King Rama V royally given to this temple, and a Buddha image “Phra Phuttharup Saengthong.”

Wat Sitalaram or Wat Nam Hak (??????????? ???? ?????????) The Ubosot (ordination hall) and a wooden building were built in the European style of art. The ordination hall once burnt and rebuilt has a wood-carved gallery in the front and houses a Buddha image of the Ayutthaya period.

Trok Ban Chin (???????????) This place is near Wat Sitalaram. Until the extension of the Ping River, the area had been a trading area and on a distribution route of goods and consumption products from the Pho estuary in Nakhon Sawan to Ban Tha Chin.

Wat Khao Tham (?????????) Inside the temple, there is the Lord Buddha’s footprint, Phra Sangkatchai, and Kwan Yin (Goddess of Mercy). Luangpho Thanchai, the stucco Buddha image sculptured within one day, is housed in the Ubosot (ordination hall). There is a Chedi (pagoda) atop the hill overlooking Tak town.

Lan Sang National Park (????????????????????) It covers an area of 65,000 rai. Various types of forest, such as rain forest, coniferous forest, hill everygreen forest, deciduous dipterocarp forest, and mixed deciduous forest, are found in different geographical areas. Wild animals found are common wild pig, barking deer, Siamese big-headed turtle, serow, civet, Black-crested Bulbul, flying lizard, etc.. Interesting Places in the Lan Sang National Park:
  • Namtok Pha Lat (??????????) This waterfall flows through a split-level hill of rocks down a broad complex ground of rocks. The ground slopes a bit and is 25 m wide and 40 m long.
  • Namtok Lan Liang Ma (1st tier)(????????????????? (??????? ?) It features a small rocky hill with a hole of around 6 m wide in the middle. The currents of Lam Huai Lan Sang pass through the hole against the water surface below. The waterfall is around 5 m high.
  • Namtok Lan Sang (2nd tier) (???????????)(???? ?) The water gushes from a crevice of the mountain and cascades in three tiers before flowing into a pond and falling down to Namtok Lan Liang Ma.
  • Namtok Pha Ngoep (3rd tier) (???????????) (???? ?) The waterfall is 19 m high and has water only in the rainy and cool seasons. Its beautiful feature is Pha Ngoep, a high steep cliff with angular crevices.
  • Namtok Pha Phueng (4th tier) (???????????) (??????? ?) The waterfall features a 30 m high-flat surface cliff with a slope of 70 degrees. The water of Huai Lan Sang overflows the top of this waterfall and spreads whitewater to flow along the cliff and lower small layers of rocks covering the broad area before falling down to the pond below.
  • Namtok Pha The (?????????) This one-tier waterfall features a steep cliff of 25 m high. The water of Huai Lan Sang runs quickly through a small narrow channel towards the cliff top where the ground is abruptly low. The powerful sound of splashing can be heard in the distance.
  • Namtok Pha Nam Yoi (??????????????) This waterfall flows through a narrow channel in layers down to a broad and very deep pond.


  • Namtok Tha Le (????????????) This waterfall of 50 m high features a slope with water flowing in layers from a cliff.
  • Viewpoint (????????) The Lan Sang National Park has a viewpoint on the top of Khao Noi overlooking nice vistas of Tak town.
King Taksin the Great National Park (??????????????????????????) There are many types of forest: hill evergreen forest, coniferous forest, rain forest, deciduous dipterocarp forest, and mixed deciduous forest. The weather is cool all year round with an average temperature of around 20°C. Places of Interest in the King Taksin the Great National Park:
  • Ton Krabak Yai: (?????????????) It is a large tree that grows in the valley of a rain forest. This is the highest Krabak tree in Thailand.
  • Natural Stone Bridge: (????????????????) It features a giant piece of stone linking two cliffs together, with 25 m in width and height.
  • Namtok Pang A Noi: (???????????????) This middle-sized waterfall flows all year round. It is around 20 m high, and around 2 km away from Ton Krabak Yai to the east.
  • Namtok Mae Ya Pa: (??????????????) This medium – sized waterfall originates from Lam Huai Mae Ya Pa in a dense forest. It flows in layers along the creek into Lam Huai Mae Tho.
  • Namtok Sam Muen Thung: (?????????????????) This giant waterfall of 30 m high originates from Lam Huai Sam Muen Luang and has water flowing all year round.


Wat Mani Phraison (?????????????) Within the compound, there is a unique building called ‘Chedi Wihan Samphutthe’ which contains 512,028 Buddha images and has 223 small pagodas on its outer surface. The ancient Ubosot (ordination hall) is more than 200 years old.

Wat Chumphon Khiri (????????????) It is an ancient temple of more than 200 years old. A newly-built Chedi is an imitation of Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar. The principal Buddha image in the Ubosot (ordination hall) is of the Mara-subduing attitude. An ancient drum of more than 200 years old is kept in the Wihan (image hall).

Namtok Mae Kasa (????????????) There is a path leading the way up to a high mountain. A cave in front of the waterfall has a 5 m wide stream of water which serves as an entrance to the waterfall.

Bo Nam Ron Mae Kasa (?????????????????) This hot well of 2 m wide is located in Tambon Mae Kasa, right in the village. Hot and cool streams flow to meet at this well.

Hill tribe Development and Assistance Centre and Tak Plant and Production Factor Service Centre (Doi Muser) (???????????????????????????????????????????? (????????) In the centre, the ‘Ban Umyom Hilltribe Cultural Centre’ was established to give knowledge and advice to hill tribe leaders in tourism management. There is a display of clothes, jewellery, and household utensils, and an imitation of the Muser’s house. Outside the cultural centre, there is an imitation of a “Chakhue” dancing ground. (Chakhue is a dance of the Muser). Doi Muser Horticultural Experiment Station (????????????????????????) The station conducts experiments and research on coffee beans, tea, fruit, vegetables, and temperate flowers. During November to December, the area around the station is beautifully covered with Mexican sunflowers in full bloom.

Doi Muser Hill Tribe Market (????????????????????????????????) Located on the roadside of the Tak – Mae Sot route (Highway No. 105) around km 29.

Chaopho Phawo Shrine (??????????????) The story has it that Chaopho Phawo was a Karen warrior who was appointed by King Taksin the Great as chief of the Mae Lamao border pass to protect the land. Some told the sacredness of the shrine that if anyone went hunting on Phawo Mountain, they usually encountered irregularities, such as car trouble, sickness, or became lost.

Amazing Hill (?????????) Here, a car can be astonishingly seen going up the hill without switching on the engine. A scientist gave an explanation that it was an illusion.

Wat Phothikhun or Wat Huai Toei (?????????? ???? ??????????) The interesting feature is the Ubosot (ordination hall). The boat-like Ubosot has three storeys. The ground storey has no decoration. Decorations were made to the walls, ceiling, and heads of the posts on the second storey. On the third storey where religious ceremonies are performed, it was finely decorated on the walls, posts, and ceiling, with the arts of bas-relief, painting, glass inlaying, and gilding.

Wat Thai Watthanaram (??????????????) This is a temple of the Mahayana Buddhism (Great Vehicle) of the Thai Yai people. Inside the temple, there is Phra Phutthamahamuni, an imitation image of the sacred Buddha image in Mandalay, Union of Myanmar, which gains great respect from the people of Tak.

Thai – Myanmar Friendship Bridge (???????????????-????) The bridge is located in Tambon Tha Sai Luat, across the Moei River between Tak’s Mae Sot district and Myawadi in the Union of Myanmar.

Rim Moei Market (??????????) It is a community on the bank of the Moei River. It is also a market of local products of Thailand and Myanmar, as well as a market of gemstones from the Union of Myanmar.

Phrathat Hin Kio (??????????????????????????) It is a miracle of nature that a gigantic rock can stay on such a cliff. The rock is so slim at some point that it seems to be parted into two pieces. A Mon-styled Chedi was built on the exact width of the rock.

The Moei River (aka Thaungyin in Myanmar) (?????????) This river is the borderline between Myanmar and Thailand. It is 327 km long, flowing towards the north unlike a river in general.

Amphoe Mae Ramat is another district of Tak that borders Myanmar, 120 km from Tak town. Most of the areas are forests and mountains. It was presumed that the Mae Ramat district was a community of the Karen.

Wat Don Kaeo (??????????) One of the three marble Buddha images built at the same time in a Burmese style of sculpture was invited from Yangon to house in the Wihan (image hall) here.

Mae Tuen Wildlife Sanctuary (?????????????????????????????) Most of the areas are a range of high steep and complex mountains where there are different types of forest: hill evergreen forest, dry everygreen forest, mixed deciduous forest, and deciduous dipterocarp forest. Places of interest in the Mae Tuen Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • Doi Khun Mae Tuen: (?????????????) There is a wide rocky ground and a small cave with stalagmites and stalactites. Inside, where many wild animals, such as barking deer, serow, bat, etc. live.
  • Lam Nam Mae Tuen: (????????????) This large tributary of the Ping River flows to merge with the main stream above the Bhumibol Dam. Whitewater rafting on a rubber dinghy is an activity on Lam Nam Mae Tuen.
  • Doi Soi Mala: (????????????) It is the highest mountaintop in the Mae Tuen Wildlife Sanctuary, about 1,600 m above sea level. One interesting thing here is a salamander (or named as Chingchok Nam) which is a rarely-seen ancient species, similar to a lizard with a pink body.


Places of interest in the Khun Phawo National Park:
  • Namtok Khun Phawo: (????????????) It is a large waterfall of around 100 m high and an origin of Huai Mae Charao (Mae Charao creek).


  • Huai Mae Lamao: (????????????) This large creek is in an unspoiled forest, offering whitewater rafting on a rubber dinghy going throughout surrounding nature and a forested mountain.
  • Nature Trail: (????????????????????????) The walking path goes up and down the fairly steep hills, and passes along the river upstream and a small waterfall. During the period of change from the rainy to cool season, colourful wild flowers can be seen. The greenery is dotted with strikingly red Krathue (Boesenbergia prainiana) and yellow Mexican sunflowers.
  • Namtok Pha Thewa: (???????????) It is on the nature trail and the most remarkable waterfall of the park. With its height of 150 m, the powerful flow falls against boulders and the pool below. In the woods, there is a pagoda containing cremated bones of a woman who hanged herself because she was heartbroken.
  • Tham Mae Usu: (??????????) This cave is around 12 km from the Tha Song Yang District Office to the north. To the west, there is a gigantic hollow rock. In the afternoon, rays of sunlight beautify the cave inside.
  • Namtok Nang Khruan It is a medium-size waterfall with small layers of flowing water amidst a shady forest. It receives water from a canal beside rice fields.
  • Namtok Pha Charoen National Park Most of the areas are high complex mountains of 1,765 m above sea level and feature a mixed deciduous forest and a coniferous forest.


Places of Interest in the Namtok Pha Charoen National Park:
  • Namtok Pha Charoen It is a limestone waterfall receiving water from a creek that flows into a pool of water. This ninety-seven-tiered waterfall has water flowing all year round.


  • Bo Nam Ron Huai Nam Nak This natural hot well measures at 12 degrees on the Celsius scale. Nowadays, there are gazebos provided by the Phop Phra District Administration next to the well at its side on the Ro Pho Cho road.
  • Doi Kia Viewpoint This is the highest point of the borderline between Myanmar and Thailand. It is around 512 m high and overlooks a forest in Myanmar.


  • Namtok Pa Wai The waterfall originates from Pa Wai Creek where water flows all year round and many rattan plants grow.


  • Namtok Sai Fa and Namtok Sai Rung These waterfalls have spray of water which looks like a rainbow when being seen in sunlight.


Amphoe Umphang It is a district bordering with the Union of Myanmar and the largest district of Thailand. Umphang was once a gateway town on the western border subject to Uthai Thani Province. It was also a checkpoint for the Burmese people who crossed the border to trade in Thai territory.

Ban Boran The houses built on stilts have an open ground floor. There is a set of stairs in the front of the house. A bench is set in parallel to the portico.

Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary It covers a total area of 1,619,280 rai and has been maintained as a conservation forest to preserve natural resources. This western woodland is also an origin of a World Heritage Site. Most trees are species of a rain forest and a deciduous forest. Wild animals found are clouded leopard, Malayan tapir serow, hawk, pelican, etc. Places of Interest in the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary:
  • Namtok Thi Lo Su This large waterfall is on a limestone mountain, 900 m above sea level. It originates from Klo Tho Creek cascading along a steep cliff. It ranks among the world’s six most beautiful waterfalls.
  • Namtok Thi Lo Cho or Namtok Saifon Its rapidly flowing stream against boulders causes sprays of water that look like falling rain from the sky, and a rainbow is therefore created.
  • Namtok Se Pla This waterfall on a limestone mountain flows in tiers, and is 10 m wide and 50 m long. Its flowing stream against boulders looks like a beautiful white cloud.


  • Namtok Thi Lo Re The main stream of water flows along the high steep cliff into the Mae Klong River from the height of 80 m amidst the beauty of nature.
  • Doi Hua Mot There are no large trees on these mountains; only small grasses, such as cycad and Thian pa (Impatiens calcicola), grow in general. Wildflowers can be seen in full bloom during the rainy season.


  • Tham Takhobi This large cave with a high ceiling has a wide path in tiers and many walking lines inside. Its stalagmites and stalactites are attractive.


Amazing Hill This is the second amazing hill of Tak.

Amphoe Ban Tak It was once a city of Tak and an important gateway to the west of the Kingdom of Sukhothai.

Wat Phra Borommathat The Ubosot (ordination hall) has a beautifully carved-wooden door. The old Wihan (image hall) has a high ceiling with double tiers, and is well equipped with ventilation channels so that it is cool inside. A gilded stucco Buddha image is housed in the Wihan. This temple is among the ones of great archaeological value.

Chedi Yutthahatthi or the Chedi in Honour of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great This Sukhothai – styled artwork stands on a cement square base of 12 m in width. There are traces of repair over the past time, but the pagoda still remains in its original form.

Petrified Wood This is the largest fossil of plants in Asia. It is a kind of fossil produced by nature by means of soaking decaying plants in ground water which contains silica. It was presumed that the formation occurred in the Quaternary Period, about 2 million years ago.

Mae Salit Stone Mortar and Production Site is the largest granite mortar in Thailand. The fact that the village of San Klang is where the famous stone mortar ‘Khrok Ang Sila’ is made as an OTOP handicraft, is known to a few.

Pha Sam Ngao There, three deep holes were carved into the cliff at the mountain foot, and a gilded Buddha image is housed in each of the three niches.

Doi Soi Malai An interesting thing here is a salamander or water lizard, a rarely seen ancient creature; its pink body is similar to the lizard’s. Most areas are covered with a pine forest.

Wat Chonprathan Rangsan The temple was established to replace the eight temples which were flooded in 1959. Important items of each of the eight temples were moved to be maintained in this temple.

Wat Phrathat Kaeng Soi It was presumed by the Fine Arts Department that this area was probably an important gateway town of the Hariphunchai Kingdom, named ‘Wiang Soi,’ over 800 years ago. Nowadays, the archaeological evidence of the town lays underwater, and it can be seen only when the water recedes just to a very low level.

Bhumibol Dam or Yanhi Dam It is the first multipurpose dam in Thailand. This large curve-shaped concrete dam is the highest one in Thailand. The dam is used for electricity production and irrigation. The area around the dam is used for recreational purposes and as a breeding site of freshwater creatures. Places of Interest at Bhumibol Dam:

  • Phra Phutthabat Doi Khao Nam This Lord Buddha’s footprint is enshrined in Wat Phra Phutthabat at the top of a hill on an island.


  • Ko Valentine This small island has a sandy beach.
  • Sericulture Experimental Station This place is where the growing of mulberries and the raising of silkworms are done on a large scale.


Local Products

Miang Kham Mueang Tak or Miang Chomphon Its condiments include shredded coconut, fried dried rice, roast peanut, dried shrimps, crispy pork skin, small pieces of lemon, shallot, and ginger, fresh capsicum, soya bean sauce, and sesame cracker or leaves of Cha-phlu (Piper sarmentosum
Piper sarmentosum

Piper sarmentosum is a plant in the Piperaceae family used in many Southeast Asian cuisines. There is no official English language name for it, but it is sometimes called "wild betel", as the leaves are often confused with betel....
 Roxb). The sesame cracker will be softened in water. The rest of the condiments will be wrapped by a soft cracker into a titbit and topped with a drop of soya bean sauce. Miang Kham is a kind of snack popular in Tak and nearby provinces.

Kuaitiao Phuen Mueang Remarkably, noodle soup here is cooked with small flat threads. Other condiments are powdered dried shrimp, small pieces of crispy pork skin, shallot, fried garlic, chopped pork, sliced cow pea, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and fish sauce.

Kabong Cho This kind of snack got its name from Burmese words: ‘Kabong’ means a pumpkin and ‘Cho’ means being fried. Pumpkin is coated with flour and fried until crispy. The tip of crunchiness lays on flour called ‘Paemong’ from Myanmar which is made from young soybeans. Nowadays, besides pumpkin, other vegetables, such as raw papaya, gourd, bean sprout, etc., are applied. The fried vegetables are eaten with sweet and sour dipping of which ingredients are tamarind juice, sugarcane juice, salt, ground peanut and garlic.

Seng-phe and Halawa These are typical sweets of the people of Thai Yai. ‘Seng-phe’ looks like red sticky rice conserve, cooked from sticky rice, sugarcane juice and coconut milk, and baked or grilled until its coconut creamy topping turns brown. ‘Halawa’ is cooked from rice flour, granulated sugar, coconut milk, and tapioca, and topped with coconut cream like Seng-phe. Both of them have a sweet and creamy taste.

Culture


Festivals

Loi Krathong Sai Lai Prathip Phan Duang Tradition Loi Krathong Sai is an ancient tradition which has long been inherited over the past. It is held every year in November which coincides with the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month. ‘Krathong Sai’ is different from a Krathong cup in general. A cup of coconut shell is used as its body. Since the people of Tak love “Miang” – a local snack made of coconut flesh, and produce “Miang” as an important local product, a lot of coconut shells are left. During the Loi Krathong Festival, the people bring them to be cleaned and polished for making Krathong Sai. Prepared fuel is put in the coconut cups and then lit before floating them away in a line along the Ping River. The glittering cups provide an attractive scene on the Ping River at night. During this event, there is a competition of releasing the Krathong cups called ‘Krathong Sai Lai Prathip Phan Duang’ to win His Majesty the King’s Cup, cultural performances, a beauty contest entitled ‘Thida Krathong Sai,’ and OTOP booths.

Taksin Maharachanuson Fair and Red Cross Fair King Taksin the Great who returned independence to the Thai nation had his background closely tied with Tak. The people of Tak, therefore, organise a traditional fair ‘Taksin Maharachanuson’ to honour him and publicise his heroic deeds. There is a light and sound presentation held as offerings to propitiate his soul, exhibitions, entertainment performances and booths of agricultural goods and OTOP products. The fair and the Red Cross Fair are an annual event held together during 28 December to 3 January at the King Taksin the Great Shrine.

Khuen That Duean Kao Tradition This merit making event is held to worship the Lord Buddha’s relics on the fourteenth waxing moon day and the full moon day of the ninth lunar month of Thailand’s North, which coincides with the seventh lunar month of Thailand in general, or around late May or in June. There are processions of long drums, offerings, money donation trees, ‘Pha Pa’ robe trees and victory flags, and a robe to cover Phrathat (the pagoda where the Lord Buddha’s relics are enshrined), starting from Nong Lem, Saphan Bun, to Wat Phra Borommathat. A ceremony is held to offer the pagoda robe. On this occasion, a ritual is done to propitiate the Chedi (pagoda) built to the north of the temple by King Ramkhamhaeng to mark his successful elephant-back fight against Khun Sam Chon, the ruler of the city of Chot. Also, the traditional merit-making by giving offerings to Buddhist monks is held at the temple.

External links

  • (Thai)