Tak Province
Encyclopedia
Tak is one of the northern provinces
(changwat) of Thailand
. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mae Hong Son
, Chiang Mai
, Lamphun
, Lampang
, Sukhothai
, Kamphaeng Phet
, Nakhon Sawan
, Uthai Thani
and Kanchanaburi
. The western edge of province has a long boundary with Kayin State
of Myanmar (Burma).
The Bhumibol Dam
(named after King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the old name was Yanhee Dam) is located in Khao Kaew Tambon
(sub-district), Amphoe Sam Ngao
(district) of Tak and was built from 1958-1964. It stops the river Ping
, one of the two sources of the Chao Phraya river. The artificial lake created covers an area of 300 km² and is the largest in Thailand. The Taksin Maharat National Park and the Lan Sang National Park
are also located in the province. Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary
share half of the lake front with Kanchanaburi and Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary
at the border with Uthai Thani and are World Heritage Site
s.
On the western side of Tak Province the Tenasserim Hills
meet the Shan Hills
. One of the few transnational roads and cross-border points into Myanmar
is located at Mae Sot
. Northwestwards of Mae Sot the main road on the Thai side skirts the border until it turns straight north towards Mae Hong Son
.
. 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
). A city named Ban Tak
was established by Jamadevi
(พระนางจามเทวี), princess of the Lavo kingdom, around 663 AD. It became part of the Sukhothai kingdom
through battles led by Ramkhamhaeng the Great
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
reign. The city was moved back to the east side of the Ping River
during the early Bangkok period.
King Taksin
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.
, corn
, vegetable
s, fruit
s, beef
, tilapia
, and other foods. Industries in Tak include mining, granite
, and jewelry. Handicraft
s and Myanmar
products are also important for trade. The Bhumibol Dam in the northern part of Tak is its most popular tourist attraction. Tourism, especially ecotourism
, in the southern part is seasonal with popular destinations such as Thi Lo Su Waterfall, Thi Lo Le Waterfall, hiking
and white water rafting in its various forest reserves. Tak is also famous for its Loy Krathong
festival where krathong sai (กระทงสาย) consisting of many krathongs are floated in a long line down the river. The Loy Krathong festival is held on the Ping River
in Amphoe Mueang Tak
on Loy Krathong night.
Tak is a key communication and transportation centre of the North, with three Asian highways passing through the province. AH1
enters through the Myanmar-Thai border at Amphoe Mae Sot; AH2
passes through the province from north to south. Also AH16 terminates at Tak. Tak is located 426 km
from Bangkok. Flights between Bangkok and Mae Sot are currently provided by Nok Air
and Solar Air. The flight takes one and a half hours.
Yao
, Karen
(Thai
Gariang), Akha
(Thai Akha), Lahu
(Thai Musay), Hmong
(Thai Meo), and Lisu (Thai Lisaw). The largest tribe in Tak is Karen.
data of 2006, nearly 100,000 of Thailand's 130,000 registered refugee
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
refugees.
shows King Naresuan
on the royal elephant. Sometimes below the elephant a 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.
).
The province is subdivided in 9 districts (amphoe
). These are further subdivided into 63 subdistricts (tambon
) and 493 villages (muban
).
Si Maharat City Pillar Shrine (ศาลหลักเมืองสี่มหาราช) 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 (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช) 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 (วัดโบสถ์มณีศรีบุญเรือง) 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 (วัดดอยข่อยเขาแก้ว หรือ วัดพระเจ้าตาก) 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 (วัดมณีบรรพตวรวิหาร) 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 (วัดสีตลาราม หรือ วัดน้ำหัก) 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 (ตรอกบ้านจีน) 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 (วัดเขาถ้ำ) 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 (อุทยานแห่งชาติลานสาง) 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:
King Taksin the Great National Park (อุทยานแห่งชาติตากสินมหาราช) 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:
Wat Mani Phraison (วัดมณีไพรสณฑ์) 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 (วัดชุมพรคีรี) 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 (น้ำตกแม่กาษา) 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 (บ่อน้ำร้อนแม่กาษา) 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) (ศูนย์บริการวิชาการด้านพืชและปัจจัยการผลิตตาก (ดอยมูเซอ) 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 (สถานีทดลองพืชสวนดอยมูเซอ) 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 (ตลาดสินค้าพืนเมืองชาวเขาดอยมูเซอ) Located on the roadside of the Tak – Mae Sot route (Highway No. 105) around km 29.
Chaopho Phawo Shrine (ศาลเจ้าพ่อพะวอ) 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 (เนินพิศวง) 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 (วัดโพธิคุณ หรือ วัดห้วยเตย) 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 (วัดไทยวัฒนาราม) 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 (สะพานมิตรภาพไทย-พม่า) 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 (ตลาดริมเมย) 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 (พระธาตุหินกิ่วที่ดอยดินจี่) 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) (แม่น้ำเมย) 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 (วัดดอนแก้ว) 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 (เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าแม่ตื่น) 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:
Places of interest in the Khun Phawo National Park:
Places of Interest in the Namtok Pha Charoen National Park:
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:
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:
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.
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.
Provinces of Thailand
Thailand is divided into 76 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 77th province since it is administered at the same level as the other 76 provinces. The name of the provinces are...
(changwat) of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son Province
Most of the areas of Mae Hong Son Province are complex mountain ranges and likely still pristine virgin forest. Of the approximately 6,976,650 rai of national forest reserves, 88.02% is thought to be pristine virgin forest...
, Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai Province
Chiang Mai is the second-largest province of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Lampang, Lamphun, Tak, and Mae Hong Son. In the north it borders Shan State of Burma...
, Lamphun
Lamphun Province
Lamphun is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Mai, Lampang and Tak.-Geography:Lamphun is located in the river valley of the Ping River, surrounded by mountain chains....
, Lampang
Lampang Province
Lampang is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Lamphun and Chiang Mai. The old name of Lampang is Khelang Nakhon.-Geography:...
, Sukhothai
Sukhothai Province
Sukhothai is one of the northern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phrae, Uttaradit, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, and Lampang...
, Kamphaeng Phet
Kamphaeng Phet Province
Kamphaeng Phet is one of the provinces of Thailand, located in the north of the country. Neighboring provinces are Sukhothai, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Nakhon Sawan and Tak.- Etymology :...
, Nakhon Sawan
Nakhon Sawan Province
Nakhon Sawan is one of the provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Kamphaeng Phet, Phichit, Phetchabun, Lop Buri, Sing Buri, Chai Nat, Uthai Thani and Tak.- Etymology :...
, Uthai Thani
Uthai Thani Province
Uthai Thani is one of the provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Suphan Buri, Kanchanaburi and Tak.-Geography:...
and Kanchanaburi
Kanchanaburi Province
- History :Archaeology found in Kanchanaburi dates back to the 4th century which proves of trade with surrounding countries even in that time. Very little is also historically known about the actual Khmer influence in Kanchanaburi but there is evidence of their occupation with Prasat Muang Singh –...
. The western edge of province has a long boundary with Kayin State
Kayin State
Kayin State is a state of Burma . The capital city is Hpa-an.-History:The region that forms today's Kayin State was part of successive Burmese kingdoms since the formation of the Pagan Empire in mid-11th century...
of Myanmar (Burma).
Geography
The Bhumibol Dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
(named after King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 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 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...
(sub-district), Amphoe Sam Ngao
Amphoe Sam Ngao
Sam Ngao is the northernmost district of Tak Province, northern Thailand.-History:The minor district was established in 1930 as a subordinate of Ban Tak district. Originally named Tha Pui , it was renamed to Sam Ngao in 1939...
(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 Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai Province. After passing Chiang Mai town, it flows though the provinces Lamphun, Tak, and Kamphaeng Phet...
, one of the two sources of the Chao Phraya river. The artificial lake created covers an area of 300 km² and is the largest in Thailand. The Taksin Maharat National Park and the Lan Sang National Park
Lan Sang National Park
Lan Sang National Park is located in Tak Province, in northern Thailand. Established in 1979, it is an IUCN Category II protected area measuring . Situated on the Tak-Mae Sot Highway in Mueang Tak District, it became the country's 15th national park....
are also located in the province. Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary
Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary
The Wildlife Sanctuary Thung Yai Naresuan is a protected area in Thailand in the northern part of Kanchanaburi province and the southern part of Tak province...
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, Tak and Uthai Thani. It was declared a World Heritage Site Site by the United Nations in 1991, together with the adjoining Thungyai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary...
at the border with Uthai Thani and are World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
s.
On the western side of Tak Province the Tenasserim Hills
Tenasserim Hills
Tenasserim Hills or Tenasserim Range is the geographical name of a mountain chain in Southeast Asia. Despite their relatively scant altitude these mountains form an effective barrier between Thailand and Burma in their northern and central region, extending to the Kra Isthmus into the Malay...
meet the Shan Hills
Shan Hills
The Shan Hills , also known as Shan Highland, are part of the range of hills that extends through Yunnan to Burma and Thailand, linking to the Himalayas, of which they may be considered foothills.-Etymology:...
. One of the few transnational roads and cross-border points into Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
is located at Mae Sot
Mae Sot
- External links :* * : an audio documentary.* *...
. Northwestwards of Mae Sot the main road on the Thai side skirts the border until it turns straight north towards Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son
Mae Hong Son ) is a town in north west Thailand, capital of the Mae Hong Son Province. It is located in the Shan Hills, near the border with Burma along the banks of the river Pai...
.
History
Tak was a historical kingdom built over 2,000 years ago, even before the Sukhothai periodSukhothai kingdom
The Sukhothai Kingdom ) was an early kingdom in the area around the city Sukhothai, in north central Thailand. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...
. 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. Neighboring provinces are Phetchabun, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri and Nakhon Sawan.-Geography:...
). A city named Ban Tak
Amphoe Ban Tak
Ban Tak is a district in the northern part of Tak Province, northern Thailand.-History:The area of Ban Tak is the old location of Mueang Tak. It was an ancient frontier city, located on the west bank of the Ping River in Ban Tha Phra That, Tambon Ko Taphao...
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 Queen Jamadevi (Thai: พระนางจามเทวี) (Pali: Camadevi), also known as Nang Chamthewi of...
(พระนางจามเทวี), 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. The Kingdom existed from 1238 till 1438...
through battles led by Ramkhamhaeng the Great
Ramkhamhaeng the Great
Pho Khun 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
Phra Maha Thammarachathirat or Somdet Phra Sanphet I or formerly known as Khun Phiren Thorathep was the first King of Ayutthaya kingdom of the Sukhothai dynasty. As a powerful Sukhothai noble, Pirenthorathep gradually rose to power...
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 Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai Province. After passing Chiang Mai town, it flows though the provinces Lamphun, Tak, and Kamphaeng Phet...
during the early Bangkok period.
King Taksin
Taksin
Taksin ; was the only King of the 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 riceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s, fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s, beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
, tilapia
Tilapia
Tilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...
, and other foods. Industries in Tak include mining, granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
, and jewelry. Handicraft
Handicraft
Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanic handicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is a type of work where useful and decorative devices are made completely by hand or by using only simple tools. It is a traditional main sector of craft. Usually the term is applied to traditional means...
s and Myanmar
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
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 visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
, 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 in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and white water rafting in its various forest reserves. Tak is also famous for its Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong
Loi Krathong is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and certain parts of Laos and Burma .-Overview:...
festival where krathong sai (กระทงสาย) 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 Chiang Dao district, Chiang Mai Province. After passing Chiang Mai town, it flows though the provinces Lamphun, Tak, and Kamphaeng Phet...
in Amphoe Mueang Tak
Amphoe Mueang Tak
Mueang Tak is the capital district of Tak Province, northern Thailand.-History:In Sukhothai era, Mueang Tak was the western frontier city. The old location of the city was in Tambon Ko Taphao, now Ban Tak district. It was moved because its old location was not strategically good. Another old city...
on Loy Krathong night.
Transportation
AH1
AH1 is the longest route of the Asian Highway Network, running 12,845 miles from Tokyo, Japan via Korea, China, Southeast Asia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran to the border between Turkey and Bulgaria west of Istanbul.-Japan:...
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:-Indonesia:Denpasar — Surabaya — Surakarta — Semarang — Cikampek — Jakarta...
passes through the province from north to south. Also AH16 terminates at Tak. Tak is located 426 km
Kilometre
The kilometre is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one thousand metres and is therefore exactly equal to the distance travelled by light in free space in of a second...
from Bangkok. Flights between Bangkok and Mae Sot are currently provided by Nok Air
Nok Air
Nok Air , the Thai word for bird) is a low-cost airline headquartered in Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand, operating domestic and international services out of Bangkok Don Mueang Airport. Nok Air is the budget airline of Thai Airways International...
and Solar Air. 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 55 ethnic minority groups 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 or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
(Thai
Thai language
Thai , also known as Central Thai and Siamese, is the national and official language of Thailand and the native language of the Thai people, Thailand's dominant ethnic group. Thai is a member of the Tai group of the Tai–Kadai language family. Historical linguists have been unable to definitively...
Gariang), Akha
Akha language
Akha is the language spoken by the Akha people. It is sometimes considered a dialect of the Hani language spoken in China, although most speakers live in eastern Burma....
(Thai Akha), Lahu
Lahu people
The Lahu are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia and China.They are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China, where about 450,000 live in Yunnan province. An estimated 150,000 live in Burma. In Thailand, Lahu are one of the six main hill tribes; their...
(Thai Musay), Hmong
Hmong people
The Hmong , are an Asian ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. Hmong are also one of the sub-groups of the Miao ethnicity in southern China...
(Thai Meo), and Lisu (Thai Lisaw). The largest tribe in Tak is Karen.
Refugees
According to the UNHCRUnited Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees , also known as The UN Refugee Agency 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...
data of 2006, nearly 100,000 of Thailand's 130,000 registered refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from Burma are housed in several refugee camps in Tak province of which Mae La camp
Mae La refugee camp
Mae La is a refugee camp in Thailand. It was established in 1984 in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province and currently houses 30,000 refugees, with more arriving each week from Burma. Mae La Camp is the largest Burmese refugee camp...
is the largest with around 45,000 Karen
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
refugees.
Symbols
The provincial sealSeals of The Provinces of Thailand
-Present-day provinces of Thailand:This list includes all the seals of the Provinces of Thailand. It also includes the special administrative area of the capital, Bangkok.-Former Provinces:-External links:*...
shows King Naresuan
Naresuan
Somdet Phra Naresuan Maharat or Somdet Phra Sanphet II was the King of the Ayutthaya kingdom from 1590 until his death in 1605. Naresuan was one of Siam's most revered monarchs as he was known for his campaigns to free Siam from Burmese rule...
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 Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...
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. The genus was named after the Bauhin brothers, Swiss-French botanists....
).
Administrative divisions
Amphoe
An amphoe is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as district, amphoe make up the provinces, and are analogous to a county seat...
). 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 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...
) and 493 villages (muban
Muban
Muban is the lowest administrative subdivision of Thailand. Usually translated as village, they are the subdivision of tambon. As of 2008, there are 74944 administrative villages in Thailand. As of the 1990 census, the average village consisted of 144 households or 746 persons.A muban does not...
).
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Tourism
Sights
King Taksin the Great Shrine (ศาลสมเด็จพระเจ้าตากสินมหาราช) 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 (วัดโบสถ์มณีศรีบุญเรือง) 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 (วัดดอยข่อยเขาแก้ว หรือ วัดพระเจ้าตาก) 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 (วัดมณีบรรพตวรวิหาร) 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 (วัดสีตลาราม หรือ วัดน้ำหัก) 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 (ตรอกบ้านจีน) 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 (วัดเขาถ้ำ) 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 (อุทยานแห่งชาติลานสาง) 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 (น้ำตกผาลาด) 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)(น้ำตกลานเลี้ยงม้า (ชั้นที่ ๑) 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) (น้ำตกลานสาง)(ชั้น ๒) 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) (น้ำตกผาเงิบ) (ชั้น ๓) 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) (น้ำตกผาผึ้ง) (ชั้นที่ ๔) 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 (น้ำตกผาเท) 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 (น้ำตกผาน้ำย้อย) This waterfall flows through a narrow channel in layers down to a broad and very deep pond.
- Namtok Tha Le (น้ำตกท่าเลย์) This waterfall of 50 m high features a slope with water flowing in layers from a cliff.
- Viewpoint (จุดชมวิว) 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 (อุทยานแห่งชาติตากสินมหาราช) 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: (ต้นกระบากใหญ่) 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: (สะพานหินธรรมชาติ) It features a giant piece of stone linking two cliffs together, with 25 m in width and height.
- Namtok Pang A Noi: (น้ำตกปางอ้าน้อย) 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: (น้ำตกแม่ย่าป้า) 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: (น้ำตกสามหมื่นทุ่ง) This giant waterfall of 30 m high originates from Lam Huai Sam Muen Luang and has water flowing all year round.
Wat Mani Phraison (วัดมณีไพรสณฑ์) 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 (วัดชุมพรคีรี) 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 (น้ำตกแม่กาษา) 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 (บ่อน้ำร้อนแม่กาษา) 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) (ศูนย์บริการวิชาการด้านพืชและปัจจัยการผลิตตาก (ดอยมูเซอ) 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 (สถานีทดลองพืชสวนดอยมูเซอ) 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 (ตลาดสินค้าพืนเมืองชาวเขาดอยมูเซอ) Located on the roadside of the Tak – Mae Sot route (Highway No. 105) around km 29.
Chaopho Phawo Shrine (ศาลเจ้าพ่อพะวอ) 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 (เนินพิศวง) 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 (วัดโพธิคุณ หรือ วัดห้วยเตย) 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 (วัดไทยวัฒนาราม) 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 (สะพานมิตรภาพไทย-พม่า) 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 (ตลาดริมเมย) 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 (พระธาตุหินกิ่วที่ดอยดินจี่) 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) (แม่น้ำเมย) 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 (วัดดอนแก้ว) 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 (เขตรักษาพันธุ์สัตว์ป่าแม่ตื่น) 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: (ดอยขุนแม่ตื่น) 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: (ลำน้ำแม่ตื่น) 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: (ดอยสอยแม่ลัย) 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: (น้ำตกขุนพะวอ) It is a large waterfall of around 100 m high and an origin of Huai Mae Charao (Mae Charao creek).
- Huai Mae Lamao: (ห้วยแม่ละเมา) 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: (เส้นทางเดินศึกษาธรรมชาติ) 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: (น้ำตกผาเทวะ) 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: (ถ้ำแม่อุสุ) 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.
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 sarmentosumPiper sarmentosum
Piper sarmentosum is a plant in the Piperaceae family used in many Southeast Asian cuisines. The leaves are often confused with betel, but they lack the intense taste of the betel leaves and are significantly smaller.-Names:...
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.
Festivals
Loi Krathong Sai Lai Prathip Phan Duang TraditionLoi 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.