| Lopburi | |
| Native Name: | ลพบุรี |
| Native Name Lang: | th |
| Settlement Type: | Province |
| Nickname: | Lavo (Thai: ละโว้) Mueang Ling (lit. City of Monkeys) |
| Motto: | วังนารายณ์คู่บ้าน ศาลพระกาฬคู่เมือง ปรางค์สามยอดลือเลื่อง เมืองแห่งดินสอพอง เขื่อนป่าสักชลสิทธิ์เกริกก้อง แผ่นดินทองสมเด็จพระนารายณ์ ("Home of King Narai Palace and San Phra Kan. The renowned Prang Sam Yot. City of Dinsophong chalk. Famous Pa Sak Jolasid Dam. The golden lad of King Narai.") |
| Mapsize: | frameless |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Thailand |
| Seat Type: | Capital |
| Seat: | Lopburi |
| Leader Title: | Governor |
| Leader Name: | Niwat Rungsakorn |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 6,200 |
| Area Rank: | Ranked 36th |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 758,733 |
| Population As Of: | 2018 |
| Population Rank: | Ranked 32nd |
| Population Density Km2: | 122 |
| Population Density Rank: | Ranked 40th |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP |
| Demographics2 Footnotes: | [3] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | baht 112 billion (US$3.6 billion) (2019) |
| Demographics Type1: | Human Achievement Index |
| Demographics1 Footnotes: | [4] |
| Demographics1 Title1: | HAI (2022) |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 0.6529 "somewhat high" Ranked 23rd |
| Timezone1: | ICT |
| Utc Offset1: | +7 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 15xxx |
| Area Code Type: | Calling code |
| Area Code: | 036 |
| Registration Plate: | ลพบุรี |
| Iso Code: | TH-16 |
Lopburi (Thai: ลพบุรี,,[5] in Thai pronounced as /lóp bū.rīː/) is a province in the central region of Thailand. The province is divided into 11 administrative districts, and Mueang Lopburi district is the capital. With over 750,000 people, the province is Thailand's 36th largest area and 32nd most populous. There are eight neighboring provinces, Phetchabun, Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima, Saraburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Ang Thong, Sing Buri, and Nakhon Sawan.
Lopburi is a significant province historically, where many historical structures, artifacts, and prehistoric settlements have been discovered. In the past, Lopburi was called by the name Lavo, after the Lavapuri, (present day Lahore) city named after the second son of Ram.The kingdom had been ruled by an absolute monarch.
See main article: History of Lopburi and Lavo kingdom. Known as Lavo during much of its history, Lopburi probably dates to prehistoric times.[6] The name Lavo originated from the capital city of Lavo kingdom, an ancient Mon kingdom of Dvaravati period (6th–11th century CE).[7] The conquering Khmer would build many impressive temples in the city during its rule. Lopburi may even have liberated itself for a time, as it sent independent embassies to China in 1115 and 1155. In 1289 it sent another embassy to China, but soon became part of the Thai kingdom of Sukhothai and later Ayutthaya.
During the Ayutthaya period, King Ramathibodi I sent Phra Ramesuan (later King Ramesuan) as the Uparaja to reign in Lopburi. In 1666 King Narai the Great ordered a new palace built on the east bank of the Lopburi River and made Lopburi the second capital of the country, as Ayutthaya was threatened by the Dutch. After King Narai died, the city was almost abandoned and fell into ruin.
In 1856 King Mongkut of the Chakri dynasty ordered King Narai's palace to be renovated. The city finally regained its importance in 1937, when Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram chose Lopburi to be the largest military base in Thailand and once was decide to be new capital city of Thailand after the end of World War II.[8]
Lopburi is on the east side of the Chao Phraya River valley, between the Lopburi River and Pa Sak Rivers. Thirty percent of the area of the province, including most of Tha Wung district, the southwestern parts of Mueang Lopburi and Ban Mi districts are a very low alluvial plain. The other 70 percent is mixed plains and hills, with the Phetchabun Mountains forming the eastern boundary of the province towards the Khorat Plateau. The total forest area is 962km² or 14.8 percent of provincial area.[9]
There is one wildlife sanctuary in region 1 (Saraburi branch) of Thailand's protected areas.
Lopburi province has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification category Aw). Winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until May. Monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm. Climatic statistics: Its maximum temperature is 41.4 °C (106.5 °F) in April and the lowest temperature is 10.2 °C (50.4 °F) in December. The highest average temperature is 36.8 °C (98.2 °F) and the minimum average temperature is 20.6 °C (69.1 °F). Annual average rainfall is 1,125 millimeters with mean rainy days is 17.6 in September. Maximum daily rainfall is 203.4 millimeters in October.[11]
The provincial seal shows Vishnu in front of the Khmer temple Phra Prang Sam Yod.[12]
The escutcheon of Lopburi shows Phra Narai and in the background Phra Prang Sam Yod, the "Sanctuary with the Three Towers". It refers to King Narai who in 1664 fortified the city to be used as an alternative capital when Ayutthaya was threatened by a Dutch naval blockade.[13]
The provincial tree as well as the provincial flower is the bullet wood.[14]
The slogan of the province is National treasures of King Narai's palace and Phra Kan Shrine, famous Prang Sam Yot, city of Din So Phong Marl, well-known Pa Sak Cholasit Dam and golden land of King Narai the Great.
The province is subdivided into 11 districts (amphoe). The districts are further subdivided into 122 sub-districts (tambon) and 1,126 villages (muban).
See also: List of governors of Lop Buri.
As of 26 November 2019 there are:[15] one Lopburi Provincial Administrative Organization (Thai: ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 23 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Lopburi, Khao Sam Yot and Ban Mi have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 20 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 102 Subdistrict Administrative Organizations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]
thumb|One macaque in Monkey Buffet Festival at Phra Prang Sam Yotthumb|Lopburi City Gate, from old to new city
Lopburi railway station is a station of the State Railway of Thailand's Northern Line, the end of Bangkok's suburban service.
The main road through Lobpuri is Route 1 (Phahonyothin Road), which starts in Bangkok, and continues through Lopburi, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Chiang Rai, and the border with Burma at Mae Sai. Route 311 leads west to Sing Buri, and Route 3196 leads south-west to Ang Thong.
Khok Kathiam Air Force Base is 9km (06miles) north of the town. It has no commercial flights.
Lopburi's main hospital is King Narai Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.
| Health | Education | Employment | Income | |
| 25 | 16 | 23 | 45 | |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation | |
| 47 | 40 | 51 | 50 | |
| Province Lopburi, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.65297 is "somewhat high", occupies place 23 in the ranking. | ||||
| Rank | Classification | |
| 1 - 13 | "high" | |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" | |
| 30 - 45 | "average" | |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" | |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |