Nan Province

[Braveheart]

Nan (Thai น่าน) is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. To the north and east it borders Xaignabouli of Laos.

 

The province is located in the remote valley of the Nan River, surrounded by mountains covered with forests. The highest mountain is the 2079 meter high Phu Khe in the north-east near the border with Laos.

 

For centuries Nan was an independent kingdom but, due to its remoteness, had few connections to the other kingdoms. The first kingdom around the city Mueang Pua (also known as Varanagara) was created in the late 13th century. Its rulers, the Phukha dynasty, were related to founders of Vientiane, however it became associated with the Sukhothai kingdom as it was easier to reach from the south than from the east or west. In the 14th century the capital was moved to its present location at Nan.

 

In the 15th century, when Sukhothai declined in power, it became vassal of the kingdom of Lannathai. In 1443 King Kaen Thao of Nan plotted to capture neighboring Phayao by asking King Tilokaraj to help him fight against Vietnamese troops attacking Nan, even though there was no such threat. Kaen Thao could kill the king of Phayao, however then the troops of Tilokaraj attacked Nan itself, and captured it in 1449.

 

When Lannathai was under Burmese rulership, Nan tried to liberate itself many times without success, which finally led to direct Burmese rulership of Nan in 1714. In 1788 the Burmese rulers could be finally fought back, however Nan had then accepted the new Siam rulers. In 1893 after the Paknam crisis Siam had to give a big part of eastern Nan to French Indochina.

 

However Nan kept some degree of independence from the Siamese rulers, and it took until 1931 to become fully integrated into Thailand, and the province was then created.

 

Before the early 1980s bandits as well as People's Liberation Army of Thailand (PLAT) guerillas were a big problem in the province, usually destroying highway construction overnight. With the help of the army and the more stable political system the province improved significantly, but is still a very rural and remote one.

 

10.5% of the population belong to the hill tribes.

 

The provincial seal shows a Usuparatch bull carrying the pagoda of Phrathat Chae Haeng. The buffalo goes back to a legend that the rules of Nan and Phrae were brothers, and met at a mountain to decide about the boundary between their lands. The ruler of Nan went there on a buffalo, while the ruler of Phrae went there on a horse.

The provincial tree and provincial flower is the Orchid Tree (Bauhinia variegata).

 

The province is subdivided in 14 districts (Amphoe) and one minor district (King Amphoe). These are further subdivided into 99 communes (tambon) and 848 villages (muban).

 

Extracted from Wikipedia: Nan Province

[LaaMok]

Here is what Thailandguidebook has to say about Nan province

 

A quiet and tranquil province, Nan nestles in a valley in Northern Thailand. About 668 kilometres from Bangkok, it covers an area of 11,472 square kilometres and is made up of the following districts: Muang, Wiang Sa, Na Noi, Pua, Chiang Klang, Tha Wang Pha, Thung Chang, Mae Charim, Ban Luang, Na Mun, Santisuk, Bo Klua, Chaleom Phra Kiat, Song Kwae, and Phu Phiang.

 

The people of Nan descend from the Lan Changs (Laotians). Their forebears moved to settle around present day Pua district which is rich in rock salt deposits, about 700 years ago at the time when Sukhothai was becoming the kingdom of the Thais. They subsequently moved south to the fertile Nan River basin which is much more extensive. Nan's history is deeply involved with its neighbours, in particular Sukhothai which played an important role in both political and religious terms before Nan became a part of Lanna, Burma and Thailand in that order. Today Nan is still the home of numerous Thai Lu and other hill tribes who retain highly interesting customs and traditions. (This is not near Pattaya.)

 

 

 

Source http://www.thailandguidebook.com/provinces/nan.html

[ron]

Here is what Thailandguidebook has to say about Nan province

 

A quiet and tranquil province, Nan nestles in a valley in Northern Thailand. About 668 kilometres from Bangkok, it covers an area of 11,472 square kilometres and is made up of the following districts: Muang, Wiang Sa, Na Noi, Pua, Chiang Klang, Tha Wang Pha, Thung Chang, Mae Charim, Ban Luang, Na Mun, Santisuk, Bo Klua, Chaleom Phra Kiat, Song Kwae, and Phu Phiang.

 

The people of Nan descend from the Lan Changs (Laotians). Their forebears moved to settle around present day Pua district which is rich in rock salt deposits, about 700 years ago at the time when Sukhothai was becoming the kingdom of the Thais. They subsequently moved south to the fertile Nan River basin which is much more extensive. Nan's history is deeply involved with its neighbours, in particular Sukhothai which played an important role in both political and religious terms before Nan became a part of Lanna, Burma and Thailand in that order. Today Nan is still the home of numerous Thai Lu and other hill tribes who retain highly interesting customs and traditions. (This is not near Pattaya.)

 

Source http://www.thailandguidebook.com/provinces/nan.html

 

I hear that Nan is where a lot of fine silver work comes from, such as those hand woven ladies purses. Do you have any info on this or go to any local artists, silversmiths?

[pattayadog]

Nice temples and a nice museum. Worthwhile for a day. The new bus station is a bit outside and there is even some nightlife along the road to the center.

 

The road north to Chiang Rai is scenic. Never made it to the border district on the east :(

 

Avoid the NAn Fa hotel. A mosquito trap. The cheaper hotels can do for a nite, if ur a backpacker.