Buriram Province
Encyclopedia
Buri Ram or (Khmer
Khmer language
Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious...

: Borei Rom) is one of the north-eastern
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...

 provinces
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 south clockwise) Sa Kaeo
Sa Kaeo Province
Sa Kaeo is a province of Thailand.It is located in the east of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao, Prachin Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima and Buri Ram...

, Nakhon Ratchasima
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Nakhon Ratchasima or , often shortened to Korat or Khorat , is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand...

, Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen Province
-History:The first city of the area was established in 1783 when Rajakruluang settled there with 330 people. King Rama I made Rajakruluang the first governor of the area when establishing tighter connections with the Isan area. The main city was moved six times until in 1879 it reached its modern...

, Maha Sarakham
Maha Sarakham Province
Maha Sarakham is one of the provinces of Thailand, located in the northeastern region of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Kalasin, Roi Et, Surin, Buriram and Khon Kaen....

 and Surin
Surin Province
Surin is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Buriram, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et and Sisaket...

. To the south-east it borders Oddar Meancheay of Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...

. The name Buri Ram means City of happiness.

Geography

Buriram is located at the southern end of the Khorat Plateau
Khorat Plateau
The Khorat Plateau also Korat Plateau, is a plateau in the northeastern region of Thailand, named for the short form of Nakhon Ratchasima, an historical stronghold controlling access to and from the plateau.-Geography:...

, with several extinct volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...

es around the province. The Sankambeng Range
Sankambeng Range
The Sankamphaeng Range, also Sankambeng Range or Sungumpang Range is one of the mountain ranges separating Eastern Thailand from the northeast or Isan.-Description:This mountain chain runs in a WNW-ESE direction...

 mountainous area forms the southern limit of the province.

History

Almost a thousand years ago the present- day Buri Ram area was evidently subdued to Khmer Empire as many ruins from that time are still visible there. The biggest of them on an extinct volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...

 is protected in the Phanom Rung historical park
Phanom Rung historical park
Phanom Rung , or, with its full name, Prasat Hin Phanom Rung , or Prasat Phnom Rong in Khmer, is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th...

. According to the inscription found, her ruler recognized the hegemony of Khmer Empire's king.
Before the foundation of Bangkok, little was known about her. From early Bangkok Period, in the early nineteenth century, the town originally called Muang Pae, was renamed 'Buriram'. Then she became under Thai rule. After the administrative reform in the late nineteenth century, Buriram was incorporated into Siam or late Thailand as a province.

Demographics

Buriram is one of the provinces where there is a sizable Northern Khmer
Khmer people
Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 14.8 million people in the country. They speak the Khmer language, which is part of the larger Mon–Khmer language family found throughout Southeast Asia...

 population. Officially, Thai is widely spoken with 27.6% of the population also speaking Northern Khmer in everyday life.

Symbols

The provincial seal shows the Phanom Rung
Phanom Rung historical park
Phanom Rung , or, with its full name, Prasat Hin Phanom Rung , or Prasat Phnom Rong in Khmer, is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th...

 sandstone temple, a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 shrine of the Shivaite sect. The temple was in use from the 9th through the 12th century, when the rule of Khmer Empire
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...

 in the region was overthrown by Thais from Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...

. It is now an historic park.

The provincial flower is the Yellow Cotton Tree (Cochlospermum regium); the provincial tree is the Pink Shower (Cassia grandis
Cassia grandis
Cassia grandis, one of several species called Pink Shower Tree, and known as Carao in Spanish, is a flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to the neotropics, that grows up to . The species is distributed from southern México, to Venezuela and Ecuador...

).

The province's slogan is The city of sandstone sanctuaries, the land of volcanoes, beautiful silk and rich culture.

Administrative divisions

The province is subdivided into 23 districts (amphoe
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...

). The districts are further subdivided into 189 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 2212 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...

).
  1. Mueang Buriram
  2. Khu Mueang
  3. Krasang
  4. Nang Rong
  5. Nong Ki
  6. Lahan Sai
  7. Prakhon Chai
  8. Ban Kruat
  9. Phutthaisong
  10. Lam Plai Mat
  11. Satuek
  12. Pakham


  1. Na Pho
  2. Nong Hong
  3. Phlapphla Chai
  4. Huai Rat
  5. Non Suwan
  6. Chamni
  7. Ban Mai Chaiyaphot
  8. Non Din Daeng
  9. Ban Dan
  10. Khaen Dong
  11. Chaloem Phra Kiat

Sights

Lower Northeastern Cultural Centre (ศูนย์วัฒนธรรมอีสานใต้): The Centre collects and exhibits artefacts and precious historical objects, folk art and archaeological evidence. It is also the resource centre for conducting research.

The Monument of King Rama I (พระบรมราชานุสาวรีย์พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธยอดฟ้าจุฬาโลก):
This was built in 1996 to honour King Rama I who founded the city of Buri Ram while he was serving as Somdet Phraya Maha Kasatsuek.

Khao Kradong Forest Park (วนอุทยานเขากระโดง): This extinct volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...

 is now a popular picnic site. The top is 265 metres above sea level and houses "Phra Suphattharabophit", a large Buddha figure that is the symbol of Buri Ram.

Kradong Reservoir (อ่างเก็บน้ำกระโดง): From the entrance to Khao Kradong, a junction on the left takes you to "Bunyanusat" boy scout camp and a zoo.

Huai Talat Reservoir and Buri Ram Bird Park (อ่างเก็บน้ำห้วยตลาดและสวนนกบุรีรัมย์): A survey found more than 100 species of birds lived in the area during the dry season, which lasts from November to April.

Phanom Rung historical park
Phanom Rung historical park
Phanom Rung , or, with its full name, Prasat Hin Phanom Rung , or Prasat Phnom Rong in Khmer, is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th...

 (อุทยานประวัติศาสตร์พนมรุ้ง)
: Prasat Hin Phanom Rung is a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 shrine dedicated to the God Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

. On the occasion of the Thai Heritage Conservation Day in 1988, Phanom Rung Historical Park was officially opened by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on May 21.

Wat Khao Angkhan (วัดเขาอังคาร): Inside the temple compound are ruins of ancient buildings and sandstone boundary markers which date back to the pre-Khmer Dvaravati
Dvaravati
The Dvaravati period lasted from the 6th to the 13th centuries. Dvaravati refers to both a culture and a disparate conglomerate of principalities.- History :...

 period. It is one of the most beautiful and important temples in the province.

Thung Laem Reservoir (อ่างเก็บน้ำทุ่งแหลม): This small reservoir site has been renovated into a recreational area with shelters for rest and relaxation. Many species of waterfowl can be found here during the dry season months.

Prasat Hin Mueang Tam (ปราสาทหินเมืองต่ำ): This is a Khmer-period sanctuary with outstanding architecture.

Ang Kep Nam Sanam Bin Non-hunting Area (เขตห้ามล่าสัตว์ป่าอ่างเก็บน้ำสนามบิน): The office is located on the left side of the road.

Stone Quarry (แหล่งหินตัด): This quarry was used by the ancient Khmer
Khmer Empire
The Khmer Empire was one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia. The empire, which grew out of the former kingdom of Chenla, at times ruled over and/or vassalized parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma, and Malaysia. Its greatest legacy is Angkor, the site of the capital city...

 for construction materials when they built thei Hindu sanctuaries in the lower Northeastern.

Ancient Kiln Sites (แหล่งเตาโบราณ): Archaeologists found ancient kilns and ceramics during their surveys. The kilns date from around the 9th – 10th century and served as a production centre for Khmer ceramics supplying other cities.

Prasat Wat Khok Ngio (ปราสาทวัดโคกงิ้ว): It is a Khmer stone sanctuary located behind Wat Khok Ngio, and it once served as an "Arogayasala" or a hospital.

Rao Su Monument (อนุสาวรีย์เราสู้): It was built in 1979 to commemorate the brave undertakings of civilians, police officers and soldiers who lost their lives during battles with communists who obstructed the construction of this strategic route.

Lam Nang Rong Dam (เขื่อนลำนางรอง): It is an area under a Royal Project for security development. The Lam Nang Rong Dam is an earthen dam with an asphalt road along the crest with an expansive view.

Prasat Nong Hong (ปราสาทหนองหงส์): It is a small archaeological site comprising three prang
Prang
Prang may refer to:*: an airplane crash*Ernie Prang , a character in the Harry Potter stories*Prang, an art supply brand of Dixon Ticonderoga*Prang , a type of South-East Asian temple spire...

s made from brick on a single laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...

 base.

Big Buddha Image (พระพุทธรูปใหญ่) or Phra Phuttharup Patima Santayaphirom Satuek Udom Ratsadon Nimitmanin is a big standing Buddha
Buddha
In Buddhism, buddhahood is the state of perfect enlightenment attained by a buddha .In Buddhism, the term buddha usually refers to one who has become enlightened...

 image on the bank of the Mun River
Mun River
The Mun River , sometimes spelled Moon River, is a tributary of the Mekong river. It carries approximately 21,000 cubic kilometres of water per year.-Geography:...

, opposite the Satuek District Office.

Phrachao Yai Wat Hong (พระเจ้าใหญ่วัดหงษ์): It is an old Lao
Lao people
The Lao are an ethnic subgroup of Tai/Dai in Southeast Asia.-Names:The etymology of the word Lao is uncertain, although it may be related to tribes known as the Ai Lao who appear in Han Dynasty records in China and Vietnam as a people of what is now Yunan Province...

-style Buddha image in the posture of subduing Mara, which was built during the late Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya kingdom
Ayutthaya was a Siamese kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. Ayutthaya was friendly towards foreign traders, including the Chinese, Vietnamese , Indians, Japanese and Persians, and later the Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French, permitting them to set up villages outside the walls of the...

 period, or around the 18th century.

Silk Weaving Village of Amphoe Na Pho (หมู่บ้านทอผ้าไหมอำเภอนาโพธิ์): It is a silk weaving village, especially "Mudmi" silk, which has received support for their development of skills, the standard of production, and their patterns and colours from the Royal Folk Arts and Craft Centre under the royal patronage of HM Queen Sirikit.

Ku Suan Taeng (กู่สวนแตง): Ku Suan Taeng is also a Khmer architectural site, comprising three brick prangs lying from north to south, on the same laterite base.

Local Products

Buri Ram has several local products and souvenirs such as silk, cotton, sandstone carving, basketry, processed fish, pork leg of Amphoe Nang Rong, Chinese pork sausage and grilled chicken, preserved radish of Amphoe Krasang, shrimp and krayasat (certain type of sweets).

Festivals

Aside from important religious days, Songkran Day and New Year’s Day, Buri Ram also has other local festivals such as the festival of the 5th lunar month when the locals make merit, bathe Buddha images and senior people, perform traditional sports such as Saba and tug of war. In some areas like Amphoe Phutthaisong, there is the Bang Fai traditional rocket dance, Khao Phansa, at the beginning of Buddhist Lent
Vassa
Vassa , also called Rains Retreat, or Buddhist Lent, is the three-month annual retreat observed by Theravada practitioners...

 and Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong
Loi Krathong is a festival celebrated annually throughout Thailand and certain parts of Laos and Burma .-Overview:...

 in the 12th lunar month. Some of the local festivals include:

Phrachao Yai Wat Hong Homage–paying Fair (งานนมัสการพระเจ้าใหญ่วัดหงษ์): Held in Amphoe Phutthaisong during the 14th day of the waxing moon to the 1st day of the waning moon in the 3rd lunar month of every year. It is a fair to pay homage to and for applying gold leaf
Gold leaf
right|thumb|250px|[[Burnishing]] gold leaf with an [[agate]] stone tool, during the water gilding processGold leaf is gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets and is often used for gilding. Gold leaf is available in a wide variety of karats and shades...

 on the Phrachao Yai, a highly revered Buddha image of the people of Buri Ram. The event lasts 3 days with numerous merit-making ceremonies and fun-filled activities.

Buddha’s Footprint Homage–paying Fair (งานนมัสการรอยพระพุทธบาทจำลอง): The event takes place at Khao Kradong, Amphoe Mueang, on the full moon day of the 3rd lunar month. A large number of local people visit Khao Kradong to pay homage to a replica of the Buddha’s footprint and the Phra Suphattharabophit image whilst enjoying the big celebration.

Phanom Rung Fair (งานประเพณีขึ้นเขาพนมรุ้ง): Phanom Rung Sanctuary was once a sacred Hindu shrine which was later changed into a religious site for Buddhists. During the time it was deserted, a replica of the Buddha’s footprint was taken to be enshrined at Prang Noi. It has become a tradition for local people to climb up to the mountaintop to pay respect to the Buddha’s footprint and put gold leaf on it. Every year, on the full moon day of the 5th lunar month, there is an annual festival to pay respect to the site. Because Phanom Rung is a beautiful and important historical site, the province also organizes an annual festival on the first weekends of April when a colourful parade is held following ancient royal Khmer tradition as well as a sound and light show at the Phanom Rung Sanctuary.

Buri Ram Long Boat Races (ประเพณีแข่งเรือยาวจังหวัดบุรีรัมย์): It is organized annually on the first weekend of November when the Mun River is high. Oarsmen from Buri Ram and other nearby provinces would gather to join the boat racing which is held in front of Amphoe Satuek
Amphoe Satuek
Satuek is a district in the northeastern part of Buriram Province, northeastern Thailand.-Geography:Neighboring districts are Krasang, Huai Rat, Ban Dan, Khu Mueang, Khaen Dong of Buriram Province, Chumphon Buri, Tha Tum, Chom Phra and Amphoe Mueang Surin of Surin Province.-History:Originally a...

’s district office. Each year, there are about 40 to 50 boats in the competition. There is also a parade of fancy decorated boats during the event. Boat racing was once a traditional festival celebrated among friends and relatives to pay homage to Chaopho Wang Krut, a spirit named after a whirlpool in the Mun River. Since 1986, it has become a festival of the province.

Isan Kite Festival (งานมหกรรมว่าวอีสานบุรีรัมย์): Held annually at the sports stadium in Amphoe Huai Rat
Amphoe Huai Rat
-Geography:Neighboring districts are Krasang, Mueang Buriram, Ban Dan and Satuek of Buriram Province.-History:The minor district Huai Rat was created on April 1 1990, when the five tambon Huai Rat, Sam Waeng, Ta Sao, Ban Tako and Sanuan were split off from Mueang Buriram district...

 on the first weekend of December, or during the harvest season when the cold northeastern wind blows. At this time of the year, local people make "aek" kites, a traditional kite of the Northeastern people. Buri Ram province organized the first Isan Kite Festival in 1986 to conserve and publicize the local tradition of the Lower Northeast. There is also a kite competition among the locals who come from the surrounding districts and villages. A kite to enter the competition must be more than 2.5 metres wide and it is judged for its beautiful design, the sound of the "aek" – a sound–making device attached to the kite - and the way it floats in the sky. During the event there are also colourful kite parades, folk performances, shows and booths displaying the local products.

Senators

  • Karoon Sai-ngam
    Karoon Sai-ngam
    Karoon Sai-ngam , born 1 October 1952, politician, is a former Senator of the Kingdom of Thailand. He became well known for his criticism of Premier Thaksin Shinawatra and his call for female supporters to pass photos of Thaksin between their legs while cursing him to exile...

     (Thai:การุณ ใสงาม)
  • Porn Penpas (Thai:พร เพ็ญพาส)
  • Permpoon Thongsri (Thai:เพิ่มพูน ทองศรี)
  • Surapong Painual (Thai:สุรพงศ์ ไผ่นวล)
  • Oudsanee Chidchob (Thai:อุษณีย์ ชิดชอบ)

External links



Farang Community Forum: http://www.buriramexpats.com/forum/
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