Mukdahan

Mukdahan (มุกดาหาร) capital of Mukdahan province, became Thailand's 73d province in 1982. Located in the northeastern (Isan) region of the country, on the banks of the river Mekong, it was formerly as district of Nakhon Phanom Province. The population of the city was 100,000 in the year 2000.

Etymology

The city was established at the mouth of Muk Creek (ห้วยมุก) and named Mukdahan from Kaeo Mukdahan. Muk มุก noun: Mother-of pearl; nacre. Kaeo แก้ว noun or adjective: glass other than sheet glass; a glass, a tumbler; gem-like, precious, exquisite. Da ดา verb intransitive: to advance along a wide front Han หาร verb intransitive or transitive: to divide; to be divided.

History in Brief

Pre-historic paintings and other archaeological discoveries give witness that the area of Mukdahan used to be the location of ancient communities. The modern history of the city begins late in the Ayutthaya Era (1350-1767). In the years of 1767 to 1770, Prince Kinnari (จ้าวกินรี), son of Prince Suriwong (จ้าวสุริยวงค์), ruler in Ban Luang Phonsim (บ้านลวงโพนสิม) of Savannakhét (แขวงสะหวันนะเขต) (Lao ສະຫວັນນະເຂດ), established a settlement at the mouth of Muk Creek, across the Mekong from Savannakhét. In the reign of King Taksin, 1768-1782, Prince Kinnari received appointment as Phraya Chandara Sri Surat (พระยาจันทรศรีสุราช) with a rank equivalent to viceroy (อุปราช). In 1893, Savannakhét District of Mukdahan was ceded to France.

Second Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge

The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge across the Mekong to Savannakhet, Laos was completed in December 2006.

Ho Kaeo Mukdahan

Ho Kaeo Mukdahan (หอแก้วมูดาหาร), or Mukdahan Tower, is an observation tower 65.50 metres in height, constructed in 1996 to honor the 50th Anniversary Celebration of Accession to the Throne of HM the king.

1st Floor—Arts & Culture Museum

2nd Floor—History & Culture of 8 ethnic tribes of Mukdahan

Tai Kha (ไทยข่า)

Tai Kha Soe (ไทยกะโซ่)

Tai Kha Lerng (ไทยกะเลิง)

Isan Peoples (ชาวไทยอิสาน)

Tai Yor (ไทยย้อ)

Tai Saek (ไทยแสก)

Tai Kula (ไทยกุลา)

Phu Tai (ชาวผู้ไทย)

3rd-5th Floors—Pillar of the tower

6th Floor—360° Observation deck

7th Floor—A silver Buddha image in the meditation position called Phra Buddhanavamingmongkol (พระพุทธนวมิ่งมงคลดาหาร), and the Buddha image for each day of the week