Nan province

Nan (Thai น่าน) is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south clockwise) Uttaradit[?], Phrae[?] and Phayao[?]. To the north and east it borders Laos.

Geography 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.

History For centuries Nan was an independent kingdom but, due to its remoteness, had few connections to the other kingdoms. In the mid of the 14th century it grew in power and was associated with the Sukhothai kingdom, until at the end of the 14th century it became part of the kingdom of Lannathai. It took until 1931 for Lannathai 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.

Demographics 10.5% of the population belong to the hilltribes.

Symbols

Administrative divisions

External links

• Province page from the Tourist Authority of Thailand (http://www.tat.or.th/province/north/nan/index.htm)
• Golden Jubilee Network province guide (http://kanchanapisek.or.th/cgi-bin/kp8/oncc/province.cgi?prov=n6)