Northern Thailand, or more specifically Lan Na, is a region of Thailand. It is geographically characterized by several mountain ranges, which continue from the Shan Hills in neighboring Myanmar to Laos, and the river valleys that cut through them. Like most of Thailand, it has a tropical savanna climate, but its relatively high elevation and latitude contribute to more pronounced seasonal temperature variation, with cooler winters than the other regions.
Historically, northern Thailand has been linked to the Hariphunchai Kingdom, which emerged as a powerful state in the region in the 7th century. This kingdom was related to the Dvaravati that existed from the 6th to 11th centuries. The Hariphunchai culture later influenced the development of the Lanna Kingdom, which emerged in the 13th century and lasted until the 18th century.
Geography
North Thailand is bound by the Salween River in the west and the Mekong in the east. The basins of rivers Ping, Wang, Yom, and Nan, all tributaries of the Chao Phraya River, in the central part run from north to south and are mostly very wide. The basins cut across the mountains of two great ranges, the Thanon Range in the western part and the Phi Pan Nam in the eastern. Their elevations are generally moderate, a little above for the highest summits. Although formerly forested, many of these mountains are now denuded.
Parallel mountain ranges extend from the Daen Lao Range, in the southern region of the Shan Hills, in a north–south direction, the Dawna Range forming the western border of Thailand between Mae Hong Son and the Salween River. To the east the Thanon Thong Chai Range, the Khun Tan Range, the Phi Pan Nam Range, as well as the western part of the Luang Prabang Range, form the natural region of the Thai highlands together with the former.
The high mountains are incised by steep river valleys and upland areas that border the central plain. A series of rivers, including the Nan, Ping, Wang, Yom, and Nan, flow southwards through mountain valleys and join to form the Chao Phraya in Nakhon Sawan Province in the central region. Sirikit Dam is on the Nan River in Uttaradit Province. The northeastern part is drained by rivers flowing into the Mekong basin, like the Kok and Ing.
The four-region system includes the northern parts of the central plain as well as some mountainous areas bordering the western and the northeastern limits. The total forest area is or 52.5 percent of this four-region area.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! style="width:10px;" class=unsortable|Rank
! style="width:120px;"|Province
! style="width:100px;"|GPP<br>(million baht)
! style="width:100px;"|Population<br>(x 1000)
! style="width:100px;"|GPP per capita (baht)
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|1 ||Lamphun ||style="text-align:center;"|84,395 ||style="text-align:center;"|399 ||style="text-align:center;"|211,489
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|2 ||Chiang Mai ||style="text-align:center;"|247,831 ||style="text-align:center;"|1,805 ||style="text-align:center;"|137,316
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|3 ||Lampang ||style="text-align:center;"|71,950 ||style="text-align:center;"|714 ||style="text-align:center;"|100,709
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|4 ||Phayao ||style="text-align:center;"|37,298 ||style="text-align:center;"|383 ||style="text-align:center;"|97,306
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|5 ||Chiang Rai ||style="text-align:center;"|110,815 ||style="text-align:center;"|1,156 ||style="text-align:center;"|95,895
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|6 ||Uttaradit ||style="text-align:center;"|39,190 ||style="text-align:center;"|416 ||style="text-align:center;"|94,260
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|7 ||Phrae ||style="text-align:center;"|30,403 ||style="text-align:center;"|388 ||style="text-align:center;"|78,276
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|8 ||Nan ||style="text-align:center;"|33,674 ||style="text-align:center;"|445 ||style="text-align:center;"|75,676
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|9 ||Mae Hong Son ||style="text-align:center;"|13,728 ||style="text-align:center;"|235 ||style="text-align:center;"|58,370
|-
! style="background:#98d798;"| !!Upper provinces !!669,284 !!5,941 !!112,655
|}
Kamphaeng Phet province had an economic output of 117.705 billion baht (US$3.8 billion). This amounts to a GPP per capita of 150,783 baht (US$4,864), half more than for Tak province, which is fifth in the ranking.
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
|-
! style="width:10px;" class=unsortable|Rank
! style="width:120px;"|Province
! style="width:100px;"|GPP<br>(million baht)
! style="width:100px;"|Population<br>(x 1000)
! style="width:100px;"|GPP per capita (baht)
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|1 ||Kamphaeng Phet ||style="text-align:center;"|117,705 ||style="text-align:center;"|781 ||style="text-align:center;"|150,783
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|2 ||Nakhon Sawan ||style="text-align:center;"|116,147 ||style="text-align:center;"|938 ||style="text-align:center;"|123,865
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|3 ||Phitsanulok ||style="text-align:center;"|100,286 ||style="text-align:center;"|896 ||style="text-align:center;"|111,872
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|4 ||Uthai Thani ||style="text-align:center;"|29,879 ||style="text-align:center;"|281 ||style="text-align:center;"|106,369
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|5 ||Tak ||style="text-align:center;"|52,720 ||style="text-align:center;"|532 ||style="text-align:center;"|99,026
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|6 ||Phichit ||style="text-align:center;"|48,347 ||style="text-align:center;"|518 ||style="text-align:center;"|93,265
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|7 ||Phetchabun ||style="text-align:center;"|81,909 ||style="text-align:center;"|921 ||style="text-align:center;"|88,971
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|8 ||Sukhothai ||style="text-align:center;"|50,384 ||style="text-align:center;"|613 ||style="text-align:center;"|82,147
|-
! style="background:#ebbebe;"| !!Lower provinces !!597,377 !!5,480 !!109,010
|}
Languages
Central Thai is the sole official language in Thailand. However, in the six-region classification system (nine changwat of Northern Thailand; Lanna area), it is the second largest native language in Northern Thailand, amounting to roughly two hundred thousand people, found in the lower part of Uttaradit province. In the four-region classification system, Central Thai is primary language in Southern part of Northern Thailand called Northern cities (), comprise a group of dialects classified as Ner ().
The main language in Lanna area is Northern Thai, which is a southwestern Tai language. It is spoken by roughly six million people. There are also various hill tribe languages such as Lolo-Burmese, Karenic, Mienic, Mienic, Palaungic, Southwestern Mandarin.
See also
- Regions of Thailand