Ubon Ratchathani (, ; , ), often shortened to Ubon (), is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces. It lies in lower northeastern Thailand (also called Isan). Ubon is about from Bangkok. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Sisaket, Yasothon, and Amnat Charoen. To the north and east it borders Salavan and Champasak of Laos, to the south Preah Vihear of Cambodia.
History
The city was founded in the late 18th century by Thao Kham Phong, descendant of Phra Wo and Phra Ta, who escaped from King Siribunsan of Vientiane into Siam Kingdom during the reign of King Taksin the Great. Later Thao Kham Phong was appointed to be "Phra Pathum Wongsa," the first ruler of Ubon Ratchathani. In 1792, Ubon Ratchathani became a province, and was also the administrative center of the monthon Isan.
Until 1972, Ubon Ratchathani was the largest province of Thailand by area. Yasothon was split off from Ubon Ratchathani in 1972, followed by Amnat Charoen in 1993.
Before it became a province. Ubon Ratchathani was the administrative center of the monthon Isan, of which monthon Ubon was split off. In 1925 it became part of monthon Nakhon Ratchasima, with the abolishment of the monthon in 1933 the province became a first level subdivision of the country.
Symbols
The provincial seal shows a lotus flower in a pond. This alludes to the meaning of the name of the province, which translates to 'royal city of the lotus flower'. The provincial flower is the lotus (Nymphaea lotus). The provincial tree is the Yang-na (Dipterocarpus alatus). Black-eared catfish (Pangasius larnaudii) is the provincial aquatic animal.
Economy
Ubon Ratchathani's economy is largely agricultural. It is the nation's leading rice-producing province. It earns more than 10 billion baht a year from rice sales.
It is also an important grower of casava.
Around 50% of the workforce in Ubon Ratchathani are in the agricultural sector.
It also generates billions of baht from manufacturing.
Ubon Ratchathani is also along the Meekong with a major crossing into Laos at Chongmek. It also borders Cambodia. This makes it important for both trade and as a tourism gateway.
Geography
At Khong Chiam the Mun River, the biggest river of the Khorat Plateau, joins the Mekong, which forms the northeastern boundary of Thailand with Laos. It is called "Maenam Song Si" or the "Mun River alluvium" because the brown water from Mekong River mixes with the blue water of the Mun. It is about from Ubon Ratchathani city centre.
The area in the Dângrêk Mountains where the borders of the three countries, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia meet is promoted as the "Emerald Triangle", in contrast to the "Golden Triangle" in the north of Thailand. "Emerald" refers to the largely intact monsoon forests there. The total forest area is or 18 percent of provincial area.
- Kaeng Tana National Park is in Khong Chiam District.
- Pha Taem National Park, plateaus and hills dominate the park landscape. The sheer cliffs here are a result of earthquakes. The interesting places in the national park are Pha Taem and Pha Kham. On the cliffs surfaces are numerous prehistoric cave paintings from 3,000 to 4,000 years ago. These paintings depict scenes of fishing, rice farming, figures of people, animals, hands and geometric designs that depict life during the pre-historic time and reflect the ancient lifestyle of the people who lived there.
There are four national parks, along with two other national parks, make up region 9 (Ubon Ratchathani) of Thailand's protected areas. (Visitors in fiscal year 2024)
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| Phu Chong–Na Yoi National Park || ||(127,443)
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| Pha Taem National Park || ||(166,375)
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| Khao Phra Wihan National Park || ||(186,276)
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| Kaeng Tana National Park || || (29,773)
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Wildlife sanctuaries
There are two wildlife sanctuaries, along with four other wildlife sanctuaries, make up region 9 (Ubon Ratchathani) of Thailand's protected areas.
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| Buntharik–Yot Mon Wildlife Sanctuary ||
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| Yot Dom Wildlife Sanctuary ||
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{|role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|<strong>Location protected areas of Ubon Ratchathani</strong>
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|-
|thumb|left|900px|
{| class= "wikitable" style= "width:40%; display:inline-table;"
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| style="width:3%; background:#00FF00;"|
| style="width:32%;"|National park
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| 1 ||Phu Chong-Na Yoi
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| 2 ||Pha Taem
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| 3 ||Khao Phra Wihan
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| 4 ||Kaeng Tana
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{| class="wikitable" style="width:40%; display:inline-table;"
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| style="width:3%; background:#FFA400;"|
| style="width:37%;"|Wildlife sanctuary
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| 5 ||Buntharik-Yot Mon
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| 6 ||Yot Dom
|}
|}
Health
The main hospital of Ubon Ratchathani province is Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital.
Transportation
Air
Ubon Ratchathani is served by Ubon Ratchathani Airport.
Rail
Ubon Ratchathani Railway Station is the main railway station in Ubon Ratchathani.
Education
right|220 px|thumb|Ubon Ratchathani University Gate, Warin Chamrap District
Ubon Ratchathani province is the home of Ubon Ratchathani University.
Administrative divisions
thumb|300px|Map of twenty five districts
Provincial government
The province is divided into 25 districts (amphoe). The districts are further divided into 219 subdistricts (tambons) and 2,469 villages (mubans).
{|
|---valign=top
||
{|
||1.||Mueang Ubon Ratchathani
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||2.||Si Mueang Mai
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||3.||Khong Chiam
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||4.||Khueang Nai
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||5.||Khemarat
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||6.||Det Udom
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||7.||Na Chaluai
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||8.||Nam Yuen
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||9.||Buntharik
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||10.||Trakan Phuet Phon
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||11.||Kut Khaopun
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||12.||Muang Sam Sip
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||13.||Warin Chamrap
|}
||
{|
||14.||Phibun Mangsahan
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||15.||Tan Sum
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||16.||Pho Sai
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||17.||Samrong
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||18.||Don Mot Daeng
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||19.||Sirindhorn
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||20.||Thung Si Udom
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||21.||Na Yia
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||22.||Na Tan
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||23.||Lao Suea Kok
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||24.||Sawang Wirawong
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||25.||Nam Khun
|}
|}
Municipalities
{|
!align=left|No.
!align=left|City/Town
!align=left|Thai
!align=left|Urban Population
!align=center|Notes
|-
||1.||Ubon Ratchathani||เทศบาลนครอุบลราชธานี||79,023||
|-
||2.||Jaeramair||เทศบาลเมืองแจระแม||11,092||
|-
||3.||Kham Yai||เทศบาลตำบลขามใหญ่||34,538||
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||4.||Warin Chamrap||เทศบาลเมืองวารินชำราบ||28,154||
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||5.||Saen Suk||เทศบาลตำบลแสนสุข|| 24,720 ||
|-
||6.||Det Udom||เทศบาลเมืองเดชอุดม|| 14,264||
|-
||7.||Kud Prathay||เทศบาลตำบลกุดประทาย|| 13,382||
|-
||8.||Kholaen||เทศบาลตำบลคอแลน|| 12,703||
|-
||9.||Thep Wongsa||เทศบาลตำบลเทพวงศา|| 1,0968|
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||10.||Phibun Mangsahan||เทศบาลเมืองพิบูลมังสาหาร|| 10,842||
|-
||11.||Pathum||เทศบาลตำบลปทุม|| 10,505||
|-
||12.||Nong Phue||เทศบาลตำบลหนองผือ|| 9,685||
|-
||13.||Trakan||เทศบาลตำบลตระการ|| 9,082||
|-
||14.||Nam Yuen||เทศบาลตำบลน้ำยืน|| 9,542||
|-
||15.||Kham Pom||เทศบาลตำบลขามป้อม|| 9,209||
|-
||16.||Nikhom Sang Ton Eng Lum Dom Noi||เทศบาลตำบลนิมคมสร้างตนเองลำโดมน้อย|| 7,538||
|-
||17.||Na Chaluay||เทศบาลตำบลนาจะหลวย|| 7,470||
|-
||18.||Buangam||เทศบาลตำบลบัวงาม|| 7,086||
|-
||19.||Na Yia||เทศบาลตำบลนาเยีย|| 6,730||
|-
||20.||Khemmaratthani||เทศบาลตำบลเขมราฐ|| 6,288||
|-
||21.||Ubon||เทศบาลตำบลอุบล|| 6,101||
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||22.||Khuang Nai||เทศบาลตำบลเขื่องใน|| 4,751||
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||23.||Buntharik||เทศบาลตำบลบุณฑริก|| 4,607||
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||24.||Sri Muangmai||เทศบาลตำบลศรีเมืองใหม่|| 4,284||
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||25.||Kud Khaopun||เทศบาลตำบลกุดข้าวปุ้น|| 4,124||
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||26.||Chongmek||เทศบาลตำบลช่องเม็ก|| 3,628||
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||27.||Muang Sam Sip||เทศบาลตำบลม่วงสามสิบ|| 3,358||
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||28.||Huai Khayung||เทศบาลตำบลห้วยขะยูง|| 3,346||
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||29.||Ang Sila||เทศบาลตำบลอ่างศิลา|| 3,304||
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||30.||Tansum||เทศบาลตำบลตาลสุม|| 3,267||
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||31.||Na Suang||เทศบาลตำบลนาส่วง|| 3,215||
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||32.||Phosai||เทศบาลตำบลโพธิ์ไทร|| 3,100||
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||33.||ฺBaan Dan - Khong Chium||เทศบาลตำบลบ้านด่านโขงเจียม|| 2,741||
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||34.||Hua Na||เทศบาลตำบลหัวนา|| N/A||
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||35.||Muag Srikai||เทศบาลตำบลเมืองศรีไค|| N/A||
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||36.||That||เทศบาลตำบลธาตุ|| N/A||
|}
Local government
As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Administration Organisation (') and 60 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Ubon Ratchathani has city (thesaban nakhon) status. Chaeramae, Det Udom, Phibun Mangsahan and Warin Chamrap have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 54 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 179 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations – SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).
Human achievement index 2022
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="width:400px;"
|-
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Health
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Education
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Employment
| style="text-align:center; width:100px; background:black; color:white;"| Income
|-
| 95px
| 100px
| 100px
| 100px
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 46
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 63
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 32
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 72
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Housing
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Family
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Transport
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| Participation
|-
| style="height:100px;"| 100px
| center|85px
| 100px
| 90px
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 24
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 4
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 61
| style="text-align:center; background:black; color:white;"| 53
|-
| colspan="4"; style="background:black; color:white;"| Province Ubon Ratchathani, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6272 is "somewhat low", occupies place 60 in the ranking.
|}
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.