Lopburi


Lopburi is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is about northeast of Bangkok. It has a population of 58,000. The town covers the whole tambon Tha Hin and parts of Thale Chup Son of Mueang Lopburi District, a total area of 6.85 km2.

History

Chronology

The city has a history dating back to the Dvaravati period more than 1,000 years ago. According to the Northern Chronicles, Lavo was founded by Phraya Kalavarnadishraj, who came from the Takkasila in 648 CE. According to Thai records, Phraya Kakabatr from Takkasila is described in Book III of Marco Polo's Travels, where it is called Locach. This came from the Chinese pronunciation of Lavo, "Lo-huk". The city is referred to as "Lo-ho" in chapter 20 of the History of Yuan, the official history of the Mongol, or Yuan Dynasty of China. Due to a scribal error in Book III of Marco Polo's travels treating of the route southward from Champa, where the name Java was substituted for Champa as the point of departure, Java Minor was 1,300 miles to the south of Java Major, instead of from Champa, on or near an extension of the Terra Australis. As explained by Sir Henry Yule, the editor of an English edition of Marco Polo's Travels: "Some geographers of the 16th century, following the old editions which carried the travellers south-east of Java to the land of Boeach, introduced in their maps a continent in that situation".
After the foundation of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in the 14th century, Lopburi was a stronghold of Ayutthaya's rulers. It became the capital of the kingdom during the reign of King Narai the Great in the mid-17th century and the king resided there about eight months a year.

Archeological finds

  • several flaked stone tools were discovered in Ban Mi district  dated back to the Paleolithic Age in 1931.
  • a number of tools, human burial sites and bronze accessories belong to Iron Age were found in Lop Buri river Basin in 1964.
  • Bracelets and beads dated back 2700–3500 years were revealed at Ban Khok Charoen in 1966–1970.
  • Prehistoric human skeletons and clay jugs were found in Ban Tha Kae in 1979.
  • A Copper source was discovered in Khao Wong Phrachan in 1986–1994.

    Geography

Lopburi lies on the Lopburi River at an elevation of mostly surrounded by alluvial plains, although some hills rise to between and to the north-east.

Climate

Lopburi has a tropical savanna climate. Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at. The monsoon season runs from late April through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.

Ecology

Today, the city is best known for the thousands of long-tailed macaques that live there, especially around the Khmer temple Prang Sam Yot and the Khmer shrine Sarn Phra Karn. It is suspected that urban expansion caused the monkeys to adapt to city life. They are fed by the local people, especially during the annual Monkey Festival, which usually occurs on the last Sunday of November. The monkeys can be aggressive, are not afraid of humans, and often steal whatever items or food they can find from unwary visitors. Most of the hotels and guesthouses in Lopburi are "monkey-proofed" using screen wire or sealed windows.
In the city, signs are posted, reading:
During the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of tourists prompted hungry monkeys to harass local residents. To address the problem, the government implemented a mass roundup and sterilization program in 2024. Within five months, 1,600 of the estimated 3,000 monkeys had been captured for neutering.

Military

The Royal Thai Army Special Warfare Command, the special forces of the Royal Thai Army, is headquartered at the Khok Kathiam Air Force Base northeast of the Lopburi town.

Transportation

The main road through Lobpuri is Route 1, which starts in Bangkok, and continues through Lopburi, Chai Nat, Nakhon Sawan, Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Lampang, Chiang Rai, and the border with Burma at Mae Sai. Route 311 leads west to Sing Buri, and Route 3196 leads south-west to Ang Thong.
Lopburi railway station is a station of the State Railway of Thailand's Northern Line, forming the end of Bangkok's suburban service. Train service from Bangkok railway station in Bangkok usually takes about 2 hours. The third class train costs less than $1 and is a great way to experience the local culture and the "Real Thailand".
Lopburi 2 railway station opened on 5 December 2025 and serves rapid and express trains travelling on the Northern Line. Commuter and ordinary trains still operate at the former station.
Lopburi had a short-lived tramway system, operating between 1955-1962. It was the only provincial tramway system outside Bangkok.

Notable personalities