Mukdahan Province

Mukdahan มุกดาหาร
Province
Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge, seen from Mukdahan
Map of Thailand highlighting Mukdahan Province
Country	Thailand
Capital	Mukdahan town
Government
• Governor	Sorasit Ritsorakrai (since October 2015)
Area
• Total	4,339.8 km2 (1,675.6 sq mi)
Area rank	Ranked 52nd
Population (2014)
• Total	346,016
• Rank	Ranked 65th
• Density rank	Ranked 61st
Time zone	ICT (UTC+7)
ISO 3166 code	TH-49

Mukdahan (Thai: มุกดาหาร, pronounced [múk.dāː.hǎːn]) is one of the northeastern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south clockwise) Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Roi Et, Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon, and Nakhon Phanom. To the east it borders the Mekong River, across which lies Savannakhet Province of Laos.

The province is in the Mekong valley. In the west of the province are the Phu Phan mountains, which are covered with thick forests.

Lord Chandrasuriyawongse (เจ้าจันทรสุริยวงษ์) and his followers founded a settlement at Baan Luang Phonsim (บ้านหลวงโพนสิม) near the Thad Ing Hang Stupa (พระธาตุอิงฮัง) along the left banks of the Mekong River in Laos. Later, after some several decades, he died.

Lord Chanthakinnaree (เจ้าจันทกินรี), his son, succeeded him as ruler. Then, in B.E.2310, a huntsman crossed over the Mekong and arrived along the right side at the mouth of the stream Bang Muk (บังมุก), where he discovered a discarded realm complete with a monastery and seven sugar palms on the nearby riverbank. He found the area much better than the territories along the left side of the Mekong, and moreover at the mouth of the Bang Muk was an abundance of fish. Thus he headed back to report this to his ruler Lord Chanthakinnaree. Lord Chanthakinnaree led his followers across the Mekong to inspect the area and found that the area was indeed the remains of an ancient realm and in much better condition than any area along the left side of the Mekong. He led his people from Baan Luang Phonsim to establish a settlement on the right side of the Mekong at the mouth of the Bang Muk.