Ubon Ratchathani Province - History

History

The area was part of the Khmer Empire. Before the late eighteenth century, this area evidently was outside Siamese or Thai Ayutthaya Kingdom. After the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 several new tribes settled there, including the Kha and Suai. Siamese/ Thai began to expand its influence over the area since the rise of Thonburi and Bangkok Kingdoms. Twenty years later King Rama I offered a noble title to the local leader who could unite the many small settlements into one town. This was accomplished in 1786 with the founding of Ubon Ratchathani by Thao Khamphong, the Laotian prince who fled from Vientiane. Ubon Ratchathani was then named as Bangkok's tributary subject. 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.

Until 1972 the Ubon Ratchathani province was the largest province of Thailand areawise. In 1972 Yasothon was split off, in 1993 Amnat Charoen, after which it now holds the 5th rank.