Lopburi

Lopburi (Thai: ลพบุรี; pronunciation) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is about 150 kilometres (93 mi) north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it had a population of 26,500. The town (thesaban mueang) covers the whole tambon Tha Hin and parts of Thale Chup Son of Mueang Lopburi district, a total area of 6.85 km². Lopburi lies 138 km north of Bangkok.

Etymology

It was originally known as Lavo or Lavapura, meaning "city of Lava" in reference to the ancient South Asian city of Lavapuri (present-day Lahore).

History

The city has a history dating back to the Dvaravati period more than 1,000 years ago. According to the Northern Chronicles, it was founded by King Kalavarnadish (Thai, "Phraya Kalavarnadit"), who came from Taxila (Takkasila) in north-west India (now Pakistan) in 648 CE. Lopburi, or Lavapura as it then was, was under the rule of the rising Angkor regime and became one of the most important centers in the Chao Phraya Basin from then on.Epigraphic evidence indicates that the dominant population of the city was Mon.

Lopburi (disambiguation)

Lopburi may refer to