Bueng Kan
{{about|the town|the district|Mueang Bueng Kan district|the province|Bueng Kan province}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Bueng Kan
|native_name = บึงกาฬ
|settlement_type = Town municipality
|image_skyline =
|imagesize =
|image_caption =
|image_seal =
|image_map =
|mapsize =
|map_caption =
|pushpin_map = Thailand
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = Thailand
|subdivision_type2 = Province
|subdivision_name2 = Bueng Kan
|subdivision_type3 = District
|subdivision_name3 = Mueang Bueng Kan
|government_footnotes =
|government_type = Town municipality
|leader_title =
|leader_name =
|established_title =
|established_date = 5 August 2020
|area_total_km2 = 95.19
|area_water_km2 =
|population_as_of = 2022
|population_note =
|population_total = 20,103
|population_density_km2 = 211
|timezone = ICT
|utc_offset = +7
|coordinates = {{coord|18.3254|N|103.6704|E|display=inline,title}}
|elevatio_footnotes =
|elevation_m =
|postal_code_type = Postal code
|postal_code = 38000
|area_code_type = Calling code
|area_code = 042
|blank_name_sec1 = DOPA code
|blank_info_sec1 = 3898
|website = {{URL|https://www.buengkhanml.go.th}}
|footnotes =
}}
Bueng Kan ({{langx|th|บึงกาฬ}}, {{IPA|th|bɯ̄ŋ kāːn|pron}}) is a town municipality (thesaban mueang) in Mueang Bueng Kan district, in Bueng Kan province, Isan (northeastern Thailand). It is the district capital and is on the Mekong River,{{cite book|author=Commander, Construction Battalions Pacific|title=Helping Others Help Themselves, Seabee Teams|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-OKmFIxpPawC&pg=PA125|accessdate=23 Jan 2012|publisher=U.S. Navy Seabee Museum|page=125|id=GGKEY:Y2G27C7KAW2}} opposite the Laotian town of Pakxan of Bolikhamsai province. It lies at the junction of Highways 212 and 222, {{convert|136|km}} northeast of Nong Khai and {{convert|750.|km}} northeast of Bangkok.{{cite map|title= Maps|publisher=Google Maps}}{{cite web|url=http://www.tourismthailand.org/where-to-go/cities-guide/destination/buengkan/ |title=Buengkan |publisher=Tourism Thailand.org |accessdate=23 Jan 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://archive.today/20110509061729/http://www.tourismthailand.org/where-to-go/cities-guide/destination/buengkan/ |archivedate=2011-05-09 }} The economy is based on agriculture, with para rubber as the principal crop, and tourism.
Toponymy
Bueng ({{lang|th|บึง}}) means marsh; Kan ({{lang|th|กาฬ}}) is associated with the Hindu deity Kāla, or the colour black.
History
The settlement became a sanitary district in 1956.{{cite journal|journal=Royal Gazette|volume=73|issue=83 ง ฉบับพิเศษ|pages=51–52|script-title=th:ประกาศกระทรวงมหาดไทย เรื่อง จัดตั้งสุขาภิบาลบึงกาฬ อำเภอบึงกาฬ จังหวัดหนองคาย|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2499/D/083/51.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127163444/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2499/D/083/51.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 27, 2012|date=1956-10-15|language=Thai}} Like all sanitary districts, it was upgraded to sub-district municipality in 1999.{{cite journal|journal=Royal Gazette|volume=116|issue=9 ก|pages=1–4|script-title=th:พระราชบัญญัติเปลี่ยนแปลงฐานะของสุขาภิบาลเป็นเทศบาล พ.ศ. ๒๕๔๒|url=http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2542/A/009/1.PDF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409014432/http://www.ratchakitcha.soc.go.th/DATA/PDF/2542/A/009/1.PDF|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 9, 2008|date=1999-02-24|language=Thai}}
Bueng Kan was formerly part of Nong Khai Province until the formal establishment of the new province of the same name on 23 March 2011.
On 25 March 2020, the Ministry of Interior announce to dissolve Wisit subdistrict municipality and Bueng Kan subdistrict administrative organization (SAO) and combine the two with Bueng Kan subdistrict municipality. Also upgrade the status of the latter to Bueng Kan town municipality. Published in Royal Gazette, volume 137, special section 179 Ngor, date 5 August 2020 and effective on the same date.{{cite web |url=https://www.buengkhanml.go.th |language=thai |title=ประวัติ |trans-title=history |access-date=16 August 2023}}
Geography
Wisit subdistrict, west part of Bueng Kan town municipality are plains interspersed with undulating, uneven slopes.{{cite web |url=https://www.buengkhanml.go.th |title=formerly Wisit Subdistrict Municipality |access-date=16 August 2023 |postscript=, 1.2 Topography}} Bueng Kan subdistrict, most of the east part of Bueng Kan town municipality is lowland with watersources, such as Nong Bueng Kan, Nong Fang Daeng and Huai Kan Ya.{{cite web |url=https://www.buengkhanml.go.th |title=formerly Bueng Kan Subdistrict Administration Organization (SAO) |access-date=16 August 2023 |postscript=, 1.2 Topography}}
Climate
{{Weather box|width=auto
|metric first=y
|single line=y
|collapsed = Y
|location = Bueng Kan/Pakxan (1990–2019)
|Jan high C = 29.0
|Feb high C = 30.8
|Mar high C = 32.6
|Apr high C = 33.9
|May high C = 32.9
|Jun high C = 32.1
|Jul high C = 31.5
|Aug high C = 31.5
|Sep high C = 31.8
|Oct high C = 31.8
|Nov high C = 30.6
|Dec high C = 28.7
|Jan low C = 16.2
|Feb low C = 18.2
|Mar low C = 21.1
|Apr low C = 23.4
|May low C = 24.3
|Jun low C = 24.6
|Jul low C = 24.4
|Aug low C = 24.4
|Sep low C = 23.9
|Oct low C = 22.6
|Nov low C = 20.0
|Dec low C = 17.0
| year low C =
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 10
|Feb precipitation mm = 28
|Mar precipitation mm = 53
|Apr precipitation mm = 124
|May precipitation mm = 401
|Jun precipitation mm = 690
|Jul precipitation mm = 796
|Aug precipitation mm = 640
|Sep precipitation mm = 431
|Oct precipitation mm = 113
|Nov precipitation mm = 17
|Dec precipitation mm = 5
| year precipitation mm =
|source 1 = Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations{{cite web
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240317000317/https://www.fao.org/3/cb9713en/cb9713en.pdf
| archive-date = 17 March 2024
| url = https://www.fao.org/3/cb9713en/cb9713en.pdf
| title = Climatology and agroclimatology atlas of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
| publisher = Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
| access-date = 17 March 2024}}
}}
Administration
=Local government=
The administration of Bueng Kan town municipality ({{langx|th|เทศบาลเมืองบึงกาฬ|translit=thetsaban mueang Bueng Kan}}) is responsible for the combined area of Wisit and Bueng Kan subdistricts, that covers 59,494 rai ~ {{convert|95.19|sqkm}} and consists of total 24 administrative villages (muban). As of 2022: 20,103 people.{{cite web |url=https://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statMenu/newStat/home.php |publisher=Department of Provincial Administration |title=Official statistics registration system |access-date=16 August 2023 |postscript=, year 2022 >tambon level >ExcelFile >no.3898 >Excel line 4306}}
The town municipality is divided into three districts (khet).
| class="wikitable" style="width:97%;"
| style="width:8%; background:#ff7f0e;"| | style="width:24%;"|Villages of Wisit subdistrict | style="width:32%;"| | style="width:8%; background:#2ca02c;"| | style="width:24%;"|Villages of Bueng Kan subdistrict |
| class="wikitable" style="width:32%; display:inline-table;"
! scope="col" style="width:4%;"|Village ! scope="col" style="width:28%;"|District 3 | |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo3 | Ban Nong Waeng |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo4 | Ban Na Pan |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo5 | Ban Nong Na Saeng |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo6 | Ban Lao Thawon |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo8 | Ban Huai Dok Mai |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo10 | Ban Saen Charoen |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo11 | Ban Don Charoen |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo12 | Ban Na Suksan |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo13 | Ban Chak Thip Samakkhee |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo10 | Ban San Samran |
| class="wikitable" style="width:32%; display:inline-table;"
! scope="col" style="width:4%;"|Village ! scope="col" style="width:28%;"|District 1 | |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo1 | Ban Bueng Kan Nuea |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo2 | Ban Phan Lam |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo7 | Ban Wisit |
| style="background:#ff7f0e;"|Moo9 | Ban Na Nuea |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo1 | Ban Bueng Kan Klang |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo2 | Ban Si Sophon |
| class="wikitable" style="width:32%; display:inline-table;"
! scope="col" style="width:4%;"|Village ! scope="col" style="width:28%;"|District 2 | |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo3 | Ban Bueng Kan Tai |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo4 | Ban Na Non |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo5 | Ban Tha Krai |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo6 | Ban Tha Pho |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo7 | Ban Dong Mak Yang |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo8 | Ban Bueng Sawan |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo9 | Ban San Prasert |
| style="background:#2ca02c;"|Moo11 | Ban San Suk |
Transportation
The city is connected to many major cities by day and night airconditioned express buses. The journey to Udon Thani takes around 3 hours 45 minutes, and Bangkok is from 10 hours 30 minutes to 12 hours away depending on company and route.{{cite web
|url=https://thailandtravelroutes.com/thailand-bus-times-and-tickets/
|title=Thailand Bus Times and Tickets
|year=2022
|work=Thailand Travel Routes
|publisher=Thailand Travel Routes
|access-date=30 May 2022}}
Udon Thani International Airport with direct flights (under normal conditions) to Chiang Mai, Pattaya U-Tapao, Phuket, and both Bangkok airports, is at 200 km by road from the city.{{cite web
|url=https://www.udonthaniairport.com/flight-status/
|title=Udon Thani (UTH) Airport Live Flight Status
|year=2022
|work=Udon Thani Airport
|publisher=Udon Thani Airport Guide. Netmobius
|access-date=30 May 2022}} Sakon Nakhon regional airport at 172 km with flights to Bangkok (Don Mueang) at 172 km.{{cite web
|url=https://minisite.airports.go.th/sakonnakhon/home
|title=Welcome to Sakon Nakhon Airport
|year=2021
|work=Sakon Nakhon Airport
|publisher=Department of Airports
|access-date=30 May 2022}}
The nearest rail connection is Udon Thani railway station in the centre of Udon city.
Building of the fifth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge began in 2021. Construction of the bridge at about 4 km west of the city centre is expected to take 3 years for a completion in 2023. The project will link the cities of Bueng Kan in Thailand and Bolikhamxai in Laos across the Mekong River. Its cost will be around US$130.3 million. Thailand has agreed to pay US$25.47 million and Laos is covering about US$46.13 million. The bridge will enable Vietnam to be reached by road from Thailand through Laos over a distance of 150 km. Already existing Thai-Lao Friendship Bridges link Nong Khai province with Vientiane Prefecture (First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); Mukdahan with Savannakhet (Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); Nakhon Phanom with Thakhek (Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge); and Chiang Rai province with Houayxay (Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge).{{cite web
|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/construction-of-fifth-lao-thai-bridge-begins
|title=Construction begins on fifth bridge linking Laos, Thailand
|date=6 January 2021
|work=The Straits Times
|publisher=SPH Media Limited, Co.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.bangkokpost.com/travel/2010339/the-navel-of-the-mekong The navel of the Mekong]. 29 October 2020. Bangkok Post
{{Bueng Kan Province}}
Category:Populated places in Bueng Kan province