Lampang

Lampang ลำปาง
Town
Wang River, Lampang
Lampang Location of Lampang
Coordinates: 18°18′N 99°30′E / 18.300°N 99.500°E / 18.300; 99.500Coordinates: 18°18′N 99°30′E / 18.300°N 99.500°E / 18.300; 99.500
Country	Thailand
Province	Lampang
Area
• Total	22.17 km2 (8.56 sq mi)
Population 2010
• Total	58,074
• Density	2,600/km2 (6,800/sq mi)
Time zone	ICT (UTC+7)

Lampang, also called Nakhon Lampang (Thai: นครลำปาง, pronounced [náʔkʰɔːn lampaːŋ]) to differentiate from Lampang Province, is the third largest town in northern Thailand and capital of Lampang Province and the Lampang district. Traditional names for Lampang include Wiang Lakon and Khelang Nakhon. The city is a trading and transportation center. Lampang lies 601 km north of Bangkok and 101 km southeast of Chiang Mai.

Lampang city is in the valley of the Wang River, bordered by the Khun Tan Range on the west and the Phi Pan Nam Range on the east. The river, a major tributary of the Chao Phraya, flows through the city. The city lies mainly on the south side of Wang River, although the old parts of the city had been originally developed in the north side of it. Nowadays, downtown Lampang has grown in the southeast of the river along Bunyawat and Pahon Yothin Roads.

Lampang has a relatively dry climate relative to nearby provinces. "Winter" starts after the last rains, typically November, and lasts until March. Cold air masses from Siberia sometimes lead to nighttime temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, although that is quite rare. Winter is characterized by dry, sunny, and quite pleasant days, and cool and occasionally foggy nights. In recent times, the blue winter sky is often marred by the practice of burning the fields after the harvest, as well as the smog generated by Mae Mo coal-fired power plants.

Summer typically runs from March until June. The temperature could soar to 40 degrees Celsius in April. Late afternoon thunderstorms and hailstorms are frequent.

Rainy season runs from June until November, and significant rain may occur in May as well. Being in a relative rain shadow, Lampang receives less precipitation than neighboring provinces and rarely suffers from the flooding which has plagued Chiang Mai in recent years.