Nan Province & U Thong District Special Tourism Areas in Thailand

Suphan Buri province

The northern province of Nan and U Thong district of Suphan Buri province in the central region of Thailand have been designated special sustainable tourism areas.

The designation was made by the Thailand Cabinet following a proposal by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Sports, Chumpol Silapa-archa, on 1 May 2012.

Nan and U Thong are starting to become famous cultural and historical tourism destinations of Thailand. The Government, therefore, has the policy to revive both places and make them pilot projects to study the origins of the Thai people, their art and culture, as well as lifestyle, and the wisdom of several ethnic groups. The revival will be carried out by integrating the work of the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) and related organizations to support this policy.

Kingdom of Suwannaphum

The old kingdom of Nan (1825 B.E.) was inhabited by ancient humans, verified by historical records and archeological evidence, particularly Wiang Phra That Chae Haeng, an ancient religious site of the province, and the ancient city wall and the ancient kilns.

U Thong ancient city has archeological evidence indicating that this area was the capital city of the Dvaravati Kingdom (6th-11th centuries), which was located at the center of the Kingdom of Suwannaphum. The Kingdom of Suwannaphum is known as "Golden Land", which means a land rich with cultural heritage and natural attractions.

Kingdom of Suwannaphum

In this regard, the designation of Nan and U Thong special tourism areas will be a good opportunity to study and preserve Thai cultural heritage. It will also show to the world at large the Asian cradle of civilization and prosperity.

The mission of DASTA is to integrate tourism development in designated areas under the government’s policies and regulations.

For more information, please visit the website www.dasta.or.th.