Buriram (บุรีรัมย์)

Thai-Khmer. ‘Cheerful city’. Capital of a modern province (map) in Isaan with approximately 30,000 inhabitants, bordering Cambodia and situated at 410 km northeast of Bangkok. The province is located at the southern end of the Plateau of Korat and has several extinct volcanoes. The region was previously part of the Khmer Empire and its rulers recognized the hegemony of Khmer Empire. In the early nineteenth century the town was known as Meuang Pae which translates as the ‘Defeated City’. The province of Buriram in its present form came about during the reign of Rama V, by unifying several ancient khom meuang in 1898 AD. Among its places of interest are the Buriram Bird Park, the King Rama I Monument (map - fig.), Rao Soo Monument (map - fig.), and many temple ruins, including those of the ancient Khmer sanctuary Prasat Phanom Rung. In the Southwest Buriram neighbours the Cambodian province of Oddar Meancheay and due to the age-long influences from that country, 42% of the population still speaks a dialect known as Northern Khmer, besides the official Thai language. The province has 21 amphur and two king amphur, which are devided in 189 tambon and another 2,212 mu ban. See also Buriram data file. 回