# Sakon Nakhon province

Sakon Nakhon (Thai: สกลนคร, pronounced; Northeastern Thai: สกลนคร, pronounced) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat). It lies in upper northeastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Nong Khai, Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Kalasin, and Udon Thani. Its capital is Sakon Nakhon.

## Toponymy

The word sakon originates from the Sanskrit word sakala (Devanagari: सकल) meaning 'entire', 'whole', or 'total', and the word nakhon from Sanskrit nagara (Devanagari: नगर) meaning 'town' or 'city'. Hence the name of the province literally means "city of cities".

## Geography

The province is on the Khorat Plateau, not far from the Mekong. The Nong Han lake, the biggest natural lake of northeast Thailand, near the city of Sakon Nakhon, is a popular resort. The Phu Phan Mountains delimit the province to the south. The total forest area is 1,692 km$^2$ (653 sq mi) or 17.7 percent of provincial area.

### National parks

There are three national parks, along with four other national parks, make up region 10 (Udon Thani) of Thailand's protected areas.
* Phu Pha Yon National Park, 829 km$^2$ (320 sq mi)$^{:57}$
* Phu Phan National Park, 665 km$^2$ (257 sq mi)$^{:7}$
* Phu Pha Lek National Park, 404 km$^2$ (156 sq mi)$^{:118}$

## History

The history of Sakon Nakhon dates back to about three thousand years. Local legend says that Mueang Nong Han Luang, or presently Sakhon Nakhon, was built in the 11th century when the Khmer ruled this region. When the Khmer lost its power, the town was under the rule of Lan Xang or Lao Kingdom. It was renamed into "Mueang Chiang Mai Nong Han". When the town was under Siam, it was renamed again into "Sakhon Thawapi" in 1830, during King Rama III's reign, it was renamed "Sakon Nakhon".
Phu Phan Mountains in the area of Sakon Nakhon, especially Sawang Daen Din district, formerly a stronghold of the Communist Party of Thailand.

## Ethnic group

The Ethnic group of Sakon Nakhon are Chinese and Vietnamese with Tai Dam as well as Nyaw.

## Symbols

The provincial seal shows the Phrathat Choeng Chum, a Lao-style chedi built during the Ayutthaya period over a Khmer-style prang.
The provincial tree is the banaba or Queen's Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia speciosa). Black sharkminnow (Labeo chrysophekadion) is the provincial fish.

## Economy

Fish and rice are two of the major products of the region.
Kho Khun Pon Yang Kham is branded as Thailand's best-quality beef, produced by Pon Yang Kham Breeding Cooperatives, which was incorporated in 1980 in Ban Pon Yang Kham in Mueang Sankhon Nakhon. It has created a great reputation for the province. Kho Khun Pon Yang Kham is regarded as "Thai Kobe beef".

## Transportation
### Rail

Sakon Nakhon does not have a train service yet. People who want to travel to Sakon Nakhon by train can get off at Udon Thani Railway Station in neighboring province Udon Thani. Then take a local bus to Sakon Nakhon, the distance is approximately 156 km.

### Roads

Route 22 leads north to Udon Thani, 160 km distant, and east to Nakhon Phanom (91 km) and the border with Laos. Route 223 leads south to That Phanom (76 km). Route 213 leads west to Kalasin (131 km).

### Air

There is a regional airport, Sakon Nakhon Airport, on the north side of the city.

## Health

Sakon Nakhon's main hospital is Sakon Nakhon Hospital, operated by the Ministry of Public Health.

## Administrative divisions
### Provincial government

The province is divided into 18 districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 125 subdistricts (tambons) and 1,323 villages (mubans).
| Mueang Sakon Nakhon Kusuman Kut Bak Phanna Nikhom Phang Khon Waritchaphum Nikhom Nam Un Wanon Niwat Kham Ta Kla | Ban Muang Akat Amnuai Sawang Daen Din Song Dao Tao Ngoi Khok Si Suphan Charoen Sin Phon Na Kaeo Phu Phan |

### Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are: one Sakon Nakhon Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 66 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Sakon Nakhon has city (thesaban nakhon) status. Further 65 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 74 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).

## Human achievement index 2022

| Health | Education | Employment | Income |
| 38 | 72 | 43 | 70 |
| Housing | Family | Transport | Participation |
| 11 | 8 | 29 | 55 |
| Province Sakon Nakhon, with an HAI 2022 value of 0.6292 is "somewhat low", occupies place 54 in the ranking. ||||
Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.
| Rank | Classification |
| 1 - 13 | "high" |
| 14 - 29 | "somewhat high" |
| 30 - 45 | "average" |
| 46 - 61 | "somewhat low" |
| 62 - 77 | "low" |
* Map with provinces and HAI 2022 rankings

## Important places

Sakon Nakhon is a location of many important places, apart from Nong Han and Phu Phan Mountains, include
* Phu Phan National Park
* Phu Pha Yon National Park
* Phu Pha Lek National Park
* Nam Un Dam
* Wat Phra That Choeng Chum
* Phu Phan Rajanivet Palace

## Events and festivals

* Prasat Pueng Procession: held during the 12th-15th day of waxing moon in October to mark the end of Buddhist Lent. On the night of 13thday, people will join hands in decoration Prasat Pueng (wax castle) at Ming Mueang Field. The 14thday, wax castel from various temples will join the procession, roaming the municipality to Wat Phra That Choeng Chum. Isan people believe that the wax will welcome Buddha who comes back from the heaven to help all creatures on earth.
* Regatta: held synchronically with the Prasat Pueng Procession, the ancient regatta will be held at Phang Thong Pond or Tha Nang Ap, Ban Tha Wat.
* Tha Rae Star Procession: is a tradition unique to the world and has been held annually during Christmas Eve since 1982, the celebrations and procession will take place at Ban Tha Rae, home to Thailand's largest Roman Catholic community, in Mueang Sakhon Nakhon.

## Notable people
### Born in Sakhon Nakhon

* Dusit Chalermsan: professional footballer, football coach
* Suree Sukha: professional footballer
* Surat Sukha: professional footballer
* Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool: professional footballer
* Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym: a world-class professional boxer