Yasothon

Infobox Settlement
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image_caption = Wat That Anon in Yasothon


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subdivision_type = Country
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subdivision_name1 = Yasothon Province
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subdivision_name2 = Amphoe Mueang Yasothon
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population_total =21,134
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Yasothon (Thai ยโสธร) is a town in the Isan region of Thailand. It is the capital and administrative center of Yasothon province, and had a population of 21,134 in 2005. It lies a little more than 500 km northeast of the Thai capital Bangkok.

History

Kow (Th: บ้านสิงห์เก่า Old Lion Village), or Ban Singh Tha (Th: บ้านสิงห์ท่า). (Pg.หน้าที่ 26, สำลี รักสุทธี, นิืทานพืนบ้านอีสานและตำนานการก่อตั้งจังวัด. กรุงเทพ ฯ พัฌนาศึกษา [cite book
last= Raksutthi
first= Somlee
title= Country fables of Isan and histories of the provinces.
year= AD 2001/BE 2544
publisher= Wattanaseuksa
location= Bangkok, Thailand
isbn= ] Symbols.(Continued from above reference.) In A.D. 1814/2357 B.E. during the reign of Rama II (1809-1824), Prince Praputthalertlanaphalai (Th: พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย) announced a change in the town's name to Meuang Yasothon (Th: เมืองยโสธร|Arrogant City), though the name proposed had been Meuang Yotsunthon [Thai: เมืองยศสุนทร|Most Gracious City). Prince Rachawongsingh also received a new title, Pra Sunthornrachawongsah (Th: พระสุนทรราชวงศา | Most Revered Person (of a) Harmonious Regal Dynasty) and continued as a country lord (Th: เจ้าเมอิง) [about equal to a French or English Count] .

of Vientiane [Th: ปราบกบฎ (ปราบ กะบด) เจ้าอนุวงศ์ เวียงจันทน์] (1826-1828). General Singh then brought his army to Yasothon to rest. The campsite is marked by a nine-spired chedi at Wat Tung Sawang Chayaphum (Th: วัดทุ่สว่างชัยภูมิ | Bright field of victory). Yasothon also aided Bangkok in repelling Chinese invaders at Nong Khai during the Haw wars (Th: ปราบกบฏฮ่อ) (1865-1890).

In the reign of Rama V (1868-1910), before the establishment of Monthon (Th: มณฑล), Yasothon was included in the northwestern quarter of Western Laos (Th: หัวเมืองลาวฝ่ายตะวันตกเฉียงเหนือ). Yasothon was a Monthon from A.D. 1900/2443 B.E. until A.D. 1913/2456 B.E. when it was made an Amphoe and joined to Boriwen Ubon (Th: บริเวณอุบล ฯ) to form Ubon Ratchathani Province. In A.D. 1972/2515 B.E., the Amphoe was elevated to Yasothon Province.

in the annual parade celebrating the Chinese lunar date of the shrine's dedication.

Yasothon Rocket Festival

(See main article at Rocket Festival)

Yasothon's rocket festival ( _th. ประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟ Prapheni Bun Bang Fai |Tradition "of" Boon "of" Bong "of" Fire) is held annually over the weekend that falls in the middle of the month of May. The festival's origins lie in a custom of firing rockets into the sky at the start of the rice-growing season to remind King of the Sky, Phaya Thaen, to send promised rain. The festival is a competition marked by a weekend of celebration, including highly-decorated floats parading through the town, accompanied by partying, dancing, music, and a fair. Friday the main thoroughfare is transformed into a parade ground lined on both sides by concert stages, which will feature Mor lam performers throughout the night. Saturday sponsored parade groups compete for prizes. Many of the traditional dances and floats have to do with the legend of Nāng Ai and Phādāēng, but others have to do with that year's particular theme.

Sunday the action moves from the city center to Phaya Thaen Park at its eastern edge. The park is not only a beautiful playground with an athletic stadium and outdoor stage, it is also part of the city's flood-control project for those times when Phaya Thaen sends too much rain.

The festival now takes the form of a competition to see whose rocket will stay aloft for the longest time.

On May 10, 1999, the Yasothon Rocket Festival made world headlines when a 120 kg rocket exploded 50 meters above ground, just two seconds after launch, killing five persons and wounding 11.

Transport

, 100 kilometres east on Highway 23. Yasothon city is about 530 kilometres or 7 hours drive from Bangkok at the intersection of Highways 23 and 202, and the southern end of Highway 2169.

Places of interest

* "Phra That Anon" – a Thai "chedi" or stupa over 1000 years old, said to contain a relic of Ananda, a favoured disciple of the Buddha. An annual festival is held in March to honour the temple.
* "That Kong Khao Noi" – a chedi southwest of Yasothon by the village of Tat Thong (ตาดทอง), housing a statue of Buddha. Each April the statue is bathed in a ceremony to call for rains.
* Tat Thong is also an excavation site of a prehistoric settlement.

References

สำลี รักสุทธี,นิืทานพืนบ้านอีสานและตำนานการก่อตั่งจังวัด.--กรุงเทพ ฯ พัฌนาศึกษา, 2544 หน้าที่ 26 (Somlee Raksutthi: Country fables of Isan and histories of the provinces.--Bangkok; Wattanaseuksa, BE 2544, p.26)