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.
Despite numerous Khmer ruins in and around the city, no written history is known prior to A.D. 1811/2354 B.E. In that year, Prince Wongsingh (Template:Lang-th), son of King Wichai (Thai: เจ้วพระยาวิชัยฯ), king in the capital of Champasak (Thai: นครจำปาศักดิ์) brought a number of people to found a town beside the temple ground of Wat Singh Tha (Thai: วัดสิงห์ท่า Port Lion, or Lion of, or with, a port or landing), which has a landing on the Chi River (Thai: แม่น้ำชี). The town was called Ban Singh Kow (Thai: บ้านสิงห์เก่า Old Lion Village), or Ban Singh Tha. (Pg.หน้าที่ 26, สำลี รักสุทธี,นิืทานพืนบ้านอีสานและตำนานการก่อตั่งจังวัด.--กรุงเทพ ฯ พัฌนาศึกษา
[1].
A Fine Arts Dept. marker by a chedi erected by Wat Singh Tha says that, during the Thonburi Era, grandson Kham Su [TH: ท้าวตำสู] first called the settlement Ban Singh Tong [TH: บ้านสิงห์ทอง Ban Gold Lion]. The wat, built at the same time, was also called Wat Singh Tong. The area had been deserted with dense jungle blocking the way to the Chi river landing [from which the Wat later took its name.]
(Continued from above reference.) In A.D. 1814/2357 B.E., Prince Praputthalert (Th: พระบาทสมเด็จพระพุทธเลิศหล้านภาลัย) during the reign of Rama II (1809-1824), announced a change in the town's name to Meuang Yasothon (Thai: เมืองยโสธร|City or Land of the Arrogant), though the name proposed had been Meuang Yotsunthon [Thai: เมืองยศสุนทร|Most Gracious City). Prince Wongsingh also received a new name, Pra Sunthornrachawongsah (Thai: พระสุนทรราชวงศา | most revered person (of a) harmonious regal dynasty) and continued as a country lord (Thai: เจ้าเมอิง) [about equal to a French or English Count].
General Singh MonumentWat Tung Sawan chediFigure inside chedi
When Anouvong of Vientiane rebelled [Thai: ปราบกบฎ (ปราบ กะบด) เจ้าอนุวงศ์ เวียงจันทน์] (1826-1828), Yasothon Lord Bodintaradecha (Th: เจ้าพระยาบดินทรเดชา), also known as Singh from his family name (Th:สิงห์ ต้นสกุลสิงหเสนี), an accountant general (Th: สมุห์บัญชี) as well as a high-ranked army general (Th: แม่ทัพใหญ่), led an army from Bangkok to put down the rebellion. General Singh then brought his army to Yasothon to rest. The campsite is marked by a nine-spired chedi at Wat Tung Sawan Chayaphum (Th: วัดทุ่สว่างชัยภูมิ | Bright field of victory).
Yasothon also aided Bangkok in repelling Chinese invaders at Nong Khai during the Haw wars (Thai: ปราบกบฏฮ่อ) (1865-1890).
In the reign of Rama V (1868-1910), before the establishment of Monthon (Thai: มณฑล), Yasothon was included in the Northwest Lao Territory (Thai: 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 (Thai: บริเวณอุบล ฯ) to form Ubon Ratchathani Province. In A.D. 1972/2515 B.E., the Amphoe was elevated to Yasothon Province.
Yasothon City pillar ShrineSpirit of the City
The city has a significant Thai Chinese influence. The city pillar, erected in AD 1987/2530 BE a short walk from Wat Singh Tha, is housed in a shrine (Template:Lang-th) that resembles a Chinese temple. The city spirit is depicted as a Chinese warrior in the annual parade celebrating the Chinese lunar date of the shrine's dedication.
Yasothon Rocket Festival
(See main article at Rocket FestivalBun Bungfai (Template:Lang-th) is held annually in May at Phaya Thaen Park. The festival's origins lie in a custom of firing rockets into the sky at the start of the rice-growing season to encourage rain. As for the park, it 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. The competition is marked by a weekend of celebration, including highly-decorated floats parading through the town, accompanied by partying, dancing and music.
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
Pedicab delivering goods
Pedicabs serve within the city. Tuk-tuks are prohibited. Motorcycle taxis with yellow license plates and drivers with identifying vests do serve outlying areas and may take passengers about within the city limits. Several bus lines connect daily and at frequent intervals to Bangkok's Northeast Bus Terminal and Pattaya's Northern Terminal, as well as all bus terminals in the North and Northeast. Train and Air services connect Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani, 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
Yasothon Wat That AnonPhra That Yasothon – 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)
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Raksutthi, Somlee (AD 2001/BE 2544). Country fables of Isan and histories of the provinces. Bangkok, Thailand: Wattanaseuksa. {{cite book}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)CS1 maint: year (link)
