Nakhon Phanom Province

The province's name was bestowed by King Rama I and reflects the panoramic view of mountains rising across the Mekong in Laos. Its history is rooted in the 12th-century Kingdom of Sikhottaboon before the area came under Khmer influence in the 1500s. Nakhon Phanom is a cultural melting pot with significant Lao, Vietnamese, and other ethnic minority communities, visible in its architecture, cuisine, and festivals. That Phanom district is home to Phra That Phanom, one of the most revered chedis in the Mekong region and a major pilgrimage site, enshrining relics of the Buddha brought from India in the 8th year after his passing according to local tradition. A Vietnamese memorial to Ho Chi Minh, who lived in the province for a period, reflects the diverse historical connections of this riverside province.