Phitsanulok

Phitsanulok borders Uttaradit to the north, Loei and Phetchabun to the east, Phichit to the south, Kamphaeng Phet to the southwest, and Sukhothai to the west. The Nan River flows through the provincial capital, which shares its name with the province, providing fertile agricultural land for the approximately 840,000 residents. The province was historically important as the birthplace of King Naresuan the Great, who drove out the Burmese in the 16th century and reunified Thailand. Thung Salaeng Luang National Park in the east protects large areas of mixed deciduous forest and grassland inhabited by elephants and gaurs. The provincial capital functions as a major transportation hub, with an airport and rail connections linking it to Bangkok and Chiang Mai.