Phetchabun

• Official Name — Phetchabun • Other Name — เพชรบูรณ์ • Settlement Type — Town • Image Skyline — PhetMahaThamm1.jpg • Image Caption — Phra Phuttha Maha Thammaracha • Pushpin Map — Thailand • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Thailand • Subdivision Type1 — Provinces • Subdivision Type2 — District • Subdivision Name1 — Phetchabun Province • Subdivision Name2 — Mueang Phetchabun District • Elevation M — 120 • Population As Of — 2005 • Population Density Km2 — auto • Website — http: www.nakornban.net/ • Population Total — 23,823 • Timezone — ICT • Utc Offset — +7 Phetchabun is a town (thesaban mueang) in Thailand, the capital of Phetchabun Province. It covers the tambon Nai Mueang of the Phetchabun District, along the Pa Sak River. As of 2005, it had a population of 23,823. Phetchabun lies north of Bangkok.

Initially the province was called "Phe-cha-buth" as "Phuenchapura", which means 'town that grows plenty of crops', as the province is very fertile.

Prince Damrong Rajanubhab described the old town as built in two periods on the same site. He thought the first probably dated from when Sukhothai or Phitsanulok was the capital. Its wall enclosed the river, as at Phitsanulok, and measured about 20 sen (800 m) a side. He took the second to date from the reign of Narai. Its forts and wall were of brick mixed with stone, similar in plan to Nakhon Ratchasima but smaller and lower, and the wall was drawn in inside the older line. Damrong read both as built against enemies from the north, with the rice fields lying south of the town. He added that the chronicles agreed, since the armies of Si Sattanakhanahut (Lan Xang) came down along the Pa Sak almost every time.

The Pa Sak River runs through the east side of Phetchabun from north to south. The town lies in a valley; the two ranges of the Phetchabun Mountains rise to both the east and west.

Phetchabun has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Winters are dry and very warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at 37.2 °C. The monsoon season runs from late April through early October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, with nights remaining warm.

The main road through the city is Route 21, from Lom Sak to the south through Phetchabun to Chai Badan and Saraburi. Phetchabun is served by Phetchabun Airport, 29 km to the north.

• Saiphin Moore, Thai chef