Phrae


Phrae is a town in northern Thailand, capital of Phrae Province.
The town occupies tambon Nai Wiang of Mueang Phrae District. It has an area of nine kilometres2 and a population of 17,971. Phrae is 555 km north of Bangkok by road.

Geography

Phrae lies on the Yom River, at an elevation of. The town is mostly built on the east side of the river, but some outlying parts are built on the west side of the river and are connected to the main part by bridges. There are hills both to the east and west of the town; the Phlueng Range to the east are higher, reaching about above sea level, whereas the Phi Pan Nam Range to the west are about above sea level.
At Phae Muang Phi, a few kilometres north of Phrae, there is an impressive landscape of mushroom rocks and distinctive pillars shaped by natural erosive action.

Climate

Phrae has a tropical savanna climate. Winters are dry and warm. Temperatures rise until April, which is very hot with the average daily maximum at. The monsoon season runs from May through October, with heavy rain and somewhat cooler temperatures during the day, although nights remain warm.

Culture

Wat Chorm Sawan and Wat Phra That Cho Hae are two important Buddhist temples in Phrae. The latter is on a hill, nine km away from the town center.

Transportation

The main road through Phrae is Route 101, which begins in Nan to the north, passes through Phrae, and leads to Sawankhalok, Sukhothai, and finally Kamphaeng Phet.
Phrae Airport is a small airport in Mueang Mo, on the east side of town. It handles only domestic flights from Don Mueang.