Lopburi Province Guide: History, Towns and Local Products
Lopburi is one of the oldest towns in central Thailand. As Lavo, it was a centre of the Dvaravati and then the Khmer world, and its laterite towers, Phra Prang Sam Yot, are now better known for the monkeys that climb them than for their builders.
This guide explains how King Narai turned Lopburi into a royal capital open to European envoys, tours its districts from the old town to the Pa Sak reservoir and lists what its farms grow. Makers based here will find a few ideas on selling further afield, too.
Lopburi
Khmer Towers, King Narai and the Monkeys
An old Khmer town that became King Narai's second capital, received envoys from Louis XIV and now shares its ruins with a few thousand monkeys.
By the SnapSellGo Thailand Desk · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read
Made in Lopburi
What the province is known for. Local producers are joining SnapSellGo now.
Cards marked "Known for" describe local specialities, not live listings. Real products appear here automatically once Lopburi producers publish them.
Why Lopburi was a second capital
Long before Ayutthaya existed, Lavo controlled the lower Chao Phraya basin, first as a Dvaravati town and later under Khmer influence. The three towers of Phra Prang Sam Yot date from that Khmer period, in the 13th century.
In the 17th century King Narai of Ayutthaya made Lopburi his second capital and spent much of the year in his palace there, Phra Narai Ratchaniwet. He received European visitors, including the French embassy of the Chevalier de Chaumont in 1685, and his Greek adviser Constantine Phaulkon lived nearby. Narai died in Lopburi in 1688. Centuries later, the town became a major army base, and the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam, completed in 1999, reshaped its eastern districts.
Phra Prang Sam Yot
Three Khmer-style towers from the 13th century.
King Narai's palace
Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, a royal residence of the 17th century.
The monkeys
Macaques live among the ruins of the old town.
Pa Sak Jolasid Dam
A large reservoir completed in 1999.
How Lopburi came to be
Lopburi's timeline runs from Lavo to the court of King Narai, then to the modern dam.
- 13th centuryPhra Prang Sam Yot is built in the Khmer style.
- 1660sKing Narai makes Lopburi his second capital and builds Phra Narai Ratchaniwet.
- 1685The French embassy of the Chevalier de Chaumont is received by King Narai.
- 1688King Narai dies in Lopburi.
- 1999The Pa Sak Jolasid Dam is completed.
Eleven districts north of Ayutthaya
Lopburi has 11 districts and about 750,000 residents. These are the most visited.
| District | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Mueang Lopburi | Phra Prang Sam Yot, King Narai's palace and the old town. |
| Phatthana Nikhom | The Pa Sak Jolasid Dam and its reservoir. |
| Khok Samrong | Rice fields on the plain to the north. |
| Chai Badan | Hills and farmland in the east. |
| Tha Wung | Riverside villages along the Lopburi River. |
Festivals, seasons and the best time to visit
Lopburi's calendar has a few dates that only it could have. Here are the main ones.
What Lopburi makes: local products and OTOP
The OTOP scheme gives every product a home sub-district, and Lopburi's plain grows rice and field crops, and in the cool season its sunflower fields draw visitors and supply seeds sold in local markets.
The old town's markets sell sweets, dried fruit and souvenirs around Phra Prang Sam Yot, while the villages along the Lopburi River keep up weaving and basketry.
Every product listed by a Lopburi maker is added to the carousel at the top. Shops on SnapSellGo keep their full sale price.
Short on time? Phra Prang Sam Yot, then King Narai's palace. Visiting in November? The Monkey Buffet Festival. Into history? The palace museum and Phaulkon's house. Cool season trip? The sunflower fields and the Pa Sak reservoir.
Good to know before you go
Why are there monkeys in Lopburi?
Macaques have long lived around the ruins of the old town, especially Phra Prang Sam Yot and the San Phra Kan shrine. They are fed every year at the Monkey Buffet Festival in November.
Was Lopburi a capital?
In the 17th century King Narai of Ayutthaya made it his second capital and spent much of each year in his palace there. Earlier, as Lavo, it was the centre of its own state.
What happened in Lopburi in 1685?
King Narai received the French embassy of the Chevalier de Chaumont, sent by Louis XIV.
What is Phra Prang Sam Yot?
Three linked laterite towers built in the Khmer style in the 13th century, later converted into a Buddhist temple.
Sources: Wikipedia entries for Lopburi province, Lavo Kingdom, Phra Prang Sam Yot, Narai, Phra Narai Ratchaniwet, Constantine Phaulkon and the Pa Sak Jolasid Dam. Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change each year. Cover photo: Phra Prang Sam Yot by Dominic Nelson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.