Lampang lies 601 km (373 mi) north of Bangkok and 101 km (63 mi) southeast of Chiang Mai.Lampang city is in the valley of the Wang River, bordered by the Khun Tan Range on the west and the Phi Pan Nam Range on the east.

[citation needed] In the late 18th century, the famed marksman and Lampang native Nan Thipchang assassinated the local Burmese leader in Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, and led an uprising which led to a rollback of Burmese rule over Lanna.

During the Ngiao Rebellion, Lampang was attacked by 200 Shan rebels led by Phaka Mong on 3 August 1902.

In recent times, the blue winter sky is often marred by the practice of burning the fields after the harvest, as well as the smog generated by Mae Mo coal-fired power plants.

Being in a relative rain shadow, Lampang receives less precipitation than neighboring provinces and rarely suffers from the flooding which has plagued Chiang Mai in recent years.

Besides the traditional rice paddy farming, pineapple, and sugarcane constitute major food crops in Lampang Province.

[citation needed] Lampang also has a large deposit of kaolin which is widely utilized in the ceramics industry.

Historically, logging was an important industry, since Lampang, together with nearby Phrae had a large stand of teak.

Although well-connected by rail, and four lane highways to both Bangkok and Chiang Mai, it is here that tourists can still find horse-drawn carriages in regular use for transportation.

Lampang was an important center of the timber industry in the early-20th century and saw an influx of migrants from British-controlled Burma.

Nakhon Lampang railway station is a stop for the Chiang Mai-bound train, approximately 10 hours from Bangkok.

Many temples in downtown Lampang were built in the Burmese -style, originally endowed by the logging tycoons of the late-19th century.

Wat Phra Kaeo Don Tao, on the west bank of the Wang River, is said to have housed the Emerald Buddha between 1436 and 1468.

[11] Lampang has a number of educational institutions, including kindergartens, primary, secondary and vocational schools.