Maha Sarakham

{{Short description|City in Thailand}} {{Other uses}} {{Infobox settlement   |official_name = Maha Sarakham |other_name = |native_name = มหาสารคาม |nickname = |settlement_type = Town |motto = เมืองน่าอยู่ คู่การศึกษา พัฒนาองค์กร คุณภาพชีวิต เศรษฐกิจและสังคม อย่างยั่งยืน  |image_skyline = Muang Mahasarakham - panoramio.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = Atmosphere of Maha Sarakham town |image_flag = |flag_size = 100px |image_seal = |seal_size = 100px |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map = Thailand |pushpin_label_position = bottom |pushpin_map_caption = Location in Thailand |coordinates = {{coord|16|10|38|N|103|18|3|E|region:TH|display=inline}}  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Thailand |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Maha Sarakham |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = Mueang Maha Sarakham |subdivision_type3 = Subdistrict |subdivision_name3 = Talat |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = Thesaban |leader_title = Mayor |leader_name = Kittisak Khanasawas |established_title = Founded |established_date = 1936 |established_title2 =  |established_date2 = |established_title3 =  |established_date3 =  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =Imperial  |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = 24.14 |area_land_km2 =  |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank1_sq_mi =  |population_as_of = 2012 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 40,154 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = 1663.38 |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title =Ethnicities |population_blank1 = |population_blank2_title =Religions |population_blank2 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  |timezone = ICT |utc_offset = +7 |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = |elevation_ft =  |postal_code_type = Postal code |postal_code = 44000 |area_code = |blank_name = |blank_info = |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }}

'''<span lang="th" dir="ltr">Maha</span> Sarakham''' (มหาสารคาม) is the capital city of Maha Sarakham province in Thailand's northeastern (Isan) region. Sarakham, as it is known to its inhabitants, is in a rice-growing area on the southern Khorat plain, straddling the Chi River. Mahasarakham is 475 km northeast of Bangkok and 73 km southeast of Khon Kaen.

The city has long been known as a regional education centre, the so-called "Taxila of Isan" (taking this name from the ancient Hindu centre of learning).<ref>{{cite web|title=Maha Sarakham|url=http://www.tourismthailand.org/Where-to-Go/Maha-Sarakham|website=Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)|accessdate=25 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623192642/http://www.tourismthailand.org/Where-to-Go/Maha-Sarakham|archive-date=23 June 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is home to six colleges, as well as Mahasarakham University (MSU) and Maha Sarakham Rajabhat University. Sarakham has the feel of a student town with the younger, more cosmopolitan population much in evidence in the downtown campus area and near MSU's second campus seven kilometres away at Kham Riang.<ref>{{cite book|last1=DaGrossa|first1=P|title=The Meanings of Sex: University Students in north-east Thailand|date=2003|publisher=University of Hawaii|location=Honolulu|url=http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/facstaff/dagrossa-p/dissertation/Chapter2.pdf|accessdate=25 June 2015|chapter=Chapter 2. Mahasarakham, The Education Province|format=Dissertation}}</ref>

For a time Mahasarakham ranked with Sisaket as among the poorest cities in Isan. This is changing, partly under the influence of the rapidly growing student population. Today Maha Sarakham possesses two cinemas, a modern department store and market, and branches of major retailers. There has been extensive building, especially on the eastern fringes of the city.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

Maha Sarakham has no railway station or airport, and the main transport links are via express bus, or by road connections to the airports in Khon Kaen and Roi Et. Recently the road link south was upgraded and is now mainly dual carriageway highway.{{Citation needed|date=August 2019}}

==Climate== {{Weather box|width=auto |location = Mahasarakham (1991–2020, extremes 1970-present) |metric first = Yes |single line = Yes |Jan record high C = 38.0 |Feb record high C = 39.7 |Mar record high C = 41.7 |Apr record high C = 43.6 |May record high C = 42.6 |Jun record high C = 41.2 |Jul record high C = 38.5 |Aug record high C = 37.0 |Sep record high C = 37.2 |Oct record high C = 37.2 |Nov record high C = 38.0 |Dec record high C = 36.7 |year record high C = 43.6 |Jan record low C = 5.6 |Feb record low C = 9.0 |Mar record low C = 10.4 |Apr record low C = 16.0 |May record low C = 18.0 |Jun record low C = 21.5 |Jul record low C = 21.9 |Aug record low C = 20.3 |Sep record low C = 20.5 |Oct record low C = 15.2 |Nov record low C = 6.6 |Dec record low C = 5.3 |year record low C = 5.3 |Jan high C = 31.5 |Feb high C = 33.6 |Mar high C = 35.8 |Apr high C = 36.9 |May high C = 35.7 |Jun high C = 34.7 |Jul high C = 33.8 |Aug high C = 33.1 |Sep high C = 32.8 |Oct high C = 32.6 |Nov high C = 32.3 |Dec high C = 31.0 | year high C = |Jan mean C = 23.9 |Feb mean C = 26.0 |Mar mean C = 28.7 |Apr mean C = 30.2 |May mean C = 29.6 |Jun mean C = 29.3 |Jul mean C = 28.7 |Aug mean C = 28.1 |Sep mean C = 27.9 |Oct mean C = 27.3 |Nov mean C = 25.8 |Dec mean C = 23.8 | year mean C = |Jan low C = 17.4 |Feb low C = 19.6 |Mar low C = 22.8 |Apr low C = 24.8 |May low C = 25.1 |Jun low C = 25.1 |Jul low C = 24.7 |Aug low C = 24.4 |Sep low C = 24.1 |Oct low C = 22.9 |Nov low C = 20.4 |Dec low C = 17.7 | year low C = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 7.0 |Feb precipitation mm = 14.2 |Mar precipitation mm = 47.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 93.4 |May precipitation mm = 178.4 |Jun precipitation mm = 155.0 |Jul precipitation mm = 195.2 |Aug precipitation mm = 249.1 |Sep precipitation mm = 264.4 |Oct precipitation mm = 92.9 |Nov precipitation mm = 15.2 |Dec precipitation mm = 3.0 | year precipitation mm = 1315.7 |unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 0.9 |Feb precipitation days = 1.6 |Mar precipitation days = 3.2 |Apr precipitation days = 6.0 |May precipitation days = 11.0 |Jun precipitation days = 10.0 |Jul precipitation days = 12.3 |Aug precipitation days = 14.5 |Sep precipitation days = 14.9 |Oct precipitation days = 6.8 |Nov precipitation days = 1.5 |Dec precipitation days = 0.6 |year precipitation days = 83.3 |Jan humidity = 70.2 |Feb humidity = 66.8 |Mar humidity = 65.5 |Apr humidity = 67.5 |May humidity = 74.8 |Jun humidity = 76.4 |Jul humidity = 78.5 |Aug humidity = 81.3 |Sep humidity = 83.3 |Oct humidity = 78.8 |Nov humidity = 72.7 |Dec humidity = 70.0 | year humidity = 73.8 | Jan dew point C = 17.5 | Feb dew point C = 18.7 | Mar dew point C = 20.9 | Apr dew point C = 22.8 | May dew point C = 24.2 | Jun dew point C = 24.4 | Jul dew point C = 24.3 | Aug dew point C = 24.4 | Sep dew point C = 24.5 | Oct dew point C = 22.9 | Nov dew point C = 20.1 | Dec dew point C = 17.5 | year dew point C = 21.9 |Jan sun = 275.9 |Feb sun = 243.0 |Mar sun = 238.7 |Apr sun = 243.0 |May sun = 198.4 |Jun sun = 156.0 |Jul sun = 120.9 |Aug sun = 117.8 |Sep sun = 144.0 |Oct sun = 198.4 |Nov sun = 252.0 |Dec sun = 275.9 |year sun = |source 1 = World Meteorological Organization<ref name=WMOCLINO>{{cite web | url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Thailand/CSV/Mahasarakham_48382.csv | title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020 | publisher = World Meteorological Organization | access-date = 12 October 2023}}</ref> |source 2 = Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department (sun 1981–2010)<ref name=RID>{{cite web| url =http://water.rid.go.th/hwm/cropwater/CWRdata/ETo/ETo_PenMon_2554.pdf| title = ปริมาณการใช้น้ำของพืชอ้างอิงโดยวิธีของ Penman Monteith (Reference Crop Evapotranspiration by Penman Monteith)| publisher = Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department| page = 51| language = Thai | accessdate = 1 August 2016}}</ref>(extremes)<ref name=TMD1>{{cite web | url = http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75 | title = Climatological Data for the Period 1981–2010 | publisher = Thai Meteorological Department | accessdate = 4 August 2016 | archive-date = 26 December 2018 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035029/http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75%0A | url-status = dead }}</ref> }}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{Wikivoyage inline|Maha Sarakham}}

{{Authority control}} {{coord|16|10|38|N|103|18|3|E|type:city(40000)_region:TH|display=title}}

Category:Populated places in Maha Sarakham province Category:Cities and towns in Thailand Category:Isan