Prince Prajak Monument

A bronze statue of Prince Prachaksinlapakhom stands at a central roundabout in Udon Thani, honouring the man who founded the town. Prince Prachaksinlapakhom, a son of King Rama IV, served as royal commissioner over Monthon Udon — the northern administrative region — through the 1890s. In 1893, with France asserting territorial claims across the Mekong in Laos, he moved his regional base south from Nong Khai and established a new settlement at Ban Duea Mak Kaeng. That settlement grew into modern Udon Thani.

The statue depicts the prince in military dress on a stone pedestal inscribed with an account of the town’s founding. It sits at a busy road junction rather than in a park setting, so most visits are brief: locals passing by stop to pay respects, and the monument is the natural anchor for the city’s 18 January founding-day ceremonies, when flowers and incense accumulate at the base.

Insider Tip: This is a roadside monument at a live intersection, not a quiet memorial garden — cross carefully and expect traffic noise in any photos. Early morning before the city wakes up gives the cleanest shot of the statue against the sky.

Watch out: There isn’t much to see beyond the statue and its inscription — treat it as a five-minute stop on a walk through central Udon Thani rather than a standalone destination.

The monument sits within easy walking distance of central Udon Thani’s hotels and markets in Udon Thani town. For more of the city’s founding history, pair it with the Udon Thani City Pillar Shrine, a short ride away, or unwind afterward at Nong Prachak Public Park, the city’s main lakeside green space.