Lampang Horse Carriages

Horse carriages arrived in Lampang in 1915, imported from Bangkok when motor vehicles began displacing them there, and the town has kept them ever since - it is the only place in Thailand where they still operate as a recognisable local institution, and the carriage is the emblem of the province. Around a hundred and fifty were working at the peak; the number now is far lower. Routes run past the things Lampang has: the Kad Kong Ta old street of Sino-Burmese and Chinese shophouses built by teak traders, the Wang river, Burmese-influenced temples put up by teak merchants in the nineteenth century, and the clock tower. Drivers wear cowboy hats, a convention with no obvious origin. Welfare is the fair question to ask: conditions vary between operators, the work is done in heat on hard road surfaces, and it is reasonable to look at the animal before hiring and to decline if it looks poorly kept.

What to look for

• The working carriages - the last in Thailand, running since 1915.
• Kad Kong Ta - the old street of teak-trade shophouses on the route.
• The Burmese temples - built by teak merchants in the nineteenth century.
• The Wang river - the town's riverside the routes follow.

When to go

November to February; early morning and evening are cooler for the horses and better for the light. Kad Kong Ta has a weekend walking street. An hour for a route.

Things to know

Animal welfare varies between operators - look at the horse's condition and decline if it looks poor. Work is done in heat on hard roads. Fares are negotiated; agree the route and price before starting.

Nearby

Wat Phra That Lampang Luang is south of the town; Chae Son and Doi Khun Tan are north-west.