Originally a prosperous town of the Srisutthanakhonhut Kingdom (Laos) 900 years ago, its official name was ‘Nong Bua Lamphu – Nakhon Kuan Kun Kab Kaew Bua Ban’, meaning ‘the town of plentiful water with blooming lotus flowers’. Most of Nong Bua Lamphu is situated on a plateau and the province has large forested areas. It was formerly a district under Udon Thani Province until it became its own province on December 1, 1993, making it the 76th province of Thailand.

Nong Bua Lamphu is 568 kilometres from Bangkok. It has an area of 3,859 square kilometres and consists of the following districts: Muang, Non Sang, Si Bun Rueang, Na Klang, Suwannakhuha and Na Wang.