Mun River

For the river in Norfolk, England, see River Mun.

Mun River
275px The Mun River in the dry season, Ubon Ratchathani
Country	Thailand
Tributaries
- left	Chi River
- right	Dom Noi River
Source
- elevation	530 m (1,739 ft)
Mouth	Mekong River
- elevation	97 m (318 ft)
- coordinates
Length	900 km (559 mi)
Basin	119,180 km2 (46,016 sq mi)
Discharge	for Mekong River, Ubon Ratchathani
- average	725 m3/s (25,603 cu ft/s)
- max	10,015 m3/s (353,676 cu ft/s)
Map of the Mun River drainage basin

The Mun River (Thai: แม่น้ำมูล, rtgs: Maenam Mun, IPA: [mɛ̂ːnáːm muːn]), sometimes spelled Moon River, is a tributary of the Mekong River. It carries approximately 26 cubic kilometres (6.2 cu mi) of water per year.

Geography

The mouth of the Mun River on the Mekong

The river begins in the Khao Yai National Park area of the Sankamphaeng Range, near Nakhon Ratchasima in northeast Thailand. It flows east through the Khorat Plateau in southern Isan (Buriram, Surin, and Sisaket Provinces) for 750 kilometres (466 mi), until it joins the Mekong at Khong Chiam in Ubon Ratchathani. The Mun River's main tributary is the Chi River, which joins it in the Kanthararom District of Sisaket Province.

History

Thanks to the Andy Williams hit song, the Mun River was called "Moon River" by US Air Force personnel stationed at Ubon Ratchathani airbase during the Vietnam War. The spelling is still fairly common.

The controversial Pak Mun Dam, which is charged with causing environmental damage, is near the river's confluence with the Mekong.

Tributaries

• Dom Noi River
• Chi River
• Lam Takhong River

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons