Chomphu, Phitsanulok

Chomphu (ชมพู, ) is a subdistrict in the Noen Maprang District of Phitsanulok Province, Thailand.

History & naming
Chomphu, also colloquially known as Ban Chomphu (บ้านชมพู, ) is regarded as the largest and most populous subdistrict of Noen Maprang District.

Originally, Chomphu was just a community in a remote area surrounded with forest. It used to be called Ban Sonphu when the locals first settled down as it was surrounded with thick forest and mountains. The area was once part of Nakhon Phamak District, Phitsanulok Province.

After the municipal zoning was made, the area used to be part of Wang Thong District and was called Ban Sonphu. However, today it is part of Noen Maprang District and its name has changed to Ban Chomphu. By the word phu (ภู) in this case means mountain. However, the spelling has changed therefore, the today spelling has nothing to do with mountain anymore.

Geography
The subdistrict lies within the Nan Basin, which is part of the Chao Phraya Watershed. The main water resource is canal Khlong Chomphu, an important natural attraction and part of Thung Salaeng Luang National Park.

Administration
The following is a list of the subdistrict's mubans, which roughly correspond to villages:

Demography
Original locals migrated from Vientiane or Luang Prabang in Laos to be precise, during the World War II. They used to talk to others with traditional language, using today's impolite words.

Biodiversity
In 2009, four new species of small freshwater fish were found in the world in Khlong Chomphu in Chomphu Subdistrict. Divided into three species of fish in the genus of Akysis and one species in the genus of Acantopsis. They are all endemic species.

Places

 * Wat Chomphu Temple
 * Ban Chomphu Folk Museum
 * Ban Sam Rang Cloth Weaving Group