The town of Lamphun is believed to have been founded in the early 9th century. It was the capital of the Hariphunchai Kingdom, a Mon Kingdom in North Thailand. Then called Hariphunchai, the town was bordered on the East side by the Kuang River and surrounded by a moat and defensive walls on the other three sides. The town was founded by Queen Chama Thewi, believed to be a Princess of the Lavo Kingdom from Lopburi. A large bronze statue of her in the Nong Dok public park honors the Queen to this day. According to ancient chronicles the city was founded much earlier in the year 661 when a hermit named Suthewa Rusi requested Chama Thewi to found a new city and establish Buddhism in the area. A statue of the hermit stands in front of the Lamphun town hall.