Nakhon Phanon University was founded by merging local educational institutions in Nakhon Phanom Province under the “2005 Nakhon Phanom University Statute”, declared in the Thai Government Gazette No. 122, Section 75, on September 1st, 2005. As a result, the institution has been officially called “Nakhon Phanom University” since September 2nd, 2005.

According to the Statute Section 4, the educational institutions those have been merged are as follows:

• Nakhon Phanom Rajabhat University
• Mahasarakham University (Nakhon Phanom Campus)
• Nakhon Phanom Technical College
• Nakhonphanom College of Agriculture and Technology
• Thatphanom Industrial Community Education College
• Nawa Industrial Community Education College
• Boromarjonani College of Nursing, Nakhon Phanom

Nakhon Phanom University is both a legal entity and government sector, operating under the Office of Higher Education Commission.

The University differs from other new established universities. The combined institutions are centralised and standardised, following the University frameworks and standards. As such, the University is able to provide a broad range of trainings and educational programs from vocational, higher vocational, undergraduate to graduate levels.

1. The graduates are knowledgeable, and enriched with morality and ethics.
2. The University is a centre of research and development for technological transfer at the society level, as well as for raising the GMS competitiveness.
3. The University makes the knowledge accessible to the citizens of the society, the nation, and the GMS
4. The University is a centre for cultural promotion and transmission at the society level, the national level, and the GMS level.
5. The University is an organisation with good governance by employing the Principle of Good Governance.

1. The look-alike oval water drop refers to one of the water drops those combined to be a river of education. This is comparable with the merging of local institutions to be the Nakhon Phanom University.  The brown and yellow colours represent the provincial colour and the University colour respectively.

2. The Lord Buddha Relic “That-Phanom” (Pra That Phanom) on a lotus refers to the worship of Pra That Phanom. Pra That Phanom is the provincial logo of Nakhon Phanom, and also represents the mentally fusion of tribal people in Nakhon Phanom.

3. The arches in four directions represent opportunities of education, allowing one to pursue knowledge.    

4. The three blue water-wave lines pattern refers to the Mae Kong River, which run through many countries. This is comparable with the educational opportunities that are internationally open.

5. The seven lotuses pattern refers to the pattern found on the Pra That Phanom, which is the symbol of morality. These seven lotuses are comparable with the seven local institutions those merged to be the Nakhon Phanom University.

6. The golden (rice) spikes represent the growth and the harmony of the University group members that work toward the success of the University.

7. The lion base represents the stability and the sustainability of the University.