Pua (Thai: ปัว, pronounced [pūa̯]) is a district (amphoe) in the central part of Nan province, northern Thailand.

Neighboring districts are, from the north clockwise, Chiang Klang, Thung Chang, Chaloem Phra Kiat, Bo Kluea, Santi Suk, and Tha Wang Pha.

Doi Phu Kha National Park is Thailand's largest national park, covering several districts of Nan Province. The national park office as well as the 1,980 m high Doi Phu Kha in the Luang Prabang Range itself are within Pua District.^[1]

Pua district is heavily agricultural. It is a significant maize-growing area. Farmer's zeal to clear more land for maize cultivation has led to deforestation of vast tracts of hillsides, resulting in "bald mountains" (Thai: เขาหัวล้าน; RTGS: Khao Hua Lan). A by-product of the land clearing is smoke from field burning, contributing to the northern region's significant air pollution. Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, Thailand's largest agro-industrial and food conglomerate, and the leading purchaser of Pua District maize, in March 2016 announced an "agricultural social enterprise" to steer district villagers away from maize farming. CP Group has incurred criticism for the way it purchases maize harvests for animal feed from farmers in Nan and other provinces. Suphachai Chearavanont, vice-chairman of CP Group, said that corn planters will be encouraged to grow cash crops such as coffee, which requires less farmland and makes a higher profit than maize. Not only will this address the bald-mountain problem, he said, but it will also help reduce the spring haze in the north which is caused by slash-and-burn practices to prepare land for the next maize season. Mr Suphachai said crops like coffee take about three-and-a-half years to show a yield, but stated that CP Group would stand by farmers and provide assistance in the meantime.^[3]

• Wat Rong Ngae
• Wat Ban Ton Laeng
• Wat Phra That Bueng Sakat
• Road number 1256 on a ridge near Doi Phu Kha
• Countryside east of Pua
• The mountains of Doi Phu Kha National Park