Si Sa Ket

Si Sa Ket, Isan, Thailand

Si Sa Ket was originally called Muang Khu Khan with its origins in the Khmer empire between the 10th and 12th century. Its modern history dates back to 1759, during the Ayutthaya period, when it was upgraded from a town to city.
It was officially named Si Sa Ket in 1938. Twelve restored Khmer ruins have secured this province a place in the popular lower Isan itineraries that start in Nakhon Ratchasima and conclude in Ubon Ratchathani, 75 km to the east.The province covers 8,839 square kilometres and is divided into 14 districts and six sub-districts. Located 517 km from Bangkok, the town is on the Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani railway line and 55 km north of Highway 24 on Highway 22.

Si Sa Ket Attractions:

Somdej Phra Srinakarin Park was established to commemorate the Princess Mother's 80th birthday. Teh 100-acre park is located at the Si Sa Ket Agriculture College, 2 km from town. From early March, when the city celebrates with a festival, to late April the park's Lamduan flowers are in full bloom.

Prasat Hin Wat Sa Kamphaeng Noi is an ancient Khmer building dating back to the reign of the Khmer King Suryavaraman in the 12th century. The sanctuary, which may have served as a hospital at one time, is located 10 km from town on Highway 226.

Prasat Hin Wat Sa Kamphaeng Yai in Uthumphon Phisai district, 28 km from Si Sa Ket on Highway 226, is believed to have been built in the 11th century. The original Khmer sanctuary was used for Hindu ceremonies before becoming a Hinayana Buddhist temple.

Prasat Prang Ku is made up of three ancient Khmer pagodas located 10 km from town is Prang Ku district. Once the site of Brahman rituals, the pagodas probably date back to the 11th century.

Prasat Khao Phra Vihan, 106 km from Si Sa Ket town, is a splendid Khmer ruin just across the border in Cambodia. Perched on a 600 metre-high hill, the complex was built by a succession of Khmer kings between the 10th and 12th centuries. Constructed in Papuan and early Angkor styles, Khao Phra Vihan originally served as a Hindu temple.Even though Thailand and Cambodia have concluded travel agreements, tourists should consult the TAT before making any plans to visit Khao Phra Vihan. The nearest town in Si Sa Ket is Kanthralak, 11 km from Khao Phra Vihan.

Roi Et

Roiet, Isan, Thailand

The provincial town of Roi Et lies 100 km south-east of Khon Kaen. This sun-baked arid land is typical of the heartland where for centuries life revolved around the single crop of rice planted in May and harvested in November. Often ravaged by flash-floods just before harvest, farmers were at the mercy of the elements. New techniques and irrigation are changing the life-style of farmers, but Roi Et is still synonymous with traditional Isan culture and values. Roi Et is 512 km from Bangkok.
Roiet Attractions:Somdej Phra Srinakarin Park in the centre of Roi Et is filled with flower gardens and trees. The park's lake known as Bung Phlan Chai, is one of Roi Et's best known landmarks. A large island in the lake with landscaped gardens is a favorite place to relax. Boat rentals are available. The park, which is located in front of the municipal hall, also contains a library, a monument of a former governor, the city pillar and fountains.
Wat Klang Ming Muang predates the founding of Roi Et. Its ordination hall, built in the late Ayutthaya period, has beautiful wall paintings depicting scenes from Buddhist history. Once used for ceremonies pledging allegiance to the King, the temple now is a Buddhist school.
Wat Sra Thong houses the Luang Pho Phra Sankatchai, a Buddha image of obscure origins, worshipped by the town's residents. The first ruler of Roi Et discovered the image and enshrined it in Wat Sra Thong. Civil servants were ordered to swear their allegiance to government service in its presence.

Wat Buraphaphiram on Phadung Phanit Road houses the world's tallest Buddha image. At the base of the 68-metre-high image, known as Phra Buddha Rattna Mongkol Maha Munee, there are several rooms containing relics and historical objects.
Thung Kula Rong Hai or flat lands is a famous part of Isan that suffers from harsh climatic conditions.
Covering parts of Roi Et and four other provinces, Thung Kula Rong Hai literally means the "Crying Fields of Kula". Legend has it that a band of vagabond merchants known as Kula wept as they journeyed through this sun-baked land. Government projects are underway to irrigate the region and introduce agriculture.
Pha Nam Yoi Forest Park, 62 km from Roi Et on Highway 2136, noted for its cliff and waterfalls. The forests of the 8,000 acre park sustain a healthy wildlife population. There is also a pagoda that stands 101 metres high and is 101 metres wide at its base.
"Literature" Botanical Garden is in Dong Mae forest reserve in Nong Phok district, 85 km from town. The garden has plants mentioned in classical Thai literature as well as medicinal herbs.
Ku Phra Ku Na in Suwannaphum district, 74 km from town on the Roi Et - Surin (Highway 214), is a set of three Khmer pagodas built in the Lopburi period.
Ku Ka Sing, another Khmer pagoda, is located in Kaset Wisai district. The Prasat Nong Du, and ancient Khmer laterite building, is located 8 km from town on the Roi Et-Yasothon highway. The building is the subject of a ceremony that is held annually during the Songkran festival.
Roi Et Phawet Fair is held annually during the first weekend in March at Somdej Phra Srinakarin Park. The festival has a religious element involving 13 processions telling the story of the Buddha's 13 incarnations.

Nongkhai,

Nongkhai, Isan, Thailand

Perched high above the southern bank, residents of Nong Khai have a panoramic view of the Mekong River and Laos on the opposite shore. Opened 1994, the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge shifted the focus to Nong Khai and its potential as a gateway for overland trips to Laos. Trade too shifted from markets in the town centre to the vicinity near the bridge, just
outside of town. Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is just 25 km away. Nong Khai is 615 km from Bangkok and 56 km from Udon where there is an airport. Nong Khai is at the end of Highway 2 and the northern rail line of Isan. Ferries still ply the Mekong, although the bridge has taken over as the main conduit for trade and travel. The province is narrow and long with a 300 km border with Laos and the Mekong River in the north while it is just 50 km at its widest point.
Nongkhai Attractions:Luang Pho Phra Sai the main Buddha image of the province, is enshrined at Wat Pho Chai. It is believed to have been cast in the Lan Chang period. Every year on the fullmoon day of the seventh lunar month (June), the Bang Fai Festival is held to pay homage.
Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge The first bridge across the Khong River linking Nong Khai with Tha Na Laeng in Laos, 20 kilometers from Vientiane. The bridge measures 1.2 kms. long. Foreigners wishing to visit Laos are required to have a passport and visa and travel with an authorized agency only. Traveling on one's own is not allowed in Laos.
Prap Ho Monument in front of the city hall was erected in 1876 to commemorate the suppression of a rebellion by Ho Chinese tribesmen. It contains the remains of officials who lost their life in the conflict.

Nong Bua Lam Phu

Nong Bua Lam Phu, Isan, Thailand

Nong Bua Lamphu, formerly part of Udon Thani, became a province in December 1993. The new province has a population of less than 500,000 and is divided into five districts and one sub-district covering an area of 3,860 square kilometres wedged between Loei and Udon Thani provinces. The provincial town is located just 50 km west of Udon Thani on Highway 210. Loei is 102 km due west on the same highway.
Nong Bua Lam Phu Attractions:Wat Tham Klong Phen, located in the foothills of the Phu Phan Mountains, is a well-known meditation centre. Visitors pay homage to the shrine of the late abbot Luang Pu Khao. The temple also contains an ancient drum and the Phra Buddha Banthon Nimitr Buddha image.
Wat Tham or Wat Suphanna Khuha, 52 km from town, bears an old inscription indicating King Chaichetha of Vientiane built the temple in 1572.
Tham Erawan is a large cave in a hill which can be reached by climbing a winding staircase. The main chamber has an impressive array of stalactites. The cave is about 47 km from town just off Highway 210.
Noen Wat Pa is an old monastery in Non Sang District, 51 km from Nong Bua Lamphu. The principal attraction is a laterite Buddha image seated under a five-headed naga. Artifacts from the area indicate Noen Wat Pa was originally built in the Khmer period.

Nakhon Ratchasima

Nakhon Ratchasima, Isan, Thailand

Nakhon Ratchasima, 260 km from Bangkok, is the first Isan province on Highway 2 that rises over the hills that separate central Thailand from the northeastern plateau. With a population of 2.4 million, the province dominates Isan. The modern provincial town spreads out on all sides of the old rectangular moat, and the reconstructed city gates remain with the former centre, turned into a bustling market, while the rest of the new town is the commercial and business hub for the lower Northeast region.

Nakhon Ratchasima Attractions:Khao Yai National Park is part of the mountain chain that divides the Northeast Plateau from the central plains and Cambodia to the southeast. Khao Yai, which means "Big Mountain", was established in 1962 as Thailand's first national park. The park has over 20 waterfalls, the most famous of which is the 25-metre-high Haeo Suwat. The park headquarters stands 40 km off a road running southeast from Highway 2, 165 km from Bangkok and approximately 100 km from Nakhon Ratchasima.

Prasat Hin Nang Ram has the ruins of a structure thought to be a hospital. Built as early as the 11th century, the site is in Prathai district, 88 km from Korat.
Pak Thong Chai, a small town known for its silk weaving, is located 32 km south of town. Pak Thong Chai is famous for its beautiful hand-dyed mudmee silk. The town has seen resurgence in productivity since Queen Sirikit established her Support Programme to help local weavers. Tourists can see weavers practicing their art and pick up some good bargains at the same time.

After shopping, an excursion to Wat Na Phra That, 5 km away, is highly recommended. Built in the reign of Rama III, the temple's main chapel has some exquisite mural paintings of the Buddha's 10 incarnations. In the middle of a pond, standing on piles, is the temple's library. The woodcarvings on its doors are particularly well done. Lam Phra Phloeng Dam, also in Pak Thong Chai district, is a popular place for relaxation due to its beautiful scenery. Boats can be rented for cruises on the reservoir. A pleasant side-trip to nearby Khlong Ki Waterfall is an option. Numerous small open-air restaurants in the area are ideal for relaxing meals.

Ban Prasat is an archaeological site in Non Song district, 45 km from town. It is the second site in the Northeast to be developed as an outdoor museum by the government. Parts of 60 human skeletons have been unearthed there along with earthenware and assorted bronze ornaments. Ban Prasat seems to have been first inhabited 2,500 to 3,000 years ago. There is also evidence of later settlements that existed during the Dvaravati and Khmer periods.

Kalasin

Kalasin, Issan, Thailand
Comparatively small among its sister provinces of the Northeast, Kalasin was once relegated to the status of an Amphoe before being restored its present administrative entity. Depite its smalless, Kalasin is a busy agricultural province with considerable attractions. Kalasin is 519 kilometers from Bangkok.
Kalasin Attractions:Phu Poh Buddhist Structure, a reclining Buddha image of the Dvaravati period carved on a stone slab is located 28 km north of kalasin.
Wat Klang, in the town centre, has a beautiful black and bronze image dating from the reign of King Khoonakham. During the dry season, local residents parade the highly venerated image around the town in the hope of bringing rain to arid province. The temple also holds a sandstone replica of a Buddha footprint believed to have been made in the Lopburi period.
Lam Pao Dam, about 35 km from Kalasin in Yang Talat district, is worth a visit. Spanning the Lampao and Huai Yang rivers, the dam is set amidst the lush scenery of Lam Pao National Park.
Sahatsakhan district, adjacent to Yang Talat, has several important religion sites. Phu Khao, a reclining Buddha image at a small local temple, is unusual because the Buddha is reclining on its left side, instead of the traditional right side.
Phu Sings located on Phu Singh Mountain 32 km north of town at Sahatsakhan, is a shrine for the impressive Phra Phrom Phumipalo Buddha image. There is a splendid view of the district's rice fields and villages as well as Lam Pao Dam in the distance.
Phu Phra national Park, in Tha Khan Tho sub-district, is known for its wealth of stone formations located in the midst of a hardwood forest.
Muang Fa Daet Sung Yang, an ancient city located near Sema Village, 13 km from Roi Et, is considered the provinces best attraction. The city flourished in the Dvaravati period (700 to 900 AD), according to discoveries found in its area, such as sandstone carvings depicting the life of Buddha.

Chaiyaphum

Chaiyaphum, Isan, Thailand

Chaiyaphum is 332 km from Bangkok. Northbound, Highway 201 links Chaiyaphun with Loei and ends at Chaiyaphum is a mountainous province with two main ranges: The Dong Phaya Yen Mountains in the east and the Khao Khieo Mountains in the north.
The province lies at the western edge of Isan or Northeast region, separated from Thailand's central region by the Phang Hoei Range that runs north to south with peaks rising 1,000 to 1,500 metres high. Transport, however, is not a problem as the province has a well-developed road network. Highway 225 cuts through the mountains due west to Nakhon Sawan, while Highway 201 runs south-west to connect with Highway 2 just south of Nakhon Ratchasima. Chiang Khan on the Laos border.
Chaiyaphum Attractions: The Phraya Phakdi Chumphol Statue is the province's best known landmark. Standing in a circle at the centre of town, it was built from local donations to honour the founder of Chaiyaphum. Another monument to him, called San Chao Pho Phraya Lae (the title bestowed on him by the people), is located 3 km from the town on the site where he was killed by invaders from Vientiane. Prang Ku, about 2 km from town, is an old religious structure built of sandstone. A Dvaravati Buddha image, revered by the local people, is enshrined there. A bathing rite for the Buddha image is held every year.
Tat Ton National Park, 21 km north of Chaiyaphum town, is situated on a 500 to 800-metre-high plateau. There are several waterfalls of which the most popular is Tat Ton Waterfall, a 50-metre-high cascade. Another waterfall, Tat Fa, and Kaeng Cliff where the statue of Phra Phutachai Phumiphitak, the symbolic guardian of the province stands, are close by. Accommodation in the park be can obtained through the National Park Service of the Forestry Department.