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Introduction
The areas of the Northeastern regions, comprising
one-third of the Kingdom's total area, is situated
on the elevated Khorat plateau with clear demarcations
from the other regions. The Phu Pan mountain ranges
run down the middle of the plateau, effectively
dividing the region into 2 parts, the Mekong River
Valley and the Khorat Plains. The numerous archeological
sites of ancient civilization and dinosaurs in
Khon Kaen, Loei and Kalasin provinces led to significant
discoveries, and more new ones are being unearthed
daily.
Though the area is comprised of many diverse
minority groups, locals exist in peaceful harmony
with each other. Often characterized as hard working,
they are also artistically creative, as seen in
the exquisite designs on silk cloths and other
handicraft products.
Though it is considered the nation's poorest
region because of its arid, infertile soils, this
region is rich in culture and historical heritage
sites influenced heavily by the Khmer Empire of
old. Beautiful natural scenery and wonderful people,
plus a tantalizingly spicy cuisine and exquisite
silk productions entice visitors to this part
of the Kingdom.
Nakhonratchasima
Nakhonratchasima or “Khorat” is a
large province on the northeastern plateau and
is like the gateway to other provinces in the
Northeast. It is 259 kilometres from Bangkok and
has an area of around 20,494 square kilometres.
The province is rich in Khmer culture and has
a long history. It is famous for the highly revered
Khun Ying Mo (Ya Mo) statue in the middle of town.
It also has beautiful nature, with many forests,
mountains, waterfalls, and reservoirs. Furthermore,
it is well known for a variety of quality handicrafts
that visitors can choose from, particularly the
popular clay pottery products of Dan Kwian.
Khon
Kaen
Khon Kaen is 445 kilometres from Bangkok and has
an area of about 10,886 square kilometres.
Khon Kaen boasts of a lengthy
history and has been the birthplace of so many
thriving civilizations and cultures. This is an
area where the first dinosaur fossils were found
in Thailand. Once the quiet capital of one of
the poorest provinces in the Northeast, it has
undergone dramatic changes and is now a prosperous,
bustling town.
Loei
Loei is 520 kilometres from Bangkok. Literally
translated, ‘Loei’ means ‘beyond’
or ‘to the furthest extreme’, a name
most suitable for this province that lies in the
northernmost part of the Northeastern region,
bordered at the top by Laos and the Mekong River.
Though part of Northeastern Thailand, its geography
and climate is more similar to those of Northern
Thailand. Consisting mainly of mountains, large
and small, it is cold and foggy in the winter
and searing hot in the summer.
Ubon
Ratchathani
the province is the largest and one of the most
important provinces in northeastern Thailand.
It is a major tourist attraction of the lower
I-San located 629 kilometres from Bangkok. Due
to the large number of fascinating temples dotting
the city, Ubon is a place of pilgrimage at the
beginning of Buddhist Lent. Aside from the numerous
attraction sites, festivals and holidays are celebrated
with a unique Ubon flair. The province borders
the Mekong River in the east and features superb
scenic view of Cambodia.
Udon
Thani
Located 564 kilometres from Bangkok, the province
is a prime business centre of I-San. It stands
the world heritage site for the prehistoric culture
of Ban Chiang.
Located on an elevated plateau,
the province is blessed with numerous forested
hills and tributaries, but the Phu Pan mountain
ranges and the Songkhram River are the province’s
2 main natural resources. The province’s
main attraction is its archeological sites that
date back over 5,000 years, particularly the one
at Ban Chiang.
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Northeast
