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THE
NORTH I CENTRAL
&
EAST
COAST I THE
NORTHEAST I THE
SOUTH |
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Amnat
Charoen
I
Buri
Ram
I
Chaiyaphum
I
Kalasin
I
Khon
Kaen
I
Loei
I
Surin |
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Maha
Sarakham
I
Mukdahan
I
Nakhon
Phanom
I
Nakhon
Ratchasima
I
Roi
Et |
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Nong
Bua
Lam
Phu
I
Nong
Khai
I
Sakon
Nakhon
I
Si
Sa
Ket
I
Udon
Thani |
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Ubon
Ratchathini
I
Yasothon |
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The
Northeast
of
Thailand,
a
vast
plateau
covering
nearly
one
third
of
the
country,
is
usually
known
as
Isan.
It
extends
northwards
to
the
Mekong
River
which
divides
Thailand
from
Laos,
and
to
the
south
and
it
ends
at
the
Dong
Rek
mountain
range
along
the
border
with
Cambodia. |
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It
is
known
to
be
an
arid
region
with
soil
of
poor
quality,
but
for
tourism,
Isan
is
one
of
the
country’s
most
intriguing
destinations
with
many
Stone
Age
and
Bronze
Age
dwellings
and
artifacts,
and
several
significant
temples
that
are
a
legacy
of
the
great
Khmer
empire. |
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The
sandstone
shrines
are
popular
tourist
attractions,
particularly
the
superbly
restored
sites
at
the
historical
parks
of
Phimai
in
Nakhon
Ratchasima
and
Phanom
Rung
in
Buri
Ram.
The
great
temple
complex
at
Khao
Phra
Viharn
in
Si
Sa
Ket
on
the
border
with
Cambodian
is
now
accessible
to
visitors
after
a
long
period
of
isolation. |
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The
Bronze
Age
settlements
at
Ban
Chiang
in
the
province
of
Udon
Thani
provide
fascinating
evidence
of
the
work
of
the
local
potters
some
5,000
years
ago.
The
red
and
white
pottery
with
characteristic
“fingerprint”
designs
are
thought
to
be
the
first
earthenware
vessels
known
to
man. |
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Two
of
Thailand’s
best-loved
national
parks,
Khao
Yai,
Phu
Kradung
and
Phu
Rua
in
Loei,
are
in
Isan.
Other
major
attractions
include
the
villages
in
Khorat
and
Khon
Kaen
where
the
beautiful
local
silk
is
woven
by
hand. |
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Isan
is a
comparatively
poor
region
whose
main
income
is
from
agriculture,
and
many
of
the
younger
people
in
the
villages
migrate
to
the
city.
But
Isan
folk
have
a
distinctive
character
and
dialect
and
a
vigorous
culture,
with
their
old
traditions
still
reflected
in
the
many
festivals
unique
to
the
region. |
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With
its
strategic
position
bordering
Laos
and
Cambodia,
Isan
has
in
recent
years
risen
to
become
a
useful
starting
point
for
adventurous
journeys
to
destinations
along
the
mighty
Mekong
River.
There
have
been
important
developments
in
infrastructure
to
accommodate
what
is
expected
to
be a
boom
in
tourism. |
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Travel
in
the
region
has
been
improved
by
domestic
airlines
with
regular
flights
to
regional
airports;
and
it
is
no
longer
impossible
to
find
luxury
accommodation,
especially
in
large
provinces
of
Khon
Kaen,
Udon
Thani
Nakhon,
Ratchasima
and
Ubon
Ratchathani. |
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The
Northeast
consists
of
19
provinces:
Amnat
Charoen,
Buri
Ram,
Chaiyaphum,
Kalasin,
Khon
Kaen,
Loei,
Maha
Sarakham,
Mukdahan,
Nakhon
Phanom,
Nakhon
Ratchasima,
Nong
Bua
Lamphu,
Nong
Khai,
Roi
Et,
Sakon
Nakhon,
Si
Sa
Ket,
Surin,
Ubon
Ratchathani,
Udon
Thani
and
Yasothon. |
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