• NAKHON RATCHASIMA

• UDONTHANI

NAKHON RATCHASIMA

ATTRACTIONS IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA

BAN PRASAT ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
Is 42 kms from Nakhon Ratchasima along the Nakhon Rachasima-Khon Kaen highway route. Skeletal remnants, ornaments, and artifacts and potteries were discovered here. It is presumed that this area has continuously been inhabited during the past 3,000 years up to the present.

PRASAT HIN PHIMAI
Is the largest sandstone sanctuary in Thailand, almost situated in the center of Phimai Ancient city, which carries a rectangular shape of 655 meters wide and 1,030 meters long. The sanctuary has been magnificently restored and renovated, and the ruins have been preserved as a National Historical Park.

The principle sanctuary is a tower (prasat) surrounded by four porches with an ante-chamber beading into each porch. On the terraces of the pyramidal roof, which is supported by Garudas, guardian figures, are interspersed with Nagas.

Of special interest is a carved stone door-lintel depicting a divine figure, dressed in the elephant skin worn upside down, who dances on a pair of prostrate figures, on either side of this figure are rows of seated Buddha images dressed in royal attire, while below them are rows of dancing celestial figures.

Also on the way to Phimai is the Phimai National Museum housing valuable historical objects and archaeological remains found in the region. Other Khmer ruins within Nakhon Ratchasima include Prasat Hin Phanom Wan located about 20 kms., from town, Prasat Hin Nanag Ram some 80 kms., northeast of Khorat in Amphoe Prathai, Prang Ban Ku and Prang Sida , all of which are similar to Phimai ruins but somewhat smaller.

UDONTHANI

ATTRACTIONS IN UDONTHANI

UDON SAENG TAWAN ORCHID GARDEN
Located in Soi Kamol Watthana on Udon - Nong Samrong highway route, the garden produces and puts on sale a new species of Thai-scented orchid call "Udon Sunshine."

BAN CHIANG NATIONAL MUSEUM
Located at Ban Chiang, Tambon Ban Chiang, Amphoe Nong Han, it comprises two parts. The first part stores antiques. Inside the building, old artifacts, ancient Ban Chiang culture tools and utensils that show ancient technology and surroundings, as well as earthenware pots from 4,000 to 7,500 years old are displayed. The second part comprises an open museum in the compound of Wat Po Si Nai. The Fine Arts Department has retained the conditions of archaeological excavations to show how earthenware pots and other items were buried in ancient tombs.

Ban Chiang National Museum in considered the first open museum in Thailand. As for the “Ban Chiang” earthenware pots, they are known worldwide because “Ban Chiang” was the origin of a pre-historic civilization many years ago. Archaeologists believe the designs of Ban Chiang earthenware are the oldest pot designs in the world.