The word Isaan (Thai: อีสาน) is written in many different ways. Thai people don't find a consistent transliteration of their words into latin letters. Every suggestion from western script experts failed due to the Thai's sovereignty and pride, meaning, "we do it OUR way". This actually means the Thai do it in NO way, so I always write it in MY way "Isaan".
The area is located on the Korat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River (along the border to Laos) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west it is separated from North and Central Thailand by the Phetchabun mountain range.
Although it is common that Thai people from other provinces often look down on Isaan people and treat them as a second class citizens, the Isaan and its agriculture is the treasure chest of Thailand and feeds its Thai inhabitants.
I visit the Isaan provinces nearly once or twice every year, and I always discover new and beautiful areas where I still find the country Thailand like I saw it the first time thirty years ago.
Thirty years ago, Thailand still had three times more forest and jungle. Powerful businessmen ignorant of their following generation took away most of Thailand's primeval forest and caused terrible environmental problems.
When I'm traveling in Isaan with my wife Salama, I often have the impression of being in real Thailand with the real Thai people, not spoilt by mass tourism like in many other atypical places in the kingdom.
We visit a village called Kantaralak near the border to Cambodia, where the family of our former maid is living and growing rice, coriander, dill, shallot onions and garlic. The people of Khmer origin are different from other Thai citizen in Isaan, they follow different habits in their daily lives. There are no spirit houses in the village and it seems that they believe in other ghosts and spirits. One habit that isn't different to those of other Thais is the village loudspeaker in 5 meter's distance to my ear, croaking the location news every morning, starting at half past five and finding no end. Or the ladder down from the first floor to ground level with a perilous and rotten handrail, strewn with holes eaten by timber worms.
Every way to the restroom at night (in my case not less than three times every night) is an adventure and a matter of life and death.
...and it's these peculiarities that make me love these people so much!
The word Isaan (Thai: อีสาน) is written in many different ways. Thai people don't find a consistent transliteration of their words into latin letters. Every suggestion from western script experts failed due to the Thai's sovereignty and pride, meaning, "we do it OUR way". This actually means the Thai do it in NO way, so I always write it in MY way "Isaan".
The area is located on the Korat Plateau…
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The most important of these characteristics are perhaps the mudras, or hand gestures, of the Buddha. These well-defined gestures have a fixed meaning throughout all styles and periods of Buddha images.
People often miss to visit his amazing temple when they are on their way to the Erawan cave. Its exact on the province borderline Loei and Nong Bua Lam Phu.
The cave is to the north of the H210 just to the west of the village of Ban Pha Wang and the turning to Tham Erawan. Most caves in Thailand are used for a place of meditation in front of the Buddha Lord's table.
Loei city is the capital of Loei Province and there are many things for visitors to see and do.
A walk along the night market (or better said evening market) is one of the attractions in Loei downtown, its a typical scene in Thai province towns.
Just a few kilometers out of Loei City on the provincial road no. 203, there are some shabby premises with a run-down building that is connected with a history of superstition. The owner of this house and his wife died in a car accident about ten years ago. Since then, nobody has moved in because the people believe that the ghosts of the deceased couple keep living in the house and on the premises. The villagers are telling "real and true" stories like those of the Nepalese Yeti or the Scottish Nessie.
For ten years, the house has not been bought by another proprietor. People are scared that the ghosts can affect the destiny of everybody who enters and stays on this estate.
The premises are located on the banks of a small river and in a beautiful landscape. Normally, it would be a high-valued property. Here it is made worthless by the presence of ghosts.
Baan Khok is a small village in the district Na Haeo. In the average its the coldest place in Thailand, the villagers are sitting on the fireplace. Its the most western point of Isaan, just some kilometres far away from the neighboring province Phitsanulok which isn't located in Isaan anymore.
The Nam Hueng waterway as the natural border to Laos. During the dry season its easy to cross the river just by jumping from stone to stone. Many illegal Laotian migrants and smugglers cross this border line every day, the border control close both eyes and fill their wallets with an extra salary.
Remarkable aspect of Phra Tha Satcha is its 33-meter high pagoda that contains a 7-tiered umbrella on its top. The entire structure has a design similar to Phra That Phanom. Surrounding the base of the pagoda, one can locate the 3-layered petals of a blooming lotus. Holy relics of Lord Buddha that were once present in the Phra That Phanom and also the soil from that temple have been consecrated in Phra That Satcha. The best time to visit this temple is in February when the temple holds a grand celebration on the 15th day of the waxing moon. On this day, worshippers are allowed to cover Buddha’s footprints present inside the shrine with gold.
The wat is the guideline for the seal of the province Loei:
Phra Tha Satcha literally means the temple of truthful pledge. This temple was constructed in the year 1976 as a resemblance of Phra That Phanom that was present in the Nakhom Phanom province. The overall objective of this construction was to continue the legacy and spirit of Phra That Phanom, which was once a place of pilgrimage in the entire northeastern province of Thailand. When Phra That Phanom collapsed on 11 August, 1975, people of Thailand experienced feelings of loss and despair. So as to pacify these feelings and also to continue Buddhist traditions in this region, Phra Tha Satcha was constructed.
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