Northeast Thailand Overview

It’s high time everyone knew the truth about the overlooked land mass encompassing nearly one third of the total area of Thailand. The region loosely refers to the area north and east of Bangkok, and shares huge stretches of border and thousands of years of culture with two of Thailand’s neighbors, Cambodia and Laos. Isaan, meaning “vastness and prosperity,” is at first glance a misleading designation—Isaan is the country’s poorest region, with an economy based largely on its agricultural production of rice. The northeast’s true vastness and prosperity comes in the form of the sparkling hospitality, warmth, and graciousness of its top natural resource: its people. Intrepid visitors to this tourist-sparse area will be greeted with friendly shouts of “hello!” and “where are you going?” in dazzling urban markets and quiescent, lush farmlands alike. Beyond the human connection lies the historical one. Remnants of the ancient Khmer civilization scattered throughout the region constitute some of best preserved and visually stunning ruins in Southeast Asia. For skeptics who hold that any statement containing both “Thailand” and “off the beaten path” is oxymoronic, Isaan rises to the challenge.