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2 Days, 1 Night

From Roi Et town, take highway No 2044 to Phon Thong district and then turn right into highway No 2136. You will pass Phon Thong Vocational College before seeing a three-pronged intersection. At the intersection, there is a sign showing how to go to Pha Nam Yoi. Follow that instruction and when you reach 34 km, turn left for the entrance to Wat Pha Namthip Thep Prasit Wararam or the Chai Mongkhon Pagoda Temple. From the arched entrance, you will have to travel for 5 km on a slightly rugged and winding road uphill to get to the temple. Along the way, there are stalls selling somtam (Thai spicy salad), roasted chicken and grilled fish. The splendid Chai Mongkhon Pagoda or Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon,in Northeastern style, is located inside the temple compound. At 101 metres high and rising from a 101-metre-wide and 101-metre-long base, this pagoda ranks as one of the most beautiful and largest pagodas in Thailand. Lord Buddha’s relics are enshrined in this five-storeyed Chai Mongkhon Pagoda. Exemplifying the blend of contemporary Central and Northeastern arts, the pagoda’s elaborate structure has combined outstanding features from both Phra Pathom Chedi and Phra That Nakhon Phanom.

From Wat Pha Namthip Thep Prasit Wararam, a 7-km drive uphill will lead you to the Northeastern Botany in Literature Park inside the Dong Ma-ee National Forest Reserve. Located in Tambon Phayam, this botanical garden has dedicated each of its sections to a classic literature. A stroll around this garden will allow you to see plants and flowers mentioned in famous stories like Lilit Phra Lo, Ramakien, Wetsandon the Charitable Prince, and Lord Buddha’s biography. Also, some sections in this garden show herbs with health benefits. Visitors will find it easy to understand given that these herbs will be grouped based on their properties. To enjoy beautiful scenery around the area, two viewpoints – Pha Nang Khoi and Kiew Lom – are must-visit spots.

From there, you only have to travel for 2 km to reach Tham Pha Namthip Wildlife Sanctuary. Spanning over 150,000 rais of land, this sanctuary features a complex of rugged and steep sandstone mountain range. Inside the complex, there are zones of dry forest, mixed deciduous forest, evergreen forest, dry dipterocarp forest, grassland and bamboo forest. The sanctuary is home to more than 10 mammal species: tigers, deer, barking deer, boars, foxes, monkeys, langur, civets, jungle fowls, pheasants, Indian rollers, bulbuls, and barbets.

Before you reach Wat Pha Namthip Thep Prasit Wararam, you can find a room with air-conditioner, water heater and TV at just Bt300 per night at both Nattawan Resort and OK Resort. The Nattawan Resort has a car park for 20 vehicles.

Now, you should travel down the hill on the same route and head for highway No 2136. Then, take a left turn and go straight until you see the 41-km mark. Turn left and drive for just 9 km to find Banphot Khiri Temple or Phu Jor Kor. Located on Phu Jor Kor of Ban Waeng in Mukdahan’s Nong Sung district, this temple embraces the Dhammayutika Sect. Enshrined in this temple is the “Khempatta Chedi of Luang Pu Lah Khempatto”. This chedi or pagoda is built to house Luang Pu Lah Khempatto’s remains and necessities, as well as his wax statue. This holy place serves to remind visitors of morals taught by Luang Pu Lah, a famous disciple of Luang Ta Maha Bua Yannasampanno.

From the temple, take highway No 2136 and head to Muang Roi Et district. However, after you go past Nong Pok Police Station

(0-4357-9139, 0-4357-9149) and Nong Pok Hospital (0-4357-9073-4), you should drive towards Selaphum district instead. As soon as you enter this district, you will notice open paddy fields along the highway. Roi Et Hospital (0-4351-1336) is nearby.

At the 1-km mark, you will see an intersection. Turn right although the direction sign shows you are heading back to Roi Et. After Selaphum Police Station (0-4355-1491), you must follow highway No 23 towards Thawat Buri district. Muang Roi Et Police Station (0-4351-1766) is nearby.

Make a right turn for Phon Thong district. When you reach 13 km, you will find Phon Thong intersection. From there turn right and drive for 4 km. You will see an entrance to Prang Ku on your right. From the entrance, a 1-km drive on a rugged road will lead you to a stone castle of Prang Ku. Built in the Lop Buri or Khmer style, this castle is purely made of laterite. The main building of this castle is surrounded by a wall and has an arched entrance. In 1991, the Fine Arts Department renovated Prang Ku and discovered a lintel behind the castle’s main building. This lintel is engraved with the picture of a man riding an elephant, which refers to Indra riding Erawan,the elephant. The renovation also led to the discoveries of pillars, laterite door frames and a large Hindu phallic symbol. These characteristics are in line with Bapuan architecture, and are similar to what were found at Arogayasala or Ancient Hospital in Roi Et. Currently, this ancient hospital has been officially registered as a historic site.

On your way back, take the same routes back to the Phon Thong intersection. From there, you just need to drive for 4 km to reach a town. It’s time to look for a place to stay overnight.

Recommended: Saket Nakhon Hotel on Hai Soke Road (0-4351-1741, 0-4351-1937). Its room rates range between Bt400 and Bt800 per room per night, and its car park can accommodate 30 vehicles.

Start your morning with a visit to Bueng Phlan Chai right in the heart of Roi Et town. This landmark features a vast lake with an islet. On this islet is located the Somdet Phra Srinakharindra Park with a large Buddha statue in walking posture in the middle. This recreational area includes not only a zoo, an artificial waterfall and a sports field, but also the sacred City Pillar Shrine. The Bueng Phlan Chai and its islet are open between 4am and 9pm every day.

A nearby attraction is Mueang Roi Et Municipality Aquarium. Here, you can find a variety of aquatic animals that live in Thailand’s Northeastern region. Some nearly-extinct species are also on display. This aquarium provides a great source of knowledge. Aside from 24 small fish tanks, this place also has a 400-cubic-metre tank. The tunnel that stretches through this large tank gives a memorable experience as visitors can see fish swimming all around them. The aquarium is open between 8.30am and 4.30pm from Wednesday to Sunday. There is no admission fee but donations are welcome.

From Bueng Phlan Chai car park, turn left and go straight. After you see the Roi Et Technical College, drive under a flyover and take a left turn. By then, you will see the Roi Et National Museum on the right.

Displaying handicrafts and arts of the Northeast, this museum also offers all interesting information about Roi Et. It is open between 9am and 4pm from Wednesday to Sunday. Admission fee is Bt10 per Thai visitor and Bt30 per foreign visitor.

From the museum, you will have to go past two intersections before taking a right turn for Burapha Phiram Temple. Enshrined in this temple is the world’s tallest standing Buddha statue, Phra Phuttha Rattanamongkhon Mahamuni or Luangpho Yai. Cast in the blessing posture, this Buddha statue is 59.2 metres tall and including the base, it is 67.85 metres tall. There is a museum at the base too. Behind this giant statue lies a pagoda, which houses Lord Buddha’s relics.

After your visit to this temple, head towards Maha Sarakham and make a left turn for Wapi Pathum district at an intersection. Then, follow highway No 2045 until you see Wapi Pathum District Office at a three-pronged junction around a portion between 26-27 km. At that junction, make a right turn and go along highway No 2045. Turn right again when you see the first three-pronged junction on this route. After that, you will be on highway No 2381. A 2-km drive from there will bring you to the entrance of Ku Santarat.

This attraction features a laterite castle in square shape, a style very similar to the Prang Ku. The lintel on Ku Santarat’s main gate is engraved in magnificent elaborate patterns.

From here, you drive another 5 km. After going past the Na Dun Hospital, make a left turn for Phra That Na Dun or the Buddhist Complex of Northeast. In this complex are located a religious and cultural museum, and a botanical garden that is landscaped into important Buddhist sites.

Accommodation

Roi Et Thani Hotel, Ploen Chit Road, Muang Roi Et district, Roi Et; Tel 0-4352-0387-400; Rate – Bt900-Bt4,920 per night

Mai Thai Hotel, Hai Sok Road, Mueang Roi Et District, Roi Et; Tel 0-4351-1136, 0-4351-1038; Rate – Bt410-Bt720 per night

Restaurants

Fai Khieo: Noodles in air-conditioned space around the Bueng Phlan Chai in Roi Et; Tel 0-4351-4782, 0-4351-5265

Ko Liang, Tewapiban Road, around the Bueng Phlan Chai

Souvenirs

Local Product Centre is right behind the Roi Et Provincial Hall (0-4351-1260).

Silk and Handicraft Centre on Rajdamnoen Road (0-4351-4097, 0-4351-1120). This centre sells locally-made fabrics.