Thailand (Lonely Planet, 13th Edition) - China Williams [410]
KHON KAEN PROVINCE
Khon Kaen Province, the gateway to Isan if you’re arriving from Chiang Mai or elsewhere in Northern Thailand, serves up an interesting mix of old and new. Farming and textiles still dominate life in the countryside, while things are booming in Khon Kaen city, which makes for a lively stopover if you fancy a quick slug of metropolitan living.
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KHON KAEN
pop 145,300
Khon Kaen is the darling of Isan’s economic boom time. The skyline rises high, neon illuminates the night and a bumper crop of bars and restaurants entertains an expanding middle class. As the site of the northeast’s largest university and an important hub for all things commercial and financial, the city is youthful, educated and on the move.
It’s growing faster than most other Isan towns, which has brought some pretty heavy traffic and resulted in a sterile concrete veneer over most of the centre. There may be times when it takes the elephants trudging down the busy streets to remind you that you’re in Thailand. But Isan’s idiosyncratic appeal is still here, you just have to work a little harder these days to uncover it.
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History
According to one of several theories, the city got its name from Phra That Kham Kaen (Tamarind Heartwood Reliquary), a revered chedi in the village of Ban Kham, 30km to the northeast. Legend says that early in the last millennium a contingent of monks carrying Buddha relics to Phra That Phanom (in today’s Nakhon Phanom Province) camped next to a dead tamarind tree that miraculously came to life after they spent the night. By the time they reached That Phanom there was no more room for relics, so the monks retraced their path. When they saw the revitalised tree they decided to erect their own tâht (four-sided, curvilinear Buddha reliquary) there. A town developed nearby, but was abandoned several times. In 1789 a Suwannaphum ruler founded a city at the current site, which he named Kham Kaen after the chedi. Over the years the name morphed to Khon Kaen (Heartwood).
Orientation & Information
Khon Kaen has two tourist centres. The original lies along Th Glang Meuang, between the bus stations, and has many budget and midrange hotels. The upmarket choices and the main nightlife district are a quick hop southwest. There are good eats in both places. Further south, Beung Kaen Nakhon lake, which is a good place to browse for restaurants, is growing as a night-time destination, but is fun at any time of the day.
CONSULATES
Laos (0 4324 2857; 171/102-103 Th Prachasamoson; 8am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Fri) Normal turnaround for visas is three days, but for an extra 200B you can get immediate service. It only accepts baht, and at a poor exchange rate.
Vietnam (0 4324 1586; Th Chatapadung; 8.30-11.30am & 2-4pm Mon-Fri) Visas ready next day.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Khon Kaen Ram Hospital (0 4333 3800; Th Si Chan) Provides 24-hour emergency care.
Tourist police (0 4322 6195; Th Mittaphap) Next to HomePro.
INTERNET ACCESS
Finding an internet cafe in Khon Kaen isn’t too tough. There are several near the hotels on Th Glang Meuang, or try S-Force (Th Na Meuang; per hr 17B; 9am-10pm).
MONEY
There are banks with exchange and ATM facilities all over Khon Kaen. Siam Commercial Bank (Th Si Chan; 10.30am-8pm) inside Tukcom shopping centre keeps extended hours.
POST
Main post office (Th Glang Meuang; 8.30am-4.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon Sat, Sun & holidays)
TOURIST INFORMATION
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT; 0 4324 4498; 15/5 Th Prachasamoson; 8.30am-4.30pm) Distributes maps of the city and can answer queries on Khon Kaen and the surrounding provinces.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
KK Stawan (08 9715 6137; kkstawan@yahoo.com; 18/8 Th Phimphaseut; 9am-8pm Mon-Fri) At First Choice guesthouse.
Sights
Although it doesn’t seem like it at first look, there’s more to do in Khon Kaen than shop for souvenirs and dive into the