Situated right in the middle of Isan, the country's northeastern region, 512km from Bangkok by road, Roi Et has been a major settlement for more than 300 years. It was once called Saket Nakhon and referred to as "a large city with 11 gates and 11 vassal cities", but in modern-day terms it would be more accurately described as a medium-sized market town.
The province itself is fairly substantial, though, covering an area of 8,299 square kilometres, and being situated on the Korat Basin has an average height above sea level of 130m to 160m. The more low-lying areas, part of the Thung Kula Ronghai rice-growing belt that stretches across five provinces in the Northeast, are irrigated by the Chi River and smaller waterways called the Sieu Yai and the Phlap Phla.
The culture, traditions and present-day population of Roi Et are the products of thousands of years of history, of one civilisation absorbing or being assimilated by another, of one society dominating or being influenced by another, from prehistoric times to the Mon-speaking, Shiva-worshipping Dvaravati period to the hegemony of the ancient Khmer Empire, the rise of the Lao kingdom of Lan Chang (aka Lan Xang), which paid tribute to Siamese kings, and the more recent evolution of a distinctive Isan identity.
Somsak Changtragul, the current governor of the province, had this to say about his bailiwick: "Roi Et is truly a granary because its rice fields account for almost 2 million rai of the total 3.6 million rai in the Thung Kula Ronghai plain. The people of Roi Et are proud of their fragrant Thung Kula Ronghai jasmine rice."
According to Somsak, the long-term strategy for the province calls for the promotion of sustainable "slow tourism", spreading the word among both Thai and foreign tourists about Roi Et's special attractions. Spots to be highlighted include Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol stupa in Nong Phok district, a mountaintop structure of impressive size and architectural beauty, and what is being billed as "the Burobudur of Thailand": a huge, tiered stupa complex called Chedi Hin Sai built within the grounds of Wat Pa Kung in Si Somdet district. Also of interest to visitors is the Northeast's biggest celebration of Loy Krathong, a festival the locals call Sommanam Khuenpheng Sengpratheep, and the stately annual procession through the streets of the provincial capital of massive beeswax candles to herald the start of Buddhist Lent (Khao Phansa).
Nature lovers will adore Bung Klua, a 7,500 rai lake in Selaphum district, and enjoy trekking in Tham Pha Namthip, a forest of Nong Phok district. Meanwhile, culture vultures should be sure not to miss the ancient Khmer sanctuaries of Ku Ka Singh (in Kaset Wisai district), Ku Phra Na (in Suwannaphum district) and Prang Ku (in Thawatchaburi district). Other tourist draws are the Roi Et National Museum, in Muang district, and the nine sacred places located around a large pond called Bung Phalan Chai in the same district (these include Wat Nua, Wat Klang Ming Muang and Wat Buraphaphiram). Roi Et people mark six important religious festivals every year and the most unusual of these is Bun Phawet, during which monks give sermons on the theme of Vessantara Jataka, the last life of the Buddha before he achieved enlightenment.
Food enthusiasts will have no difficulty pleasing their palates during a trip to this part of Isan; there are some deliciously pungent local savouries and fragrant desserts to be found here. Among the more noteworthy dishes in Roi Et town itself are the tam bak hoong (Isan term for som tum/spicy papaya salad) and other traditional northeastern treats at Yai Lue restaurant, the pla ra bong (fermented-fish chilli paste) available at Grandma Wa's food stall and the khao jee (glutinous rice cakes) sold by another streetside vendor called Grandma Samruay.
Before heading for home, a most distinctive souvenir to shop for (apart from that famous Roi Et jasmine rice) is a traditional bamboo woodwind instrument called the wote. Smaller than the better-known kaen pan-pipes, this is a circular device made from 10 or so small bamboo tubes (which look like straws for drinking water), cut to different lengths to produce different sounds. Roi Et women also weave a highly symbolic fabric called pha lai saket nakhon which contains no less than five auspicious motifs: kham phao meaning "honesty'' and "support''; khong ia, "generosity": Naak, the mythological, serpent-like creature believed to live in waterways and to symbolise fertility (aka Naga); khom meaning "light"; and mak chab, "unforgettable feelings".
Roi Et province is best known for its fragrant Thung Kula Ronghai jasmine rice, a bamboo woodwind instrument called the wote and a unique style of woven fabric called pha lai saket nakhon.
Located on Prem Pracharat Road, adjacent to the eastern moat in Roi Et town, Wat Buraphaphiram is a royal temple belonging to the Mahanikaya school (part of the Theravada branch) of Buddhism. The big draw here is Phra Chao Yai (official name: Phra Rattana Mongkol Maha Munee), the tallest statue of the Buddha in the blessing posture to be found in all of Thailand. It is 59.2m high (67.85m high if you include the base which is capacious enough to accommodate several other Buddha statues and religious monuments). After paying one’s respects or saying a prayer to Phra Chao Yai, it is customary to make a silent wish and then to strike the sacred gong in front of the statue to seek a blessing for oneself.
Established in 1541, Wat Klang Ming Muang was previously called Wat Klang because of its location in the middle (klang) of Roi Et town. Before it became a Buddhist temple, it is believed to have been used as a place of worship, probably by followers of the Shaivism sect of Hinduism, during the ancient Khmer period. Its ordination hall was constructed in the late Ayutthaya period and previously served as the venue for oath-taking ceremonies by provincial officials. It is considered one of the Northeast’s most beautiful sim Isan (Isan-style ordination halls) in the sim thueb (closed) style. Three wood carvings, called hang phueng (bee hives), used to decorate the front of the ubosot, feature very refined floral and foliage motifs. There are murals called hoop taem painted on its exterior walls and above the front doors; they depict scenes from the last 10 lives of the Lord Buddha before he achieved enlightenment.
Construction of Chedi Hin Sai, a huge complex of sandstone stupas within the grounds of Wat Pa Kung in Si Somdet district, was started and completed within a single year (2004) by followers of the late Luang Pu Sri Mahweero. The project was inspired by a visit this highly revered abbot made in 1988 to the sprawling Buddhist temple of Borodudur in central Java. The construction project was entirely funded by donations of more than 100 million baht. While the exterior of Chedi Hini Sai does somewhat resemble that of Borobudur, the centre of this structure (below the tiers of statues) is given over to a series of chambers used by monks and lay Buddhists to pray, meditate and practise dhamma. The outside walls are decorated with sandstone carvings depicting scenes from previous lives of the Lord Buddha. The interior walls are adorned with more carvings on slabs of sandstone telling about the lives of Luang Pu Sri and a few other revered Buddhist monks. This aims of this pagoda complex are threefold: to educate people about the Lord Buddha’s life and about local culture, and to serve as a centre for dhamma practice. The tip of the highest stupa is covered by plates of gold with a combined total weight of 101 baht (101 being roi et in Thai; 1 baht of gold is equal to 15.2g). Located 25km from Roi Et’s Muang district, Chedi Hin Sai is open daily from 8am to 6pm. Admission is free. Respectful visits are requested.
Nestled on the top of a mountain called Phu Khao Khieo, part of the Phu Phan range, Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol is one of Thailand’s largest pagodas. It was the brainchild of the late Luang Pu Sri Mahaweero, a highly revered monk who wanted an appropriate place to enshrine relics of the Lord Buddha he had received from Sri Lanka. It is 101m wide and 109m tall (its width being, of course, a coded reference to Roi Et, which means “101”). Designed by experts at the Fine Arts Department, this pagoda is a combination of a round, bell-shaped, Lanka-style stupa (like that at Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom) and the square-base, Khmer-style stupa (similar to those at Phra That Phanom in Nakhon Phanom). It is painted white, embellished with golden motifs and surrounded by eight smaller pagodas. Its tip is covered with gold plates weighing a total of 60kg. It has six floors and the Lord Buddha’s relics are enshrined on the very top storey. The construction started in 1992 and was more than 80% complete when an inspection was carried out in 2007, but the project is still not completely finished. Situated in Nong Phok district, 107km from Roi Et town, the pagoda is open daily from 8am to 6pm. Admission is free. Respectful visits are requested. Visit www.facebook.com/JDchaimongkol or call Penprapa Chairat, an official temple guide, on 089-940-4443.
Established in 1994 and officially opened in 1998, the Roi Et National Museum displays exhibitions on the geography, geology, archaeology, history, lifestyles, traditions, art and culture of Roi Et. Its second floor showcases historic and archaeological artefacts dating from prehistoric times to the Rattanakosin period. It also has a standing exhibition on the traditional way of life of Roi Et residents, namely the province’s Thai-Chinese, Thai-Lao, Thai-Vietnamese, Thai-Kula (whose ancestors were Tai people from Myanmar’s Shan state), Phuthai and Thai-Cambodian ethnic minorities. Among the highlights here is the oldest stone inscription ever found in Roi Et and a gold ornament in the shape of a five-headed Naga. The inscription is on a sandstone base, originally created for a sculpture, which was found at Don Khum Ngern archaeological site in Nong He district. Inscribed in Sanskrit written in Pallava script, and believed to date back some 1,400 years, the text notes that Prince Jitrasen, who would later become King Mahendravarman of the Chenla Empire, commissioned the sculpture of an ox. Located on Ploenchit Road in Muang district, the Roi Et National Museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm. Admission costs 20 baht for Thai nationals and 100 baht for foreigners. Visit www.finearts.go.th/RoiEt _museum or call 043-514-456 ext 101.
Located on Sena Rermkid Road in Muang Roi Et municipality, Wat Nua is the province’s oldest temple. The evidence that it was established when Saket Nakhon city was at the height of its glory is a 1.5m-high octagonal stone pillar which looks like one of the Shiva lingam stones associated with Hindu religious practice. The pillar has a topsy-turvy, lotus flower-shaped base inscribed with Pallava characters, which read “constructed by a person full of merit”. Pallava was a script used during India’s Gupta period which occurred roughly at the same time as the Dvaravati period (7th to 11th centuries) in this region. Behind the 200-year-old Lan Changstyle ordination hall (ubosot), is a square, lotus flower-shaped stupa called Phra That Yakhu which is thought to be about 1,300 years old. Inside are interred the cremated remains of previous abbots of the temple.
Pha Mok Miwai, meaning “perpetually mist-shrouded cliff”, stands tall above Roi Et’s last remaining healthy forest system which covers an area of 151,242 rai. Protected as part of the Tham Pha Namthip Non-Hunting Area, this dry evergreen forest is a major watershed and habitat for many kinds of wildlife. It also serves as a place for people to learn about wild animals, trees and herbs. The climate here is cool all year round, so the forest is often called “the Switzerland of Roi Et”. Popular sightseeing areas hereabout include Wat Tham Soda and Phuthai Cliff (a good lookout point from which to watch the Sun rise). Learn more about nature by taking the 860m-long trekking route or doing an organised three-day-and-two-night camping trip (after getting permission from the park authorities).
If you venture up to Roi Et town, tam bak hoong (a superpungent Isan take on som tum ), pla ra bong (fermented-fish chilli paste) and khao jee (glutinous rice cakes) are among the must-try local treats.
