Thailand Off the Beaten Path Blog

The Isan temples of Northeastern Thailand have some of the most curious histories, statues, and monks in all of Thailand. Previously we wrote about Sakon Nakhon’s Luang Pu Sorn Paphassaro, the only long-haired Buddhist monk in Thai history. Today, we introduce you to perhaps the only statues of revered Thai monks, where the monks have […]

Wat Amalakaram (วัดอัมลการาม) in Sakon Nakhon now has built the largest statue of Thao Wessuwan in Thailand. Last month the Buddhist temple held a prayer ceremony to celebrate the completion of the statue, which goes by the name Thao Wessuwan Thanjai (ท้าวเวสสุวรรณทันใจ). The word “than-jai” in Thai means instantly. It was included in the name […]

The jackfruit season in Northeastern Thailand (especially in provinces like Sakon Nakhon) begins March and continues through July. Jackfruit is one of Thailand’s most amazing fruits. And it is used in a variety of Thai dishes, desserts, and salads. It is a superfood, loaded with nutritional value and medicinal benefits (according to traditional Thai folk […]

The khaen (แคน) is a musical instrument that plays an important role in the cultural landscape of Northeastern Thailand. The khaen is the signature wind instrument of Mor Lam: the traditional music genre of the Northeastern Thai (Isaan) people. It’s importance is so significant that villages throughout Thailand are named after the khaen, with the […]

You know that you have stumbled upon a “good luck temple” in Thailand when you find a rural temple of unusual wealth relative to the surrounding community. Wat Si Sawat (วัดศรีสวัสดิ์) in the Sakon Nakhon village of Ban Don Koi (บ้านดอนกอย) is just such a temple, granting good luck via a special Buddhist chant and […]

Kratom use in Thailand stretches back hundreds of years and is an integral part of Thai culture, especially in the southern provinces, such as Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, where the largest numbers of Thai Muslims reside. Kratom is a deciduous tree native to Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries. It has big, broad leaves that […]

Seen Above: The Asian Openbill, which birdwatchers sometimes see in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand’s lakes and reservoirs. Thailand has a beautiful and diverse population of over 1,000 bird species. It’s thus no surprise that the Kingdom attracts bird watching enthusiasts from around the world. The best bird watching spots in Thailand include the Doi Inthanon National […]

Many Thai guidebooks and websites will tell you that deep fried bananas, known as kluay tod/thawt (กล้วยทอด) or kluay khaek (กล้วยแขก), are a must-try sweet, Thai snack food. And we could not agree more! Thai fried bananas are one of our favorite street-side deserts in Thailand. However, you must know how and where to buy […]

March is harvest time for the Thai rose apple, also known as Chomphu (ชมพู่) or Chompoo in the Thai language. The rose apple is a bell-shaped fruit native not only to Thailand, but other Southeast Asian countries, such as Indonesia and the Philippines. Today, it is also grown in Hawaii, Florida, the Caribbean, and other […]

Our search for the best coffee in Thailand leads us to our first review of Robusta bean Thai coffee, as all our previous Thai coffee reviews were of Arabica bean coffees. Today we sample the Robusta bean coffee grown in Tambon Mo Kro (โมโกร) in the Umphang (อุ้มผาง) District of Tak province. Like the large […]

As February comes to a close in Northeast Thailand, the Thai rice wine (sato) making season begins. While sato (สาโท) can be made all year round, the most popular time for making Thai rice wine is from the end of the cool season through the Songkran holiday in April. Sato is a sweet Isaan wine […]

Our deep dive into the world of tea drinking has led us to the highly prized Pu-erh tea (ชาผู่เอ๋อร์). While Pu-erh tea is not grown in Thailand (except in small amounts in the Doi Wawee tea village of Chiang Rai), it is drunk by many tea connoisseurs in the Kingdom, especially among Thais of Chinese […]

Now is the start of the red ant egg hunting season in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. The hunting begins in earnest around mid February, after the first hot period that marks the end of the cool season, especially when the hot weather is accompanied with a bit of rainfall. Both a hot spell and some rain […]

Sakon Nakhon not only is home to the biggest spider in Thailand (The Huntsman). The largest moth in Thailand (The Atlas Moth) also makes its home here. The Atlas Moth (มอดแอตลาส) is recognized as the largest moth in Thailand because it has a wingspan of up to about 12 inches or 30 centimeters. The Atlas […]

Thai music has a rich and diverse history that is closely tied to the cultural and religious traditions of the country. It can be traced back to the early civilizations that lived in the region, including the Khmer Empire and Sukhothai Kingdom, which both had a significant impact on Thai music and dance. During the […]

When people think of Thai temples, they don’t usually think of sacred places with a sense of humor. But indeed many Thai temples (and the monks who live there) do have a keen sense of humor. This is especially true in the village temples of Northeastern Thailand. We were recently reminded of this fact when […]

Thailand is a popular tourist destination. Therefore, it’s not unusual that a lot of booze is consumed in the Kingdom. But it is not just tourists and expats that enjoy beer and liquor to excess sometimes. Thai drinkers have made Thailand the 5th largest consumer of alcohol in the world per capita, with beer and […]

Having begun a search for the best coffee in Thailand, we decided also to undertake a search for the best tea in Thailand. Our ratings will be based not only on the flavor, but also the physical benefits of the Thai tea, and how it made us feel (calm, energized, euphoric, mentally clear, etc.). The […]

One thing that is hard to come by in Northeast Thailand is a good sandwich. While Subway sandwiches has a strong presence in Bangkok, Pattaya, and Chiang Mai, there is only one Subway shop in all of Northeast Thailand (in Khon Kaen). Yes, there is an expat restaurant here and there that sometimes does an […]

Udon Thani Airport (UTH) is the airport you are looking for if you would like to visit Sakon Nakhon and are flying in from a neighboring country such as Vietnam, China, or Cambodia. It is one of 15 international Thai airports and one of 2 in Northeastern Thailand (the other being in Khon Kaen). After […]

Update: Read about my upcoming book of Thai poetry in English “Poems from Sakon Nakhon,” which captures the richness of Thai culture and the rural people who living in Northeast Thailand: Thailand Poems. Unlike the experiment below with ChatGPT, this new book of Thai poems was written entirely by myself, and is based on my […]

The Vithidham School in Sakon Nakhon held a music festival on the evening of February 2nd. Vithidham is known as a “Way of the Dharma” school, which provides students with both moral training and practical skills via field trips throughout Sakon Nakhon Province. The Vithidham School aims to create well-rounded students, and that includes music […]

Congratulations to our friend Dr. Sawai Boonma (ไสว บุญมา), who was awarded the 2022-23 Narathip Award (รางวัลนราธิปพงศ์ประพันธ์) from the Writer’s Association of Thailand. The Narathip Award is delivered to senior writers whose works have been widely praised. The award was delivered to him by Thanpuying Wiwan Worawan Sreshthaputra, an heir of Prince Narathip Praphanphong (1861-1931), […]

Bulletproof coffee has been popular in the United States for a number of years. Made by mixing grass-fed butter or coconut oil with your morning cup of joe, bulletproof coffee is drunk by many people who are on the keto diet. Enthusiasts say that bulletproof coffee improves digestive health and blood sugar levels. It also […]

The water buffalo, along with the elephant, are the two most recognized animal symbols of Thailand. Both have a long and storied history within the Kingdom — as they are strong animals that have helped the Thai people with jobs demanding hard labor. The water buffalo and elephant also have sacred significance in Thailand. You […]

When traveling Thai villages, you sometimes will see monuments where the dedication (or meaning behind the monument) is unclear. A few hundred meters north of Wat Nong Bua Sang (Sakon Nakhon) there is just such a monument in the form a large, closed lotus flower. It is named the Memorial Monument to an Enduring Angel […]

While we haven’t had any colds in Thailand for over 7 years (after daily supplementing with Vitamin D and Zinc), when we did get coughs and colds, the best Thai cough medicine we ever used was Leopard Brand’s Brown Mixture, otherwise known as Ya Gae Ai Nam Dam (ยาแก้ไอน้ำดำ), which translates to black cough medicine. […]

Previously we wrote about what to do if you get diarrhea in Thailand. Today, we’ll talk about what many people view as the best Thai stomach medicine, one that can help cure food poisoning, or allow you to eat spicy Thai food without heartburn (if that is a problem for you). The natural Thai medicine […]

Near Arun Lat Priest’s Camp Site in Sakon Nakhon, there is a lovely white Buddha statue placed at the edge of a rice field. Seeing the Buddha there reminded us of the Thai Rice Goddess Ceremony, which sadly is disappearing from Thai society. This ceremony, which is sometimes called The Beckoning of The Rice Goddess, […]

Is the GPX Legend 250 Twin III a Good Motorcycle? Yes, it is!  It’s a gorgeous, vintage-style, Thai motorcycle, which (if you are patient with it) should bring years of fun riding. It’s our vehicle of choice when traveling the roads of Sakon Nakhon in search of undiscovered Thai temples, hidden cafes and coffee houses, […]

One Western fast food chain in Thailand that is often overlooked by tourists craving food from home is Auntie Anne’s — a restaurant that specializes in Philly soft pretzels and related food items. Perhaps the reason that Auntie Anne’s is overlooked by many people is that Philadelphia soft pretzels are more of an East Coast […]

Bangkok’s Chinatown on Yaowarat Road is a well-known tourist destination in Thailand. What many tourists don’t realize is there are also Chinese communities in Northeastern Thailand (Isan). For example, Sakon Nakhon has its own Chinatown, which is centered around two Chinese temples: the Chao Pu-Chao Ya Shrine (ศาลเจ้าปู่-เจ้าย่า) and the neighboring Dtai Hong Kong Shrine […]

If you have spent any time in the Thai countryside during the rainy season, you have undoubtedly seen villagers with traditional Thai fish nets attached to wooden polls. These nets are lowered into overflowing canals and ponds after rains, and then lifted up again, hopefully with some fish caught in the nets. These Thai fishing […]

Student searches of Thailand University English Programs often focus attention on the large well-known universities of Bangkok, such as Chulalongkorn, Thammasat, Mahidol, and Silpakorn University. However, these Thai universities are extremely competitive, attracting excellent English students from across the country, most of whom have studied in English Language Programs at the Mattayom 4-6 (High School) […]

If you live in Thailand, barking dogs are an annoyance you or your friends’ have likely experienced (the only exception being if you live in an apartment building, but even then Thai soi dogs can be a problem). Many long-time expats in Thailand have been bewildered at times how their neighbors allow their dogs to […]

Celebrating Christmas in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand does not only include taking a trip to the village of Ban Thai Rae to witness the famous Christmas Star Parade, with its gorgeous Christmas floats, there are Christmas church services (Mass) held at Catholic churches throughout Sakon Nakhon province, which has a greater population of Catholics than any […]

The Christmas Star Parade in Tha Rae is probably the most famous Christmas festival in all of Thailand, and certainly the most beautiful. However, there are times when people miss the parade due to traffic and not leaving for Ban Tha Rae early enough. If you find yourself in this situation one year, fear not! […]

Every year the village of Ban Tha Rae (Thailand) celebrates the Feast of the Nativity (Birth of Christ) with a Christmas Star Parade Festival (ประวัติแห่ดาวท่าแร่). The parade and celebrations are organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Tha Rae-Nong Saeng, which covers an area of ​​4 provinces: Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin and Mukdahan. All provinces […]

In our search for the best coffee in Thailand, we now review a premium civet coffee made by Bluegold — a popular Thai coffee company founded in 2013 by young entrepreneur Kiattisak Khamwongsa of Nakhon Phanom (a Northeastern Thailand province that borders Sakon Nakhon and Laos). The first Bluegold civet coffee plantation in Thailand began […]

Sakon Nakhon is recognized as the coldest place in Thailand, with a record cold temperature of -2.5 Celsius (27°F ) on December 24, 1999. Late December and early January are typically the coldest weeks in Sakon Nakhon and Northeastern Thailand, with the cold season first arriving around mid November. This year (2022) the cold season […]

Today, the Bangkok Post published an excellent article on how Princess Sirivannavari has helped promote the Donkoi Indigo Weaving Group of Sakon Nakhon, whose members recently showcased their talents at the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Bangkok (click here to read the article). The Donkoi Indigo Weaving Group started out with just 9 […]

Mae Salong Nok is a “Thai Single Origin” coffee from the Aroma Group, one of the largest players in Thailand’s coffee industry. Last time, we reviewed their award-winning Nan Thung Chang coffee, and praised it for its smoky and heavily toasted flavor. So, how does Mae Salong Nok shape up in comparison? Well, let’s first […]

The Creative Craft Center at Mann Gardens (Sakon Nakhon) is currently holding its Winter Arts & Crafts Festival until December 12th, from 10am – 4:30pm. This Thailand festival provides a great opportunity for residents and tourists to buy affordable and creative gift items for Christmas. Local artisans are selling fine crafts, such as hand-made Thai […]

Dan Hin Kham Priest’s Camp Site (สำนักสงฆ์ด่านหินคำ) is located about 4 kilometers from Wat Tham Pha Daen, and is one of the most interesting “samnak song” (unofficial temple) in Sakon Nakhon. You’ll recognize this Buddhist monastery by the white Buddha and tall concrete spire/pillar on the  lava rock hilltop. Read our full profile at the […]

Nan Thung Chan by the Aroma Group is an award winning Thai coffee, having won a gold medal at the International Coffee Tasting (2018) in Milan Italy. This coffee tasting event was established in 2008 by the International Institute of Coffee Tasters, a network of over 12,000 professional coffee tasters in 40 countries. Every year […]

Today, we will be reviewing Bluekoff Dark Roast drip coffee. Bluekoff is a well-established Thai coffee producer, with a production facility in the Chiang Rai village of Ban Doi Chang (บ้านดอยช้าง). The coffee farmers of Ban Doi Chang are members of the Lisu and Akha tribes. The Lisu are a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group, whose people […]

In our search for the best Thai coffee, we move on from Cafe Amazon to the drip coffees produced by Bluekoff, who has been producing fine coffee in Thailand since 2000. Bluekoff spent years experimenting with the coffee beans produced by the plantations in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai before choosing the coffee beans grown […]

Can you eat Thai food with sour cream? Yes, you certainly can! Many classic Thai dishes can be mixed deliciously with sour cream. Some cooks have already realized that you can successfully add a dollop of sour cream to many Thai curries, but did you know that sour cream mixes well with the popular noodle […]

Cafe Amazon Signature is the 4th drip coffee in our search for the best coffee in Thailand. Amazon signature is a blend of hand-selected beans which the company has sourced from various coffee plantations in Thailand. Amazon doesn’t identify which Thai coffee growing regions they selected these beans from, but we would guess that they […]

Vegetarians have no problem finding dishes to eat in Thailand. Popular destinations like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Phuket have many vegetarian restaurants — while most upcountry destinations have at least one or two vegetarian eateries. In addition, it is often easy to order vegetarian variations of many delicious Thai dishes at regular restaurants. However, […]

Check out our photo gallery of Wat Si Panyaram, a developing village temple with a beautiful variety of sacred statues and unusual Buddhist art. This temple is located about 30 minutes from the Sakon Nakhon airport in Tambon Nong Lat, with several other beautiful Thai temples within a 10 minute radius. To read our full […]

November is the time of year in Thailand when you’ll see rice drying on plastic tarps on small village roads and at Thai temple grounds, schoolyards, and local government compounds. You’ll see this rice drying especially in Northeastern Thai provinces like Sakon Nakhon, which is famous for having some of the best rice in Thailand. […]

Our search for the best Thai coffee leads us now to Cafe Amazon’s Pangkhon coffee (กาแฟดริป ปางขอน), a medium roast coffee grown in the Chiang Rai village of Ban Pang Khon, which is home to the Akha and Yao/Mien hill tribes. Cafe Amazon first released Pangkhon (pronounced Bahng-khawn) in December of 2018, as a limited […]

The next entry in our search for the best coffee in Thailand is Doi Inthanon (ดอยอินทนนท์), a 100% Arabica bean drip coffee which is roasted and sold by Cafe Amazon. Note that in our Thai coffee review series we are sampling first the offerings of Cafe Amazon, before moving on to other Thai coffees. Last […]

There is one thing that you will not see in Thailand, and that is a Thai monk with long hair. Or will you? There is one exception, and that is a statue of Luang Pu Sorn Paphassaro (หลวงปู่สอน ปภสฺสโร) in Sakon Nakhon — a Northeastern Thai province in the region known as Isaan. Thai monks […]

Café Amazon is sometimes referred to as Thailand’s version of Starbucks, because both coffee shop chains are nearly ubiquitous in their respective countries. While Starbucks has made inroads into Thailand’s thriving coffee drinking market, they are limited primarily to large cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. While you will occasionally see a Starbucks in […]

Thailand is a coffee drinker’s paradise, with coffee beans grown in the country and roasted by talented independent coffee roasters. The Thailand slow bar coffee movement has been increasing by leaps and bounds during the past few years, with younger Thais showing a growing appreciation for good quality coffee, instead of the instant coffee that […]

The largest spider in Thailand is the Huntsman spider. It can have a leg span up to 12 inches (30 centimeters). The largest version is called the Giant Huntsman, and its said to have been first discovered in 2001 in Laos. However, the mushroom hunters and forest monks of Sakon Nakhon will tell you that […]

While traveling the Sakon Nakhon countryside, you’ll not only see lush, green rice paddies, but also verdant sugar cane fields. Over the past decade, the Thai government has tried to help farmers increase their income by giving them subsidies to replace rice crops with sugar cane. This is because rice prices have been dropping, and […]

If you are visiting the Naga Monument in Nakhon Phanom, you don’t want to stop just there. If you head south down the tree-lined promenade (opposite the direction of the Nakhon Phanom Pier), you’ll find four beautiful Nakhon Phanom temples on the riverfront. The first temple directly across from the Mekhong River is Wat Pho […]

Are you a Thai language student looking for the latest Thai idioms and slang? A tourist looking for a Thai language book that’s not filled with the same old stuff? An English teacher struggling to understand your Thai students? An expat professional wanting to communicate with Thailand’s young generation? If the answer is yes, then […]

In this Thai language and culture lesson we will teach you how to say kiss in the Thai language and describe how people kiss in Thailand. There are two types of kisses in Thailand: the traditional Thai sniff kiss and a kiss with the lips. A sniff kiss in Thailand is called hăwm (หอม) and […]

Free Thai lessons on language and culture should be fun. After all, Thailand is the Land of Smiles. However, if you have spent a bit of time with Learn Thai language books, you’ll probably have gotten a bit bored with the same old sentences again and again (even though they are very useful). So, we […]

During the early 1900s, the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats contacted some paranormal researchers in the United States, encouraging them to investigate Ireland’s fairies. Yeats claimed that fairies were rapidly disappearing from the Irish countryside because people were starting to disbelieve in them. In other words, Yeats felt that the world around us is […]

Ready to learn Thai grammar? In this post, we will teach a quick grammar lesson on the usage of hâi (ให้) in the Thai language. The Thai word hâi is often a difficult one for farangs to get their heads around because it seems to have so many meanings and is used in such a […]

In one of our Thai language lessons, we taught you how to order a large plate of Thai food. So, today we’ll cover what you need to know in case a big plate of khâo man gài sends you scrambling for the toilet. Occasional bouts of diarrhea are common in Thailand. Although tourists might find […]

In Sakon Nakhon, there are a number of long term expats with Thai families. So, in this post we are going to help those married expats with a Learn Thai Language lesson that is targeted to family life. In the flip book below, you’ll find 40 common sentences which Thai parents speak to their children […]

Learn how to flirt in Thai with 40 sentences that Thais use to flirt with both lovers and friends of the opposite sex. Flirting in Thai really is no different than flirting in your own native language. To do it successfully (and without potentially offending the other person) just means keeping a smile on your […]

One of the best ways to learn Thai is when related material is clustered together in easy accessible chunks, like it was in our earlier language post about Thai Heart Words. In this lesson, you are going to learn 40 of the most common Thai expressions — that is, useful colloquial Thai phrases, many of […]

Today we will help you learn the most 40 commonly used heart words (jai words) in the Thai Language. In the flip book below, you’ll learn all the Thai heart words needed to share your feelings with your Thai friends, and to better understand their feelings too. Each Thai heart word is written in both […]

Geng! Learn English for ASEAN is a fun workbook for Sakon Nakhon business people, government workers, and students who would like to learn basic English. It was written by Ajarn David of Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, and was given to us to distribute for free online. You can view the book online below or download […]

In Thailand the ubiquitous phrase “mai pen rai” is well known to foreigners who have visited the Kingdom. Used in a variety of situations, mai pen rai is often translated as “never mind” or “it’s no big deal” in guidebooks, but a more accurate, albeit wordy, translation would be “this matter is so insignificant, let […]

The following is a collection of original sayings and proverbs, which I’ve written over the years with the help of my Thai colleagues. These proverbs and sayings were inspired by the life lessons I’ve gained by living in Thailand. In each of the entries, the Thai language version is written first, followed by a transliteration […]

The Naga Monument is a relatively new riverside attraction in the city of Nakhon Phanom. The immense brass Naga serpent statue was built in 2016 and cost 9 million baht (approx. $230,000). The elegant Buddhist sculpture has 7 heads, weighs 9 tons, and measures 4.49 meters wide and 10.90 meters high. The statue is facing […]

Wat Phra That Phanom (วัดพระธาตุพนม) is one of the most popular day trip destinations from Sakon Nakhon. It is located a little over an hour (45 km) from downtown Sakon Nakhon in the That Phanom district of the neighboring province of Nakhon Phanom (The City of Hills). Breaking down the famous temple’s name, it translates […]

Wat Pa Don Pradu Mongkhon Thip (วัดป่าดอนประดู่มงคลทิพย์) is a Sakon Nakhon temple that flies under the radar of most people, even among the locals who live in the province. The architecture, statues, paintings, and design of the temple are all quite interesting and unique. In particular, the temple’s use of miniature reflective tiles and gold […]

Khanom Thuai Talai (ขนมถ้วยตะไล), often shortened to just Khanom Thuai, is a simple but delicious dessert that you must try when visiting Sakon Nakhon. It’s unlikely that you’ll see this dessert offered at a Sakon Nakhon restaurant, but you will find packages of Khanom Thuai sold at food markets, and occasionally at Thai noodle shops […]

Wat Tham Pha Daen is a gorgeous temple complex in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. More than a Buddhist temple, Wat Tham Pha Daen is a museum of sacred art work, built into a mountainside. Artistic attractions include many different kinds of Buddha statues, made with different materials; beautiful carvings of the Buddha in stone and teak […]

Straw mushrooms are grown by many rural villagers in Thailand. If you look online how to grow straw mushrooms, referred to in Thailand as het fang (เห็ดฟาง), you’ll see all sorts of “easy” directions that include the purchase of things like plastic tarps, cotton seed hulls, wheat bran, shredded lime, etc. In other words, it’s […]

Thanks to the Pon Yang Kham breeding farm, Sakon Nakhon is known for its high quality cattle (and beef). The cattle that are native to Sakon Nakhon and Northeastern Thailand are Brahman Cattle, descendents of the sacred Brahman cattle of India — which can be identified by the hump on their back. In Sakon Nakhon, […]

Recently we made a trip through the forested countryside to find the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (อารามแม่พระแห่งสายประคำศักดิ์สิทธิ์) in Sakon Nakhon. Our route took us through a rather solitary, bit spooky, dirt road through the woods. We eventually arrive at where the lovely monastery is supposed to be (we saw photos on […]

Phra That Phu Phek are the ruins of an ancient Khmer temple in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. The ruins are located atop a mountain that is accessible only by a long, and steep climb up an old cement staircase. However, the ancient ruins are not the only attraction at Phra That Phu Phek. At the bottom […]

Samnak Song Luang Pu Phu Phan (สำนักสงฆ์หลวงปู่ภูพาน) is a Sakon Nakhon hilltop temple also known as Luang Pu Phu Phan Priest’s Camp Site and Wat Non Sawan (วัดโนนสวรรค์). It is located in the Phang Khwang sub-district, only about 20 minutes from Sakon Nakhon city. It is a Thailand spiritual retreat that offers a quite place […]

Graduating students from all 13 Northeast Thailand Rajabhat Universities will soon be arriving in Sakon Nakhon to receive their diploma from HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha. The ceremony will take place at the Maha Vajiralongkorn Auditorium of Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University. The reason the graduation ceremony is held at SNRU is because the Maha Vajiralongkorn Auditorium is […]

Thailand travel tips for tourists who are traveling off the beaten track need to be a little different. It also requires a different mindset than that of the typical tourist. It is easy to fill your Thai holiday if you have a busy itinerary of popular tourist attractions in Bangkok or boating excursions on the […]

Preecha Suksan Waterfalls (น้ำตกปรีชาสุขสันต์) is a waterfall courtyard on a hillside of the Phu Phan Mountains in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand. The stream slopes about 30-40 degrees down the hillside, creating multiple waterfalls separated by pools of water (where locals swim to cool off on a hot day) and natural water slides for the adventurous. The […]

In addition to organizing student art exhibitions at the Thongthawapee Art Gallery, the Arts Department at Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University (SNRU) also showcases student paintings on the walls of university buildings, especially when the art gallery is conducting exhibitions of the best artists in Thailand. Art student paintings are currently on display on the walls […]

Wat Tham Kham (วัดถ้ำขาม) is one of the most important temples in Northeastern Thailand. Located atop Phu Kham Mountain (about 40 minutes from Sakon Nakhon city), Wat Tham Kham provides gorgeous views of Sakon Nakhon province, and is a popular place for meditation and merit making The temple grounds feature a stunning pagoda that honors […]

Many Thailand birthday traditions are intertwined with spirituality and mysticism, including lucky Buddha amulets, magical spells/incantations, and personal birthday gods who act as Thai guardian angels. These Thai birthday traditions are unique to each day of the week (corresponding to the day you were born). Not all Thai people are familiar with all of these […]

If you are looking for a map in English of Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University (SNRU), you are in the right place! We have translated the Thai SNRU map into English to help you navigate the 245 acre campus, with 20 university buildings. อาคาร 1 สถาบันภาษา ศิลปะและวัฒนธรรม – Building 1 Institute of Language, Arts and Culture […]

Thailand has many spiritual retreats and temples where you can learn various methods of meditation, yoga, and healing practices. These temple retreats are great for those who are interested in learning such techniques. However, we consider Thailand spiritual retreats not as a places to learn a new skill (regardless of how beneficial it may be), […]

The coldest place in Thailand is Sakon Nakhon, a mountain province in the Northeast of the country. Many sources cite Sakon Nakhon’s record cold temperature of -1.4 degrees Celsius (29°F) in 1974 when awarding it the distinction of being the coldest place in Thailand. However, there actually was an even colder temperature of -2.5 Celsius […]

When searching for Thailand off the beaten track destinations, you inevitably see many places that aren’t off the beaten tourist path at all. For example, Koh Chang, Mae Hong Song, Hat Yai, etc. There certainly isn’t anything wrong with these destinations. In fact, we have been to them all, and love them too. But they […]

Some of the best artists in Thailand are now (August, 2022) showing their work at the Thongthawapee Art Gallery at Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University. It’s all part of the 8th Thai Art Identity Exhibition (8th MOU), where Arts faculty members of 31 Rajabhat universities across Thailand contribute their art for exhibition. Rajabhat universities are similar […]

Sakon Nakhon (สกลนคร) is a city and province located in the upper northeast region of Thailand known as Isaan or Isan. It is a province filled with mountains, lakes, forests, and farms, as well as 100s of Buddhist temples and a rich cultural history stretching back thousands of years. Sakon Nakhon City Name (Etymology) The […]

Admittedly, we are a little biased. But we truly believe that the best sunsets in Thailand are in Sakon Nakhon. This Northeastern Thai province also has some of the coolest cloud formations and colorful skies in Thailand, especially during the rainy season (May – Oct) and the peak of the cool season (December through January). […]

The creativity of Sakon Nakhon student artists is on display on the wall of the Yutthitam Wittaya School (Tetsaban 3) in downtown Sakon Nakhon, across the street from the old (permanently closed) prison and the alley where the Camp Cook arts festival was held. This anti-drugs mural was created in 2004, around the time of […]

Sakon Nakhon weather in July is rainy and hot. However, the rain during the day is usually only a short shower or thunderstorm. The longer storms, when it rains heavily for a couple hours, most often occur at night, which makes for nice atmosphere for sleeping, as the air is cooler and sound of the […]

Wat Wong Sri Daram (วัดวงศ์ศรีดาราม) is the most impressive temple in Dong Mafai village — showcasing a beautiful variety of Buddhist and Hindu statues, religious murals, and lovely architecture. Ban Dong Mafai is located in the Mueang district of Sakon Nakhon Thailand. The Isaan village is well known for its large fresh food market, which […]

For a couple weeks in July, the Foreign Language Department at Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University (SNRU) celebrated the Japanese star festival known as Tanabata. Organized by Japanese language lecturer Ajarn Sato, who was assisted by his Japanese language students, a large bamboo tree was set up in Building 19, upon which university students, professors, and […]