YASOTHON

YASOTHON
Yasothon is famous for its boisterous Rocket Festival every May,when giant home-made missiles are launched into the air in a symbolic rain-making gesture.

In the town at Wat Mahathat,Phra That Yasothon is a much-visited Lao-style chedi, said to be over 1,200 years old. It enshrines holy relics of Phra Ananda,one of Lord Buddha's chief disciples. That Kong Khao Noi is an ancient Khmer chedi with a much revered brick and stucco Buddha that is ritually bathed every April. The handicraft village of Ban Si Than is famed for the triangular pillows used in most Thai households.
Yasothon has an area of 4,161 square kilometres. It is divided into the following districts: Muang, Kham Khuean Kaeo, Maha Chana Chai, Pa Tio, Loeng Nok Tha, Kut Chum, Kho Wang, Sai Mun and Thai Charoen.



Festivals & Events
Bang Fai Rocket Festival - Phaya Thaen Park
Date : May (second weekend)
Yasothon is most famous for its spectacular Rocket (Bung Fai) Festival, an Bang Fai Rocket Festival event which draws visitors from all over the country. The festival features large home-made rockets, fireworks displays, parades and beauty contests. Traditionally northeastern villagers have created and launched rockets of all kinds and sizes as a belief that this will ensure that the gods will send plenty of rain for the rice planting season. As part of this two-day festival there are beauty pageants and various forms of folk and cultural entertainment full of merriment.





Meritorious Garland Tradition
Date : February
During the season for merit making and local festival of the Magapuja, worship for the full moon Day of te third lunar mnth in commemoration of the Great Assembly of Disciples, there was, believed to be the only one in the world, a spectacular traditon which has long been practiced by the villagers of Ban Fayart, mahachanachai district, Yasothon. And this merit making festival is called BOON HAE MALAI of the Meritorious Garland Tradition.

Being the devout Buddhists, all people in Ban Fayart would take exquisitedly decorated handmade garland flowers which were made from pop-paddy to worship to the Lord Buddha.
Later, local wisdom of the people of Ban Fayart have played a great role to the tradition. They apply the pop-paddy to decorate and beautify the garland, all are hand decorative garlands. There are various style of garlands according to the decorators. They also try to use cotton yarn, artificial plastic flowers, flowers made from crepe paper, and plastic beads to make them more attractive.

KHON KAEN

Khon Kaen

Khon Kaen is 445 kilometres from Bangkok and has an area of about 10,886 square kilometres. Khon Kaen is the commercial,administrative an educational centre of the Northeast,which is often used by travellers as a base for visiting many parts of upper Isan. Khon Kaen National Museum houses objects from the Dvaravati period and bronze sculptures from Ban Chiang. Kaen Nakhon Lake in the centre of town is a popular spot for picnics and dining,while Wat That on its bank features typical Isan spires.



Khon Kaen is the centre of the northeastern silk industry with numerous villages producing their own mudmee designs. Chonnabot is noted for its quality silks. Every December the city hosts a Silk Fair, when all the best materials are on sale.



Unusual animals are popular in the province, with the cobra and the turtle villages high on tourist programmed. In both villages, the residents live with their proteges, training them and putting on fascinating shows. A dinosaur is the provincial symbol ever since remains of these great beasts were unearthed in Phu Wiang National Park, an area also famous for its flora,fauna and waterfalls.






Festivals & Events
Khon Kaen Dok Khoon Siang Khaen Flower Festival
April 12-15 Bueng Kaen Nakhon, Khon Kaen
This festival coincides with Songkran (the traditional Thai New Year) and is staged at Bung Kaen Nakhon. Featuring colorful floral processions, major festival activities include religious rites and merit-making and I-San folk music. Dancing and entertainment.
Silk Festival
November 29-December 10 Khon Kaen City Hall, Khon Kaen
Staged annually in front of Government Houses, this promotes silk weaving and silk worm culture. Pook Sieo, an I-San tradition promoting close friendship between people of

UBUN RATCHATHANI

Ubon Ratchathani

Province covers a total area of 15,744.85 square kilometers, with Amnat Charoen Province to the north, the Banthat Mountain Range along the border of the Kingdom of Cambodia to the south, the Mekhong River and Lao People's Democratic Republic to the east, and Yathothon and Si Sa Ket Provinces to the west.

Ubon Ratchathani is divided into 19 Amphoes and 6 King Amphoes, namely: Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Warm Chamrap, Amphoe Det Udom, Amphoe Buntharik, Amphoe Na Chaluai, Amphoe Nam Yun, Amphoe Khong Chiam, Amphoe Phibun Mangsahan, Amphoe Si Muang Mai, Amphoe Trakan Phutphon, Amphoe Khemarat, Amphoe Muang Samsip, Amphoe Khuang Nai, Amphoe Kut Khaopun, Amphoe Pho Sai, Amphoe Tan Sum, Amphoe Samrong, Amphoe Sirindhom King Amphoe Don Mot Daeng, King Amphoe Thung Si Udom, King Amphoe Na Yia, King Amphoe No Tan, King Amphoe Lao Sua kok, and King Amphoe Sawang Wirawong.

The Kha and the Suai, two local tribes, had moved from Si Sattanakanahut to this area before the Rattanakosin Period. During the reign of King Rama I, the King thought of locating the people scattered around because of war into one area. Therefore, any leader who could gather the greatest number of people and establish a secure community would be promoted to the rank of Chao Muang or Chief. For this reason, in 1786, Thao Kham Phong, who had led a group of his people to settle in the Huai Chaeramae area on a plain on the bank of the Mun River, was promoted to the rank of Chief. Later, when he helped the Thai troops to attack Nakhon Champasak, he was promoted to the rank of Phra Pathum Worarat Suriyawong and became Chao Muang or Governor of Ban Chaeramae, which was upgraded to the status of a province called Ubon Ratchathani. Later, the city was moved to a new site at Dong U-Phung, which is the site of the present city with seven other towns as satellites.

During the reign of King Rama V, before the reform of the provincial administration which divided the kingdom into Monthon (circle), Changwat (province), and Amphoe (district), Ubon Ratchathani was annexed to Lao Kao town. Later in 1899, the name of the area was changed to the Northeastern Monthon with Ubon Ratchathani as its administrative center, and the name was changed again in 1900 to Monthon I-San.

Because of the Depression in 1915, the status of Monthon Ubon Ratchathani was reduced to only a province in Monthon Nakhon Ratchasima in 1933, the division of the kingdom into Monthon was abolished and the city has been known as Ubon Ratchathani from that time on.

Festivals & Events

Candle FestivalThe Candle Festival is the largest religious ceremony in Ubon Ratchathani. It is celebrated yearly by the City on Asalha Bucha Day and Khao Phansa (Buddhist Lent) Day. The ceremony is held at Thung Si Muang and Chaturamuk Pavillion.
There are two kinds of candle competitions; the sticker imprint candles and the carved ones. The procession, consisting of candle floats from the various temples, with a beautiful lady representing an angel for each candle, mves from the front of Wat Si Ubon Rattanaram along the road to Thung Si Muang.
At night, there is entertainment to celebrate the Lent candles. The reflection of lights on the candles creates a picturesque effect during the festival.

Local Products

The local products of Ubon Ratchathani are Khit-designed pillows, Pha Khao Ma or loincloths, silk, fold up mats, Khit-designed cloth, basketry (such as winnowing baskets), sticky rice containers, fish baskets, and ordinary baskets. Tourists may buy them from souvenir shops around Khuan Thani Road near the Ratchathani Hotel, or from the market in town.

Ubon Ratchathani is also famous for local food prepared from freshwater fish, meat, Pla Sawai or Pla Tepho, sliced into long thin pieces, marinated in salt water with chopped pineapple, meat, and sealed in jars. This kind of specialty is called "Khem Mak Nat." It can be used to make various kinds of food; for example, it can be used as many kinds of dips. This product is sold all over Amphoe Muang.

Suvarnabhumi Airport

The Auspicious Name
Thailand Grand Take-Off
National Agenda
Flying to the future

FLYING TO THEVFUTURE

FLYING TO THE FUTURE

Strategically designed to be Southeast Asia's aviation hub, Suvarnabhumi Airport in the initial stage is capable of accommodating at least 45 million passengers per year, 76 flights per hour and
3 million tons of air cargo per annum.

At the full stage, with four runways, Suvarnabhumi Airport is designed to serv at least 100 million
passengers per year and 64 million tons of air cargo per year.

CONSTRUCTION COST

Suvarnabhumi Airport required a total investment of Bt150 billion. Of the total,Bt137 billion came from the central budget and state interprise's financing and the remaining Bt 13 billion was balanced by the private sector's co-investment.

National Ageda

National Ageda

"The fastest is the surviving"

That was what the famous futurist Alvin Toffler mentioned 10 years ago,with his predition that from the 21st century, what would determine trade success at the global level is speed!

Internationally,competition take shape in the world of networked speed,creating a new economic
platform having international airports as the drivers in boosting the countries' business competitiveness.

In 1960,Thailand concocted a plan to build a new airport.The Airports Authority of Thailand commissioned an advisor to complete a master plan on the nationwide airports system,to guide Thailand on large-sized airport development in the long term.The study showed the Bangkok International Airport at Don Muang would run at full capacity in 2000 and without a new airport, Thailand's tourism,commerce and industrial sectors would be affected. Don Muang itself
was constructed as a base for the Royal Thai Air Force.

As such, Thailand was in dire need for a new modern airport to specifically serve commercial aviation,to accommodate the future expansion in air traffic.

Though the new airport development has encountered various obstacles which have delayed
the construction for decades,the current government under Prime minister Taksin Shinawattra
has pushed for this mega-project at full effort. The airport construction was included in the "National Agenda", where all related agencies must cooperate to reach the goal, paving the way for the inauguration of Suvarnabhumi Airport as the nation's main airport and as an aviation center in Southeast Asia.

East

South

North-East

Khon Kaen
Ubon Ratchathani
Yasothon

Central

North

Thailand

CENTRAL
NORTH
NORTH-EAST
EAST
SOUTH

THAILAND GRAND TAKE-OFF

THAILAND GRAND TAKE-OFF
28 September 2006 marks another historic day,when the Suvarnabhumi International Airport is officially operational after 47 years of waiting. In the borderless world where speed is the rule of the game,"Suvarnabhumi" is not just an Airport but the simbol of Thailand's great leap forward in the world stagein economic,trade,investment,social,cultural and other terms. The inaugural "Suvarnabhumi"magazine re-flects the pride in new airport, in full confidence that Suvarnabhumi Airport would lead Thailand towards a bright future as indicated by the meaning of its name "Golden Land".

Suvarnabhumi Airport

"SUVARNABHUMI" The Auspicious Name

"SUVARNABHUMI" The Auspicious Name
Evidence convinced historians that around 2,500-3,000 years ago,the land where Thailand is located was part of "Suvarnabhumi" the golden land that accommodated a major trade center of the world.

Living in the central land where major trade routes existed,pre-historic communities in Thailand,believed to be part of the "Suvarnabhumi",demonstrated great economic advancement.Large empires were born,inclouding Dhavaravadee,Lopbiri,Srivijaya,Sukhothai.Ayutthaya to Rattanakosin.

From "Siam" to "Thailand",the fundamentals of 'Suvarnabhumi'have never faded.
Thailand's abundant natural resources,exquisite culture and readiness in other areas have remained attractive to the international community.

Though the word "Suvarnabhumi"stands for the great root that directly concerns Thailand,it become irrelevant over the long course of time.

But it has re-emerged in the royal script"Pramahachanok" and it is the name His Majesty the King bestowed on the kingdom's new international airport on 29 September 2000.Since then,the airport is called "Suvarnabhumi Airport"re-placing the fomer name of 'Nong Ngu Hao' (Cobra Swamp) which refers to a small canal that runs through this area.

His Majesty the King also greaciously defined the airport's name as "Golden Land"
and laid the foundation stone of the Passeger Terminal on19 January 2002.

The word"Suvarnbhumi" has thus come back to life,carrying an auspicious meaning that reflects the Kingdom's part glory.And now Suvarnabhumi represents an essential gateway towards economic prosperity today and in the futuer.