Amphoe Nam Phong  Deistic (Khon Kaen)

Ban Khok Sanga king cobras village

King Cobras Village Ban Khok Sa-nga in Tambon Sai Mun is famous for its strange pets, king cobra, kept at every house. The villagers formally earned extra income by selling herbal medicines by travelling around through viillages. By 1951, a local doctor, Ken Yongla initiated a cobra show, which was successful to attract clients to the village. Anyway, a cobra show was too dangerous as the snake can spit its poison for two metres making a man blind. So he changed to conduct the show with a king cobra and inherited such skill to the villagers.             Today, after the harvest season, with better transportation, villagers of Khok Sa-nga always travel around to organise a snake show and offer their herbal medicine. In the village, a snake show is held at Wat Si Thamma, performing different series of show such as snake dancing and boxing between king cobra and man. Exhibitions regarding the king cobra as well as nursery are located nearby.         How to get there: Ban Khok Sa-nga is 49 kilometres from downtown Khon Kaen. Visitors can go via Highway 2 and make a right turn at kilometre 33 to Highway 2039. At kilometre 14, opposite Phang Thui police box, turn right onto a soil road. Then keep going through Ban Na Ngam and make a left turn at the intersection, continue for another 600 metres.

Phrathat Kham Kaen

Located in Wat Chetiyaphum, the Phrathat is believed to be the origin of Khon Kaen city since ancient times. Phrathat Kham Kaen can be date the 20th century A.D. According to the legend, a back to king who ruled Mori town in the Khmer kingdom assigned 9 senior monks to bring relics of the Lord Buddha to be placed in Phrathat Phanom. On the way, the caravan spent a night here, setting a camp by the heartwood of a dead tamarind tree. The caravan reached Nakhon Phanom on the next day just to learn that Phrathat Phanom had already been completed, so they returned on the same route with a wish to place the relics at their hometown instead. On the way back, they were surprised to find the dead tamarind tree buddingly lush. Therefore, they decided to build a Phrathat here and placed the relics and Buddha images inside, naming Phrathat Kham Kaen which means the stupa of tamarind heartwood.          The Phrathat is now well renovated and landscaped. A celebration is held annually on the full moon day of the 6th lunar month. Phrathat Kham Kaen is 12 kilometres from downtown Khon Kaen. Visitors can get there via Highway 209 (Khon Kaen-Kalasin route). After crossing the Nam Phong River, turn left and keep going for another 14 kilometres. Prasat Pueai Noi         Prasat Pueai Noi is the largest Khmer sanctuary in the upper Northeast. The compound comprises 3 brick buildings built on the same laterite base. All face to the east. Each pagoda has a sandstone lintel with designs. Each pagoda has a smaller chapel and a lintel with clear, lovely designs. A laterite wall surrounds the compound and there is a pool just beyond it. From Khon Kaen, take Highway No. 2 for 44 kilometres to Ban Phai, then take Highway No. 23 for 11 kilometres to Borabu district, then take a right-hand road for 24 kilometres to Ku Pueai Noi. Amphoe Chonnabot: Silk is a famous product of Isaan and Khon Kaen is the centre of the silk business. The district is the Sal Mai Pi, which is the Silk Exhibition Hall. The tie dye silk production known as Mat Mi hails from this area, which is 60 kms south west of Khon Kaen.