Northeast Thailand

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Northeast Thailand / Kumphawapi, Ban Chiang, Nong Khai

Kumphawapi

Kumphawapi is a town in Udon Thani Province, some 45km (28mi) south of Udon Thani city.

Accommodation

Ban Chiang village, 50km (31mi) east of Udon Thani city, 5km (3mi) off the road to Sakhon Nakhon is the site of the earliest confirmed human settlement in what is today Thai territory, probably as long as than 7,000 years ago.

For nearly two centuries residents of the area had dug up many human skeletons. Even before the skeletons were dated, this was remarkable as it is Thai custom since time immemorial to cremate rather than bury their dead. However, just how remarkable the skeleton finds really were, was not realized until some 25 years ago.

Only in 1966 a young American, Steve Young, brought to the attention of the Thai Fine Arts Department pieces of broken pottery from Ban Chiang, noting that they probably indicated an important pre-historic site.

Large scale excavation of the mound at Ban Chiang were then conducted in 1966, 1967 and 1972. Many skeletons and skulls were found, as well as pottery of different size and shape, most in red and cream color combinations. Practically all discovered pieces are of globular shape at the bottom and flare at the top in a kind of trumpet design. Flint, iron, and copper weapons, axes, copper hatchets, blades, hoes, short and long spears, copper bells, green turquoise beads, dark blue beads and glass beads are among the other items that were found.

In many other places around Udon Thani and Sakhon Nakhon, pottery of the same shape and color, as well as similar weapons, beads, necklaces, and bracelets have been found, indicating that while Ban Chiang might have been the center of the ancient settlements, the culture of Ban Chiang certainly covered an area wider than the immediate vicinity of Ban Chiang.

Thermo-luminescence tests conducted by the University of Pennsylvania confirmed that the painted pottery at Ban Chiang is 6,000 to 7,000 years old. Most of the pieces are similar to those excavated in the Anatolian plain in Turkey and ancient Mesopotamia in what is today Iraq.

Current archaeological opinion holds that red on cream pottery started in Halicar in today’s Turkey around 5500 to 5000 BC and that from there, it spread out to Europe, Africa, Egypt, India, probably China. Egypt had red on cream type pottery around 3500 BC, China around 2000 BC. The interesting fact is that the pottery of Ban Chiang predates the finds from these recognized highly developed cultures, except those from Halicar.

Beads and copper bells similar to those excavated around Ban Chiang have also been found in North and Central America. The Maya and Aztecs used them as kind of money. It thus appears that around 5,000 to 4,500 BC, people of Ban Chiang might have had trade contacts with the Indians in North and Central America. A question pondered is whether it is possible that people from Ban Chiang migrated to America as well as across India to Minor Asia, or whether groups of nomads from Asia Minor came to South East Asia, especially to Ban Chiang, and then moved on to America.

Nong Khai, capital of Nong Khai Province on the bank of the Mekong River, is 615km (384mi) from Bangkok but only a few kilometers from the Laotian capital Vientiane, just a little distance from the opposite bank of the Mekong. Construction on a bridge between Nong Khai and Tha Dua, financed through Australian aid, started in November 1991 after it had been planned for several years. With Laos opening for international tourism and a clear Thai economic policy to integrate the so far communist neighbors, it can be expected that Nong Khai will develop into an important transportation and communication center.

Accommodation

Places of Interest

Wat Pho Chai

At Wat Pho Chai is enshrined Luang Pho Phra Sa, the principal Buddha image of the province. Comparatively small, with a width of only about 1m (ca 3ft) across the knees, it is thought to have been cast in Lan Chang. The annual Soeng Nung Fai, or Rocket Festival, is celebrated at this temple during full moon in April.

Built in 1886, the Prap Hoh Monument in front of the town hall commemorates the victory over an insurrection by Hoh tribesmen. Enlarged and renovated in 1951, it contains the remains of those officials who lost their lives in putting down the rebellion.

The Than Thip Waterfall

This beautiful waterfall with year-round cascades is near Sangkhom, some 50km (31mi) southeast of the town of Nong Khai.

This bell shaped Stupa in the compound of Wat Bung Puan has a square shape five-tiered base. The brick-built edifice houses Buddha relics. (For architectural characteristics of Stupas, Chedis and other Buddhist edifices, please see the chapter Art & Culture. For their religious significance, please see the chapter Religion.)

Transportation

Bangkok - Nong Khai

Three trains go daily from Bangkok to Nong Khai. Departures from Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station are at 6:25 (arrival at Nong Khai 16:50), 19:00 (arr 6:15) and 20:30 (arr 7:30). Fare (excluding surcharges for rapid or express trains and aircon) is 103 Baht for 3rd class, 215 Baht for 2nd class and 450 Baht for 1st class. The rail distance is 624km.

Buses from Bangkok’s Northern Bus Terminal on Phahonyothin Road, 614km, non-aircon 115 Baht, 5:15, 6:09, 6:49, 7:59, 8:29, 20:10, 20:54; aircon 209 Baht, 9:00, 19:15, 21:00; VIP 325, 20:00

Three trains go daily from Nong Khai to Bangkok. Departures at Nong Khai for Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Station are at 7:40 (arrival in Bangkok 18:40), 17:40 (arr 5:00) and 19:00 (arr 6:00). For fares and distance see entries under the opposite direction.