Roi Et

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Roi Et General Information

Roi Et town is built around a large artificial lake,Bung Phlan Chai,where a large,walking Buddha stands on a small island in its centre. Tall Buddhas are popular in Roi Et as Wat Buraphaphiram features a 68-metres walking Buddha,with a staircase that enables visitors to climb to knee-high level. Sixty kilometres outside of town, Ku Kasing is a large Khmer sanctuary dating from the 11 th century,and under restoration.

Handicrafts are the province's main product,particularly the Isan khaen, a kind of panpipe made from wood and reeds. These are best made in the small village of Si Kaew. Thanon Phadung Phanit is a good place to buy silk and cotton fabric.

Roi Et has an area of about 8,299 square kilometres, consisting of the following districts: Mueang, Thawat Buri, Selaphum, Phon Thong, Nong Phok, At Samat, Phanom Phrai, Chaturaphak Phiman, Kaset Wisai, Suwannaphum, Pathum Rat, Pho Chai, Mueang Suang, Phon Sai, Moei Wadi, Si Somdet, Changhan, Chiang Khwan, Nong Hi and Thung Khao Luang.

Roi Et Festival Information

- Bun Bangfai Festival

The festival is organised annually around June. Every district will organise colourful parades of Bangfai rockets that reflect the folk culture and local traditions of Roi Et province, especially the parades from Phanom Phrai and Suwannaphum districts will be lavishly decorated.

- Bun Khao Chi and Pho Chai Products Festival or Bun Duean Sam

It is held according to Hit Sip Song - the Northeastern twelve festivals for the twelve months. The Northeasterners believe that by making merit with Khao Chi or grilled sticky rice, they would gain huge merit. The festival also features a beauty pageant and competition of a giant-sized Khao Chi.

- Candle Festival

It is organised annually on Asalha Puja Day at the Somdech Phra Srinakarindra Park. Each temple will beautifully decorate their candle floats with colourful flowers, and the parade will move along the road via the market to the cruciform pavilion in the Park. There will also be contests of decorated candles and floats with cultural performances.

- Khao Pun Bun Phawet Fair

First held in 1991, it has been held annually around early March every year ever since. The event takes place at the Somdech Phra Srinakarindra Park and Bueng Phalan Chai. Bun Phawet, or known in the Central Region as Bun Mahachat, is usually held in the 4th lunar month. It is a Buddhist ceremony in which the monks give a sermon of all chapters of the Vessantara Jataka, otherwise called the Great Birth Sermon. There are also 13 parades of Phawet, according to the number of the chapters of the sermon, arranged by various public and private organisations. The area around Bueng Phalan Chai has stalls providing free ‘Khao Pun’ - rice noodle - for participants. There are also contests of traditional arts and culture such as making the ‘bai si su khwan’ tray.

- Long Boat Races of Tambon Mueang Bua, Kaset Wisai District

The event is held annually at the end of the Buddhist Lent, or around mid-October when there is plenty of water in the river. Boats joining the races are from Roi Et and nearby provinces including Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Si Sa Ket, and Nakhon Ratchasima.

Roi Et Attactions Information

- Sim Wat Chakkrawan Phum Phinit or Wat Nong Muen Than

It is situated at Ban Nong Muen Than, Tambon Nong Muen Than. It features a small ‘Sim’ of traditional northeastern style. Its gable and ‘Rang Phueng’ (decoration underneath the lower tie beam) feature fine woodcarving with a wooden shingle roof. Outside is decorated with mural paintings. They depict the life of the Lord Buddha when He subdued Mara - devils, hell, and the Great Renunciation when the Lord Buddha cut his hair and the God Indra took it to be enshrined at Chedi Chulamani in heaven. The murals inside the Ubosot illustrate the folk tale of ‘Sang Sin Chai’. They are believed to date back to the early Rattanakosin period.

- Ku Ka Sing

It is situated in Wat Burapha Ku Ka Sing, Tambon Ku Ka Sing. It is another huge temple with Khmer-style architecture, comprising three prangs on the same laterite base, and rectangular library buildings in front. All of them are surrounded by a wall, with entrance pavilions known as Gopura at the four directions. Outside is a U-shaped moat surrounding the wall.

The three prangs of the main building are situated on a single base in the north – south direction. They have a square shape, facing east. The central prang is larger than the other two prangs. It has a long antechamber with three entrances at the front and on the two sides. The base of the prang was made of sandstone and carved in various rows and strips of motifs such as lotus petals and the flame-like ‘kanok’ motifs. Inside the inner chamber of the central prang, there is a Siva Lingam, which represents the Supreme God Siva and fertility, according to the beliefs in the Sivaite Sect of Hinduism. Several lintels were also found here. One piece depicts the God Indra on his mount – the Erawan or Airavata elephant – in a stylized arch above the Kala face whose hands hold the garland. There is also a gable depicting the God Indra sitting on his mount, Erawan elephant, amidst the ‘kan khot’ or scroll motif. The other two prangs have the same size and common features, having a sandstone base and brick wall with a single front entrance. There are pedestals of sculptures inside. Considering the art style, architectural plan, as well as archaeological evidence, they show that Ku Ka Sing followed the pattern of the Baphoun style of Khmer art, which is dated around 1017 – 1087 A.D. It was meant to be a shrine dedicated to Siva, one of the supreme gods in Hinduism.

- Bung klua

Situated in Tambon Bueng Klua, it is a large lake covering a total area of 7,500 rai, with water all year round. There is a vast white sandy beach on the bank, lined up with raft restaurants. It is one of the favourite spots for tourists who come for relaxation and water sports.

- Prang Ku

It is located at Ban Yang Ku, Tambon Ma-ue. Prang Ku is a complex of buildings with a plan that resembles the Khmer nursing home known as ‘Arogayasala’. It comprises the main prang, a library, wall and entrance pavilions, and a pond outside of the wall. The ruins are in good condition, especially the roof structure of the main prang which still maintains its three tiers and the lotus base of the pinnacle. Other ruins of the temple have been restored and are located in a shady environment.

Apart from this, to the southeast inside of the front wall, there are many more archaeological finds being kept such as a sandstone lintel depicting a personage sitting on an elephant’s or bull’s back in a niche above the Kala face. The abbot of Wat Si Rattanaram where Prang Ku is located said the lintel belonged to the front porch of the main prang. There are also 2 fragments of colonnette; one with a hermit at the base, a large Siva Lingam with its receptacle – Yoni - and a fragment of the pinnacle’s lotus base, which was adapted to be the base of a stucco image of Phra Sangkatchai. Prang Ku was built during the 12th – 13th Century A.D.

- Wat Pa Non Sawan

It is a huge temple built from the abbot’s omen. It was embellished and decorated with local earthenware, so it looks strikingly eye-catching. The entrance of the multi-tiered chedi represents Hanuman’s mouth. Each floor of the chedi has murals illustrating the life of the Lord Buddha. At the temple’s gate, there are two huge tortoises which look like Khmer or Indian art. To get there: Take the Roi Et – Thawat Buri – Selaphum Road. It is about 13 km. from Thawat Buri district and about 30 km. from Roi Et town. The entrance is on the right side.

- Bueng Phlan Chai

The picturesque lake on the area of 200,000 sq.m. in the central city is a symbol of Roi Et. It is blessed with a relaxing atmosphere, with an island decorated with a large flower garden. The pond also has various types of fish. Bueng Phalan Chai is also used as a venue for various events of the province. Inside is situated the city pillar shrine, the sacred shrine that is highly revered by the people of Roi Et. There is also a large walking Buddha image located amidst the flower garden, a Constitution atop a Footed Tray, flower clock, Phu Phalan Chai (an artificial waterfall), animal sculptures, playground and exercise areas.

- Mueang Roi Et Municipality Aquarium

It is located near Bueng Phalan Chai. One of its twin buildings comprises an auditorium, lecture room, exhibition room, office, a ticket booth and a souvenir shop. The next building features an aquarium comprising 24 small tanks and one 8 x 16 metre tank with a capacity of 400 cubic metres of fresh water and a ‘bio filter’ system, which shows fresh water fish. The highlight of the exhibition is the underwater tunnel through which one can view the movements of the marine animals from any direction.

- Wat Klang Ming Mueang

It is located on Charoen Phanit Road. The old temple is believed to have existed before the establishment of Roi Et. The Ubosot was built during the late Ayutthaya period. In the past, it was used for the Oath of Allegiance Ceremony. At present, it is a venue for dharma practice and is known as Sunthon Thamma Pariyat School. The Ubosot houses beautiful murals depicting the life of the Lord Buddha.

- Ku Phra Ko Na

It is situated at Ban Ku, Mu 2, Tambon Sa Khu. Ku Phra Kona comprises three east-facing brick prangs lying in the north – south direction, standing on a single sandstone base. They are surrounded by a boundary wall, with entrance pavilions or Gopuras in four directions; all were made from sandstone.

The central prang was renovated in 1874 by plastering and making the roof into tiers. Each tier has niches of Buddha images in four directions. The front of the central prang was a ‘wihan’ of the Buddha’s footprint, decorated with the original six-headed Naga. The other two prangs were also renovated, but they remain in their usual styles; unlike the central prang which has been considerably changed. The northern prang was covered with a ‘sala’ building providing shelter for a gable depicting the Ramayana. Meanwhile, the lintel carving that represents the reclining Vishnu remains in situ above the front entrance. The lintel of the western false door was laid on the floor; it depicts the God Vishnu on his mount Garuda. The southern prang still has lintels above the false doors. The one in the north depicts a deity kneeling inside a stylised arch above the Kala face. In front, there is also a fallen lintel depicting the God Siva on his bull. There are also some causeway boundary stones lying over there. It is assumed that Ku Phra Kona formerly had a Naga bridge and causeway lined with boundary stones on both sides from the front entrance pavilion (Gopura) to the lake (Baray), which was located about 300 metres away. All sculptural features suggest that Ku Phra Kona probably dates from the Baphoun period, or the 11th Century.

- Thung Kula Rong Hai

This land used to be an expansive, dry, harsh place in the middle of the region. It covers 5 provinces which are Roi Et, Surin, Buri Ram, Yasothon, and Maha Sarakham. One-third of the area is in Roi Et. There is a legend that says the Kula people were traders in ancient times who were also great fighters with excellent stamina. However, they cried when they got to Thung Kula Rong Hai because it was such a desolate place without water and big trees. Nowadays the area is fertile due to the efforts of the government to develop it and is suitable for agriculture. The development centre is 6 kilometres from the district office, a bit past Ku Phra Ko Na.

**Information Reference : tourismthailand.org