Sakon Nakhon

Having a long, culturally diverse history, Sakon Nakhon features a unique mixture of ancient traditions.

 

Sakon Nakhon is in the upper northeast of Thailand’s Isan region. It lies within the Phu Phan mountain range and features many forested temple retreats for Buddhist meditation, where a number of famous monks reside.

 

The capital of the province, also called Sakon Nakhon, is a Buddhist town with five Buddhist stupas. Its history can be dated back three thousand years. More recently, Nongharn town, where present day Sakon Nakhon stands, was originally believed to have been built in 11th century when the Khmer ruled this region.

 

After the fall of Angkor, the town was under the rule of Lan Xang, a Laotian Kingdom, and it was renamed “Muang Chiang Mai Nongharn”. When the town was finally brought under control of the Siamese it was renamed again: “Sakon Thavapi”. In 1830, during the reign of King Rama III, the town was finally renamed “Sakon Nakhon”.

 

Having a long, culturally diverse history, Sakon Nakhon features a unique mixture of ancient traditions. In addition to historical sites and temples that reflect this, there are a number of traditional festivals that visitors may also enjoy, including the wax castle and illuminated boat festival. Local products from Sakon Nakhon feature handicrafts, including earthenware, cotton clothes, silk products, and hand-woven Khit clothes with natural bark dye.