Isan is Thailand's largest region, on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River (along the Laos–Thailand border) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Sankamphaeng Range south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west it is separated from northern and central Thailand by the Phetchabun Mountains.

The history of Isan (Thai: อีสาน, pronounced [ʔiː sǎːn]) has been determined by its geography, situated as it is on the Korat Plateau between Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. The national government claimed that the name "Isan" was derived from Sanskrit Īśāna, a name of Shiva they claimed referred to his rule of the northeast (Sanskrit īśānya). [1] .

May 31, 2017 · Isaan is the Northeast region of Isaan, often spelt Esarn, Isan or Issan. The region is historically Thailand's poorest, due to the land being notoriously hard to farm, and the fact that the region doesn't benefit from tourism like the South of Thailand does.

Jan 31, 2025 · Isaan is a land of mostly farms and villages (it’s where most of the country’s rice and other important crops are grown), architecturally uninspiring cities, and spicy and delicious food (some of the best in Thailand). And it exceeded all of my expectations.

Nov 5, 2018 · Isaan is in the northeastern region of Thailand. To put it into perspective, Bangkok is in Central Thailand, Chiang Mai is in Northern Thailand, and Phuket is in Southern Thailand. Off to the right is Isaan. It is arguably the least traveled region of Thailand by international travelers.

Isan is probably the least touristed area of Thailand. It's an excellent place to spend time trying to see the "real" Thailand. This historical park contains some of the most extensive Khmer era ruins in Thailand. A new visitor center will be opened in 2002 to facilitate more visitors.

May 11, 2024 · Located in northeastern Thailand on the Khorat Plateau, the Isan (or Issan) region is bordered by Laos to the northeast, the Mekong River to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and the San Kamphaeng Range to the south.

Mar 16, 2023 · Those who venture to this off-the-beaten-path region of Thailand teeming with rice fields are rewarded with national parks and Khmer temple ruins that rival Angkor Wat, and now:...

Thailand has 77 provinces (Technically, it’s 76 plus Bangkok, which is a special district.) each having a capital city sharing the province’s name. Bangkok (The Thai name is Grung Thep: “City of Angles”) is the political capital and heart of all things commercial and cultural.

Isaan is Thailand's largest region, consisting of 20 provinces. Despite having 30% of Thailand's population, this region receives less than 3% of Thailand's tourist dollars.