Sights in Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat)
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A
Wat Salaloi
The city's most interesting temple was supposedly founded by Thao Suranari and her husband in 1827. Half of her ashes are interred in a small stupa here (the other half is at her monument) and so there are also singing troupes on hire to perform for her spirit here. A small statue of the heroine sits praying in the pond in front of the temple's award-winning bòht (chapel). Built in 1967, it resembles a Chinese junk and holds several unusual Buddha images, including one with nine faces and a large gleaming white one in a 'calming the ocean' posture. It, along with several other buildings, is decorated with Dan Kwian pottery.
reviewed
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B
Wat Phayap
When the abbot of Wat Phayap learned that blasting for a quarry in Saraburi Province was destroying a beautiful cave, he rescued pieces of it and plastered the stalactites, stalagmites and other incredible rocks all over a room below his residence, creating a shrine like no other. Stone has since become a theme of the temple and it's now used in decoration elsewhere on the grounds.
reviewed
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C
Maha Wirawong National Museum
Despite an interesting collection of Khmer and Ayuthaya-period artefacts, including stone and bronze Buddhas, woodcarvings from an ancient temple and various dom-estic utensils, chances are you’ll have this interesting little museum to yourself. It’s hidden away in the grounds of Wat Sutthachinda.
reviewed
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D
Wat Phra Narai Maharat
This large temple is of interest because of three holy Khmer sandstone sculptures, of which Phra Narai (Vishnu) is the holiest, that were unearthed here. To see them, follow the signs with red arrows back to the special Naranya Temple at the southeast corner. The temple's bòht sits on an island and there are some enormous monitor lizards living in the pond.
reviewed
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E
Thao Suranari Museum
Just north of her shrine, in the little white building, is a sort of Thao Suranari museum, which has a cool diorama and even cooler sculpted mural of the famous battle.
reviewed
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F
Thao Suranari Museum
Just north of her shrine, in the little white building, is a sort of Thao Suranari museum, which has a cool diorama and even cooler sculpted mural of the famous battle.
reviewed
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Thao Suranari Monument
Thao Suranari, wife of the city's assistant governor during the reign of Rama III, is something of a Wonder Woman in these parts. Ya Mo (Grandma Mo), as she's affectionately called, became a hero in 1826 by organising a successful prisoner revolt after Chao Anou of Vientiane had conquered Khorat during his rebellion against Siam. As one version of the legend has it, she convinced the women to seduce the Lao soldiers and then the Thai men launched a surprise attack, which saved the city.
Her exploits have probably been greatly exaggerated or completely concocted – some reputable scholars suggest that she didn't even exist – to instil a sense of Thai-ness in the ethnic-Lao p…
reviewed
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Maha Viravong National Museum
Though the collection at this seldom-visited museum is very small, it's also very good. There's ancient pottery – don't miss sneaking a peak at what's stored in the back – and a variety of Buddha images spanning the Dvaravati to Rattanakosin eras.
reviewed
