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Khon Kaen Province
Khon Kaen is a landlocked province at the heart of northeastern Thailand's Khorat Plateau, often regarded as the economic and educational capital of the Isan region. With a provincial population of approximately 1.8 million, it is one of the most populous and developed provinces in the northeast.
Located roughly 450 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, Khon Kaen borders Udon Thani, Loei, Phetchabun, and Nakhon Ratchasima, among others. The province is divided into 26 districts covering a rugged plateau landscape crossed by the Chi River tributaries. Khon Kaen University, the largest in the northeast, anchors a growing education and healthcare sector that draws students and patients from across the region. The province is also noted for Ubol Ratana Dam, Dinosaur Museum at Phu Wiang, and the prehistoric Prasat Pueai Noi Khmer sanctuary. Silk weaving, particularly the Mudmee silk of Chonnabot district, remains an important cultural and commercial tradition.