What is Nakhon Ratchasima?

Nakhon Ratchasima (Thai: นครราชสีมา) is a city (thesaban nakhon) in the north-east (Isan) of Thailand and gateway to Isan. It is the capital of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Nakhon Ratchasima district. As of May 31, 2007^[1], the city has a population of 147,437, which makes it the third-largest city in Thailand.

The city is also commonly known as Khorat or Korat (Thai: โคราช), which is a short version of the ancient name Korakapura. It is located at the western edge of the Khorat Plateau and historically marked the boundary between the Lao and Siamese territory, however now is considered a gateway to the Northeast (Isan). Its geographical location is Coordinates: .

History

From archeological evidence it has been found that there were 2 ancient towns named Sema and Korakapura which currently are in Sung Noen district, 30 km west of present-day Khorat. It was once part of the Khmer empire. In the years of 1656-1688 King Narai moved the city to its current location. The city was attacked by Anouvong, the King of Vientiane, in 1827 in an attempt to halt the growing Siamese control of Laos. Thao Suranaree is a local heroine with a statue in the center of the city; she is credited with having saved the city from Anouvong's army. The old town of Khorat west of the Thao Suranaree monument was designed and built by the French engineer who is believed to be the same one who built Naraimaharaj Palace in Lopburi.

Weather

3 Season : Hot (February - May), Raining (May - October), Cold (October - February)

Traffic

Nakhon Ratchasima is connected with the northeastern railway line, connecting Bangkok with Ubon Ratchasima and Nong Khai. Also passing the city is Thai highway 2 (Friendship highway). 26km east of the city is the Nakhon Ratchasima Airport. As of 30 November 2006, the airport does not handle passenger traffic, and shipping has not been seen as a major commercial possibility. Passenger service has been attempted many times with financial failure (charges were as low as 99 Baht to fly to Bangkok), authorities are still discussing ways to make the over 400 million Baht investment several years ago a paying venture.

Major Points of Interest

• Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base was used by the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War is located some 8km south of the city.
• Korat Zoo - As of end November 2006, the zoo sported a sign at the entry charging foreigners far more than Thais. This has dissuaded some from visiting. However, the zoo is first-class and worth the visit.
• Thao Suranaree Monument - This is currently under major renovation. Lady Mo statue itself is in place, and vendors providing flowers and incense, etc., are currently nearby in makeshift stalls.
• Wat Salaloi
• His Majesty the King's 80th Birthday Anniversary, 5th December 2007 Sports Complex is a multi-use stadium in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, that is currently under construction. Once completed in 2007, it will mainly be used mostly for football matches and will host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2007 Southeast Asian Games. The stadium holds 20,000 people.

Korat has becoming increasingly attractive to foreigners over the last five years, with growing numbers from mostly North America and Europe moving to the province. Still rustic with cheap housing and land prices, the province is yet located only three hours' drive from Bangkok (given there is little traffic backup), and as its Gateway to the Northeast moniker suggests, Korat connects the other 18 NE Thailand provinces with the central region by rail and highway.

24th SEA Games at Nakhon Ratchasima

On 24 February 2006, northeast Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima Province authorities met to discuss the 2007 SEA Games schedule, and progress on the province's under-construction US$77 million sports complex. Presided over by governor Somboon Ngamlak, the meeting provided an overview of facilities, and ended with reassurances that facilities would be ready for SEA Games in 2007.

External links

• City of Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality
• 24th Southeast Asian Games Nakhon Ratchasima 2007 Website
• Photo collections from 1966/67

References