Northern Thailand - Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Northern Thailand - page 857

Around Nakhon Ratchasima
Phimai
One of Thailand's finest surviving Khmer temples sits at the heart of this innocuous little
town, 60km northeast of Nakhon Ratchasima. Originally started by Khmer King Jayavar-
man V in the late 10th century and finished by King Suryavarman I early in the 11th cen-
tury, Prasat Phimai ( 0 4447 1568; Th Anantajinda; admission 100B; 7.30am-6pm) shares a
number of design features with Angkor Wat, including the roof of its 28m-tall main
shrine, and may have been its model.
Phimai National Museum (Th Tha Songkhran; admission 100B; 9am-4pm Wed-Sun) , although
being renovated when we were in town, has a fine collection of Khmer sculpture, includ-
ing a serene bust of Jayavarman VII, Angkor's most powerful king.
Phimai is usually a day-trip destination, but there are a few places to crash, including
Phimai Paradise ( 0 4428 7565; www.phimaiparadise.com ; Th Samairujee; r 450-650B;
) .
Buses for Phimai leave from Nakhon Ratchasima's Bus Terminal 2 (50B, 1½ hours)
every 20 minutes throughout the day.
Dan Kwian & Pak Thong Chai
South of Nakhon Ratchasima are two of Thailand's most successful craft villages. Dan
Kwian is known for its rough textured pottery often fired with a rustlike hue. Frequent
buses (14B, 30 minutes) run from near Khorat's south city gate.
Jim Thompson bought much of his silk in Pak Thong Chai . Weavers still work hand
looms at the Macchada shop, at the southern end of the main road. Buses (21B, one hour)
leave Khorat's Bus Terminal 1 every 30 minutes.
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Khao Yai National Park
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