The Conservation of Ban Chiang Archaeological Site
In actuality, Ban Chiang is not the only archaeological site that yields informations about the prehistoric culture and society of Northeast Thailand. More than 100 villages in this area have been known to contain archaeological materials comparable in style and dating to Ban Chiang. Regrettably, however, most of these known sites had been heavily looted since almost 30 years ago. As an attempt to preserve the important ancient cultural heritage, the Thai Government in 1972 passed a decree prohibiting the illegal antique digging in a vast area of Northeast Thailand in which Ban Chiang and other archaeological sites related to the ancient Ban Chiang culture were located.
The Thai government also realizes the important of the knowledges the publics can gain from the archaeological site of Ban Chiang. Budgets and other supports were, therefore, provided to the establishment of Ban Chiang National Museum and Wat Pho Si Nai Archaeological Site Museum at the village.
Ban Chiang National Museum
This famous museum of Thailand houses exclusively the exhibitions on prehistory down to recent history of Northeast Thailand. There is also a permanent exhibition about the history of Ban Chiang excavations and the interpretation of the archaeological evidence excavated here. Visiting the museum therefore, ones can obtain a better understanding on the history of culture in Northeast Thailand.
Wat Pho Si Nai Archaeological Site Museum
Wat Pho Si Nai is the village temple located at the northern edge of the Ban Chiang mound. Archaeological conducted here in 1972 found numerous human burials with richly grave offerings. The excavated areas have since then been developed into a site museum displaying archaeological evidence, mainly human inhumation burials and its associated grave offerings, found here that has been left in its original locations.