“Isan” means the northeastern part of Thailand, the size 1/3 of the country and most of the land is plateau, called the “Isan Plateau”. There are main rivers; Moon, Chi and Mae Khong. The Isan Plateau is divided into two sections: the upper portion is called the Sakon Nakhon Basin and the lower portion the Khorat Basin. In the old days, both basins had been fertilized with a great variety of natural resources and many traces of human habitation were found.
The archaeological and historical remains indicate that civilization first emerged on the Isan Plateau in prehistoric times, about 4,000 – 1,800 years ago. During the historic period, a variety of cultures flourished. Importan examples are: the Dvaravati culture which was similar to the one found in the central part of Thailand, the 6th – 10th centuries. The Khmer culture which was influenced by Cambodia between the 6th – 13th centuries; the Lanchang culture from Laos: the Thai culture from Ayutthaya and Bangkok from the 15th century to the present. As a result, the area is rich in cultural heritage.