Yasothon

Yasothon (ยโสธร) is a town and province in the Isaan region of Thailand.

Understand

Get in

By car

Use Hwy 1 (Pahol Yothin Rd) and turn right at Saraburi onto Hwy 2 (Mitraphap Rd). Keep going via Korat to Phimai, Nong Song Hong, and Ban Phai of Khon Kaen. Get onto Hwy 23, travel via Boraue, Maha Sarakham, Roi Et, Thawatburi, and Seraphume to Yasothon. This route is 531 km and it takes 7 hours.

By bus

Buses and air conditioned coaches leave the Northeastern Bus Terminal in Bangkok for Yasothon daily. For more information, call Northeastern Bus Terminal, Kamphaeng Phet 2 Rd, at [phone].

Get around

See

• 🌍 Chedi Sai (เจดีย์ทราย), Ban Plab, Duthung. A chedi or stupa made entirely of sand, said to be over 400 years old. It is roughly a right circular cone around a central post, with a base diameter of about 60 m, and sloping up about 20 m. Traditionally, sand is brought to temple grounds at the end of the dry season in Apr, then shaped into "sand art and play" that is washed away when the rains come. This one, however, is about 600 m from the village temple ground, and is replenished all year long, for over 400 years they say. 
• Church of the Archangel Michael (โบสถ์คริสต์บ้านซ่งแย้) (Ban Songyae; Signs direct visitors from Hwy 2169.). The church serves Catholic villagers and also has a school for those of all faiths. The church was founded in 1908. The present structure, built in 1947 of wood contributed by villagers, is the fourth church. Built in Thai traditional style, the country's biggest wooden church is 16 metres wide and 57 metres long. (updated Dec 2015)
• Phaya Tan Park สวนสาธารณะพญาแถน The park is surrounded by winding stream. It includes a beautiful garden, outdoor stage, playground, and health park. Phaya Tan Park is the venue for provincial fairs and festivals such as annual Rocket Festival, short boat racing, and Songkran (Thailand).
• Wat Maha That. วัดมหาธาตุ The Buddhist temple is a Yasothon icon. The ancient temple houses "Phra Buddha Boonyarat" or "Phra Kaeo Yod Nam Kang", Buddha statue in attitude of meditation in Chiang Saen Art style. Attractions in Wat Maha That include:

Phra That Yasothon or Phra That Anon. พระธาตุยโสธร หรือ พระธาตุอานนท์ A significant ancient stupa of Isan. Housing ashes of Phra Ananda พระอานนท์ inside, the square based stupa has a head similar to Phra That Phanom.

Hor Trai or Library for Buddhist scriptures. หอไตร The pavilion is used for keeping Buddhist scriptures. The rectangular pavilion has terrace around for housing the Buddhist scriptures chest board, cradles, and shelves from Vientiane. The niche and wooden door are well carved and covered with gold leaf.

Phra That Kong Khao Noi. พระธาตุก่องข้าวน้อย Different from other monuments which are often mainly concerned with Buddhism, Phra That Kong Khao Noi was built by a commoner. Legend says that a young farmer had been working since dawn. At noon, his mother came late with his lunch. Great hunger and his anger at seeing a tiny serving of rice drove him to kill his mother. The young farmer built this stupa, hoping for forgiveness and to expiate his sin.

• Ban Thung Nang Oak. บ้านทุ่งนางโอก A village famed for its bamboo basketry.
• Ban Na Samai. หมู่บ้านนาสะไมย Close to Ban Thung Nang Oak, the village is famed for bamboo basketry and carved miniature carts.
• The old building of Ban Singha Tha. ย่านเมืองเก่าบ้านสิงห์ท่า Ban Khum Singha Tha, in Muang municipality, is the old area whose name is found in the city's history.
• Phu Tham Phra. ภูถ้ำพระ Housing Buddha statues, the cave Phu Tham Phra is six metres wide and 16 metres long. The shady mountain is blanketed with lush forest. Other caves in the area include Than Keng, Tham Ngu Suang, Tham Kliang, and Tham Prombutr.
• Ban Song Puey Archeological Site. แหล่งโบราณสถานบ้านสงเปือย Its significant attractions include:

Big Buddha Image. พระพุทธรูปใหญ่ Made of brick, the principal Buddha of Wat Song Puey is three metres wide and eight metres high. This sacred image can be dated back more than 200 years.

Pagodas containing soil from holy sites of Buddhism. เจดีย์บรรจุดินจากสังเวชนียสถาน The old pagoda, more than 200 years old, houses soil from a holy site of Buddha, namely the place of birth, enlightenment, the first sermon, and nirvana, brought from India by a Buddhist monk, Khien Ammaphand.

The replica of Buddha's footprint. รอยพระพุทธบาทจำลอง The Buddha footprint was built by sponsorship of Field Marshal Plaek Pibulsongkram and his lady. Local people come to bathe the footprint during Songkran.

Antique Museum. พิพิธภัณฑ์ของโบราณ The museum features antiques found in Dong Muang Toey, an ancient Khmer town. The antiques include the stone bed of the mayor, and stone inscriptions in ancient Khmer script.

Dong Muang Toey Ancient town. ซากเมืองโบราณดงเมืองเตย Foundations of a temple and town wall are found here. Although they are ruined, their remains indicate that it once was settlement in the Chenla-Dhavaravadi period. Chenla King's inscription indicates that this ancient site was religious site for Shaivism.

Ku Chan. กู่จาน is an ancient pagoda similar to that of Wat Phra That Phanom. Legend says it was built in the same period to Phra That Phanom in That Phanom District, Nakhon Phanom Province.

Yasothon Buddha footprint. พระพุทธบาทยโสธร The Buddha footprint is on a white sandy hill. It is considered a sacred antique of the province. An antique found nearby is a 2-foot-wide (0.61 m) laterite Buddha image in the attitude of meditation under Nāga protection, and a laterite inscription which is a metre high and 50 centimetres wide.

Hor Trai, or library of Wat Sra Trinurak. หอไตรวัดสระไตรนุรักษ์ The pavilion, over a century old, houses Buddhist scriptures. The Burmese-style wooden architecture is 8.3 metres wide and 10.5 metres long, with 4-level metal-sheet roof and long eaves at all sides.

Do

• 🌍 Bodindecha Golf Club, Ban Doet, Tambon Doet (Rte 23 west of city), ☎ [phone]. Camp Bodindecha is home to the Royal Thai Army 16th Infantry Division and a golf club which is open to the public. 120-150 baht. 
• Garland Festival (งานประเพณีแห่มาลัย). The ancient festival is held annually on Makha Bucha Day (Feb or Mar). Buddhists believe that on that day, the Buddha comes back from the heaven after preaching to his mother. Angels welcome him back with flowers and rice. Such belief is turned into tradition when villagers make garlands from rice (the rice will be baked until it pops like popcorn). Today the rice garland, 4-6 metres long, is decorated with flowers and beads. The garland will be displayed in a beautiful parade, and used for decorating temple pavilions a day before Makha Pucha. (updated Dec 2015)
• Rocket Festival (งานประเพณีบุญบั้งไฟ) (Phaya Taen Park). Yasothon is famous for its Rocket Festival, held every year in May. Originally a fertility rite, it has become the major festival of the year in the region. The festival is held on every second weekend of May. Yasothon locals believe that the festival pleases the gods and spirits which ensure adequate rain and food.
  Each rocket is decorated with Thai traditional patterns in gold. It is said that rocket makers spend months in cutting the pattern before gluing it to the rocket. The rocket head will be decorated differently, but the most popular figure is a Naga spraying water. Rocket heads may be found decorated with other figures. All are related to rain-beseeching legends.
  There are various types of rockets, namely Bang Fai Kilo, Bang Fai Muen, and Bang Fai Saen. Bang Fai Kilo means the rocket contains a kilogram of gunpowder. Bang Fai Muen contains 12 kilograms of gunpowder and Bang Fai Saen contains 120 kilograms of gunpowder. After making decision what type of rocket to make, the villager will make it themselves or assign a specialist. Making a rocket requires a specialist who can calculate proper proportions of gunpowder and charcoal, otherwise, the rocket will explode at launch.
  The celebration lasts for several days and peaks on the final day with serial firing of the makeshift bamboo-rockets, some up to 10 meters in length that ascend to 10,000 meters. The festival grounds and firing takes place in a municipal park. The festival and parade takes place on Yasothon's main street.
  Rockets are individually judged by a committee and the respective winners take home attractive prizes. Misfiring rockets and poor performers are punished immediately by tossing of the entire rocket crew in mud holes by their competitors. (updated Dec 2015)

Buy

Yasothon boasts of its fragrant jasmine rice, watermelons (of the red-fleshed, spherical variety sometimes called "icebox melons") and handcrafted axe pillows (Mon Kwan,) a specialty of Ban Si Than, the Khit pillow making village in Tambon Si Than, Amphoe Pa Tio. Yasothon is known for its handicrafts: Khit cloth, replica carts, sticky rice containers, and basketry. Good foods include preserved sour fish, royal featherback fish, and sweet rice noodles.

Eat

Drink

• Miss Aree Coffee Shop, 148/1 Prachasampan Rd,. 08:00-17:00. Serves freshly brewed coffee. 

Sleep

• B M Grand Hotel, 105/4 Rattanaket Rd, ☎ [phone]. Check-out: noon. Air conditioned double room with bath. 450 baht. (updated Mar 2017)
• Yot Nakhon Hotel, 141-143/1-3 Uthairamrit Rd, ☎ [phone]. Fan and air conditioned rooms with bath. 250+ baht. (updated Mar 2017)

Go next

• Roi Et bus 1.5 hours 60 baht, Amnat Charoen, Ubon Ratchathani or Surin.