Khon Kaen and Roi-Et provinces take up a considerable area of the upper part of the Khorat Plateau, at the heart of the I-san region. Khon Kaen province has consequently been the focus of regional development projects. The town now boasts the largest university in the northeast. There are several modern hotels and shopping complexes. The city has grown fantastically over the last decade. Khon Kaen is a good spot to take a rest from travelling around small towns and villages in the northeast. The city is named after Phra That Khon Kaen, a revered chedi at Wat Chetiyaphum in the village of Ban Kham in Nam Phong district.

The name Roi-Et literally means “One hundred and One” which could be an exaggeration of the number 11. Roi-Et is a fairly small but growing capital of a province, which two-three centuries ago, probably served as a buffer between Thai and Lao political conflict. Old Roi-Et had 11 city gates and was surrounded by its 11 vassal colonies. The capital is now on an entirely new site, with the large Bueng Phlan Chai artificial lake in the centre of the city.

There are many traditional-styled “sim”, with the characteristics of folk art remaining in Khon Kaen and Roi-Et. All are small and simple, and the mural paintings inside have been relatively undocumented by art historians. The murals adorn the exterior, and sometimes interior of ordination halls. Many are modest little structures with their walls completely covered by murals which extend even into the corners of pilasters and the indentations around the windows. These murals were painted during the first quarter of the 20^th century by local Thais or Thais of Lao ethnicity. The sims, constructed of brick and mortar, share roughly similar architectural features, including a single entryway, reachable from a short stairway that is flanked by high figures of mythical animals.

Local people explain that the exterior location enabled the murals to be seen by a large number of laypeople, especially women, who were not allowed to enter the tiny sim, which was reserved for monks and men being ordained. At present day, most of the old and tiny sims in Khon Kaen and Roi-Et provinces are no longer used for ordination as they have been replaced by modern and big central-styled structures.

At the same time, the murals in these two provinces differ from each other significantly so each temple offers a totally different experience. This uniqueness is one of the most important characteristics of the heartland school and the uniqueness in the mural painting of the region. These distinctive works of art reflect the local Buddhist imagination and way of life of the people of I-san heartland around 100-200 years ago.

The Siam Society will arrange a 2-day study trip to explore some of the remains of old sims with mural paintings in Khon Kaen and Roi-Et, under the leadership of Khun Euayporn Kerdchouay, Senior Consultant of the Siam Society.