THAILAND'S northeastern region has seen civilizations come and go over the centuries. In the 1970's, an archeological excavations at Ban Chiang, 50 kms cast of Udon Thani, unearthed the remains of a Bronze Age civilization that flourished over 5,000-7,000 years ago. A thousand years ago, the area was also part of the ancient Khmer empire that gave birth to Angkor Wat. The Khmer ruins at Phimai and Phanom Rung are fine examples of this great civilization that preceded Sukhothai-Thailand's first established capital.

But even before human begins roamed the plateaus of "Isan", the region was once home to a more ancient species of animal-the dinosaur. The discovery of new dinosaur bones at the Phu Wiang National Park in Khon Kaen province has brought excitement to the world at large. Thai people are even more excited to learn that the fossils are the "grandfather" of all tyrannosaurs, the oldest example of the fierce, mcat-eating dinosaur ever found.

The discovery was reported by a team of Thai and French researchers. The report has just been published in the well-known science journal "Nature". Researchers have named this new species of dinosaur the Siamotyrannus isanensis. It is 20 million years older than earliest known Tyrannosaurus rex, the feared beast of the popular movie "Jurassic Park". The meat-eating dinosaur was first found at the Phu Wiang National Park in Phu Wiang district,Khon Kaen province in 1987. The study on its hip bones, spine and legs was completed early this year and published in the latest issue of the journal "Nature".
The Department of Mineral Resource says the new dinosaur found in Thailand is only 6.5 metres longs, about half the size of the Tyrannosaurus rex. The excavation and study on the fossils of this dinosaur were conducted through cooperation between Thailand's Department of Mineral Resources and the University of France. The project started in 1979, and a plant-eating dinosaur was discovered in Phu Wiang in 1984 . It was named Phuwiangosaurus sirindhornae in honuor of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
The new discovery of dinosaur fossils in Phu Wiang has made a name for Thailand. It may prove that this tyrannosaur evolved in Asia and spread to North America. The story of dinosaurs has always attracted people of all ages and nationalities. The first dinosaurs fossils were found about 175 years ago in Connecticut,USA. Since then, a great many others have been found in other parts of the world. These fossils are mainly dinosaur bones, teeth and eggs. Scientists can put the bones together into whole skeletons and from the skeletons they can tell what the dinosaurs actually looked like. By studying fossil teeth, scientists can tell whether a dinosaur ate plans or meat. Meat eater has pointed, sharp teeth for teaching meat. Dinosaurs that ate plants had flat, blunt teeth designed for chewing.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand, the Department of Mineral Resources and other agencies concerned are joining hands in establishing a dinosaur museum will be completed by the year 2,000. When completed, the museum will become a tourism attraction in Khon Kean. It will also serve as a study centre for these who are interested in the ancient dinosaurs, which died out millions of years before the first humans appeared on Earth.
Information About Phu Wiang

Phu Wiang National Park
Phu wiang is a name of a mountain and Amphur in Khorn Kean. Royal Forest Department declared this national park on December 8,1991, becoming 71th national park of Thailand, covers an area of 325 km2 Dinosaurs' skeletons and steps are found in this park. Beside this, human sheletons, Iron equipment, the sleep Lord Bhuddha in Thawarawadee Period and also point in before history. The topography on the mountain is a big hold of a volcano peak, which covered by dipteracarp and dry evergreen forest.
Phu Wiang National Park
P.O.Box 1, Nai Muang Sub-district, 
Amphur Phu Wiang   Khorn Kaen
Thailand 40150
Tel. 08 5852 1771   E-mail reserve@dnp.go.th

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Date 2 Apr 2008 - 4 Apr 2008
Place Prasat Phanom Rung,  Burirum ProvinceA splash of sunlight penetrating an ancient temple cloister signals a distinctive celebration at Prasat Phanom Rung.
Knowing the exact moment to witness a spectacular sunrise through the doorway of an ancient Hindu temple requires a detailed calculation.
The most auspicious day is 3 April; the time, 0602.32 at sunrise, as the amber sun is perfectly aligned in the centre of the main doorway to a temple standing on a former volcanic mountain in northeast Thailand.

Actually, the sun rays pass straight through 15  perfectly aligned doorways of Prasat Phanom Rung, a revered and ancient Hindu monastery, just four times a year -– two  sets of sunrises, in April and September, and two sets of sunsets, in March and October.

 
These spectacular solar-related events, that also bear religious significance in the Hindu faithful, span just three days –- 2, 3 and 4 April. The second day is considered the most auspicious as the sun is visible dead centre of the outer doorway of this Khmer Hindu temple. Sun rays cast light through 15 aligned doorways that span 75 metres of the temple’s inner courtyard illuminating a revered lingam deep in the main sanctuary. On the other two days, the sun passes one of the corners of these doorways.

Located about 120 km east of Nakhon Ratchasima, the gateway to the northeast region, Prasat Phanom Rung presents a picturesque setting high above the surrounding countryside. A series of steps lead to this ancient monument that stands on the peak of an extinct volcano offering panoramic views of rice fields and hazy mountains on the border with Cambodia.

While photographers will not want to miss the opportunity to capture the  3 April sunrise perfectly aligned within the lintels of the doorways, most visitors will settle for the evening festivals and a colourful light and sound show organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand performing nightly from 2 to 4 April.

Officially known as the  “Ascent of the Mountain Annual Festival” or the “Festival Of The Thousand Year Miracle of the Phanom Rung Grand Shrine” the celebrations start with the religious significance of the sunrises, but continue with community festivities on each of the three days, well into the night.

The 80-minute light and sound show, that start at 20:00, highlights the history of Prasat Phanom Rung and explains the significance of the sunrise and its alignment with the temple’s courtyard doors.
The show is described as an “extravagant outdoor Son et Lumiere performances led by a large cast of actors, dancers and acrobats.”
This evening spectacular, held within the temple complex, compliments the daytime activities that start with the sunrise ceremonies and are followed by colourful festivities throughout the day. In the afternoon there is almost a carnival spirit as visitors enjoy the local food specialities sold at stalls, the folk music and dances as well as handicraft displays.  Many visitors are tempted to stay on to admire the floodlight sanctuary, or slumber through night under the stars to ensure they have a prime spot to participate in the sunrise ceremonies on the following morning.
source from www.tourismthailand.org

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In the northeastern part of Thailand, at the confluence of three small tributary streams in Udon Thani province, lies the Bronze Age village and cemetery site of Ban Chiang.

As may things in life, the revelation of Ban Chiang started as a accident. In 1966 Steven Young was wandering around a small village in Northeastern Thailand when he tripped on a tree root and fell. On the ground he saw rings, which turned out to be pottery shards. Further investigation revealed more fragments which had been revealed by gradual erosion.

Legend has it that Ban Chiang was discovered by a clumsy American college student, who fell in the road of the present town of Ban Chiang, and found ceramics eroding out of the road bed. The first excavations at the site were conducted in 1967 by archaeologist Vidya Intakosai, and this and subsequent excavations by the Fine Arts Department in Bangkok and the University of Pennsylvania under the direction of Dr. Chester F. Gorman and Pisit Charoenwongsa have revealed evidence of prehistoric occupation beginning possibly as early as 3600 B.C. and continuing, probably intermittently, until about A.D. 200.
The Fine Arts Department of Thailand teamed with the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology to begin the excavation of the site. Major excavations in 1974 and 1975 turned up the evidence that made anthropologists rethink the development of human civilization in Southeast Asia.
Ban Chiang makes a nice day trip from Udorn Thani. A museum has tools, pottery, artifacts and human skeleton on display. Spend some time looking over the site and then take a walk around the village.
The discovery has commercialized Ban Chiang somewhat, but it is still a very pleasant part of rural Thailand.

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Phimai Historical Park lies far off the beaten tourist track so that makes for an ideal day of absorbing the fascinating architecture of the Khmer. Built as an important regional center of the Khmer, Phimai faces south toward Angkor.
The white sandstone sanctuary was built during the 16th Buddhist century and additions were made at the the beginning of the following century during the reign of King Jayavoraman VII.
The largest stone sanctuary in Thailand measures 565 by 1,030 meters and is protected by a moat and flanked by the Moun and Chackarat rivers.
The central courtyard has 3 towers, or Prangs. The main tower is decorated with lintels and bas reliefs showing scenes or episodes from Ramayana; the epic battle between Rama and Ravana, a demon with many heads and arms who had stolen Rama's wife.
The secondary towers are made of laterite and red sandstone. One has the sculpture of a seated King Jayavarman VII.
For a remarkable viewing of a computer reconstruction of the temple site at Phimai, see Richard M. Levy's award winning site.
Location
About 60 km from Korat city.
From the Highway No. 2, turn right to Road No.206.
Passing a bridge, the Museum is on the left.
And the Sanctuary on the right.

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