| The annual Surin elephant round-up occurs in | | | | can see. Beyond Ta Muang on the Thai side is the |
| November in eastern Thailand. Normal 0 false false | | | | road to Phanom Rung khmer ruins in Buriram |
| false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions | | | | Province, now more popular than its Pimai |
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| Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; | | | | Another worthwhile project to visit in Surin is the |
| mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; | | | | Chakneua Pinery Forest reserve enroute to Si |
| mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; | | | | Saket, a must for nature lovers. This joint |
| mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in | | | | Thai-Danish project has a collection of some of |
| 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; | | | | the world's best pine species. Sisaket itself, is |
| mso-para-margin-right:0in; | | | | home to the yellow-leaved lamduan tree and |
| mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; | | | | there is an actual lamduan festival in March when |
| mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; | | | | the trees are at the height of their bloom. |
| mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; | | | | Off the beaten path and some 58 km north of |
| font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; | | | | Surin are the villages of Taklang and Gapoe, home |
| mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; | | | | to the Suay people. These people speak a |
| mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; | | | | different tongue and migrated from Southern |
| mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; | | | | Cambodia around 200 years ago. Their forte is |
| mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; | | | | "elephants" and their knowledge and know-how of |
| mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; | | | | the beasts is unsurpassed. A "spiritual" |
| mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; | | | | communication, almost a language rapport, with |
| mso-bidi-font-family:"Cordia New"; | | | | the pachyderm is almost mystical in its enactment |
| mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} | | | | throughout the training, capture and rearing of the |
| It's round-up time again and the ever-increasing | | | | mighty beasts. Their methods date back to the |
| popularity of Surin's elephant extravaganza takes | | | | Ayutthaya period of the kingdom when members |
| pride of place in November's festival calendar in | | | | of this community successfully assisted in seeking |
| Thailand. Thai elephants are visible all year round in | | | | out King Suriyaman's lost white elephant. A trip |
| the Surin and Buriram provinces of southern | | | | here should be a preference if time allows. |
| Isaan, but the round up offers more to the visitor | | | | Sikhorophum also boasts excellent Khmer ruins |
| than elephants and is really a gathering of the | | | | and these can be taken in on a combined visit to |
| khmer clans from the region which boast up to | | | | Surin and Buriram. These ruins apart, the town |
| 70% khmer-speaking individuals. Laotian influence | | | | also is home to some true cottage industries. Ban |
| fades away here, giving way to the strong | | | | Butom boasts excellent basket-weaving, now |
| Khmer presence. Not surprisingly really, as Buriram | | | | very popular with Bangkok afficianados. Ban |
| and Surin are a mere 40km from the Cambodian | | | | Choke's silverware is rough but has its own style. |
| border. | | | | In either village, locals can be seen working away |
| Surin itself is a typical Thai country town no more | | | | in their own backyard, as it were. No big |
| noticeable than in the local favorite delicacies of | | | | showrooms here as yet. |
| frog and maengda (water bugs). It's still normal | | | | On to Buriram and the hilltop sanctuary of |
| practice for townsfolk to walk the streets frog | | | | Phanom Rung which was built at the same time |
| hunting in a monsoon downpour as well as | | | | as Angkor Wat. The recently restored temple has |
| frequently generating a battery of neon lights to | | | | magnificent Naga (Serpent) bridges like most |
| attract the tasty bugs. Festival time swamps the | | | | major Khmer temples and now supercedes Phimai |
| town and the nigh on 40 year-old annual show | | | | for annual visitor figures. One of a line of temples |
| has its centerpiece right downtown at the Lak | | | | dotted from Angkor Wat, including Muang Tam |
| Muang Stadium. Here, over 200 elephants perform | | | | and Si Thep, Phanom Rung is now considered to |
| sacred rites and rituals, hunting techniques and the | | | | be the best khmer architecture on view within |
| more fun pastimes of tug o' war and football. | | | | the kingdom of Thailand. |
| There are also folklore plays and a rocket festival | | | | Buriram is the base for any visit to Phanom Rung |
| similar to that in Yasothon. Local artisans and | | | | and the town itself has a few more offerings. |
| street entertainers complete the party | | | | Khao Kradung Hill offers bird's eye views of the |
| atmosphere. | | | | surrounding paddies, for this is the farming |
| Everyone trades and the Artist's Pub and the | | | | heartland of Isaan and the home of somtam |
| "joke" curry shops are hives of activity as well as | | | | (papaya salad). Any wannabee photographer |
| the regular markets and Petchkasem and Tharin | | | | should start here if requiring rice farming shots. |
| Hotels. The order of the day is to book early as | | | | Near to the hill is Soradeg Stone Caring Centre, |
| group bookings generally fill the available properties | | | | another photographer's dream. The centre is a |
| up to a year in advance. Outlying towns such as | | | | sculptural marvel where students and teachers |
| Korat, and Buriram usually have space but it's | | | | alike carve their pieces across the great lawns of |
| better to be there in the thick of the fest. | | | | the property. An afternoon here would be time |
| Train tickets should be purchased well in advance | | | | well spent. |
| for the late November shindig and expect roads | | | | Buriram has its share of festivals and a |
| to be jammed enroute to the capital on Sunday | | | | November kite-flying show vies with the round-up |
| evening. For all that, it's still a worthwhile trek. This | | | | for attention. Phanom Rung, however, is the main |
| year's round -up is on Saturday/Sunday, | | | | attraction and the son et lumiere festival is in |
| November 25-26. | | | | March/April. |
| Naturally Surin has more to offer than a one | | | | Whether taking in the round-up or not, Surin and |
| weekend a year party and if travelling outside of | | | | Buriram provinces have distinctly different aspects |
| festival time be sure to take the border road to | | | | to offer the visitor, partly through the khmer |
| Ta Muang where there are 3 well-preserved | | | | heritage and partly through this being the centre |
| khmer-style temples on the edge of a plateau. | | | | of Thailand's Isaan rice bowl. They offer yet |
| This is deep in khmer country and beyond the | | | | another side of Thailand's diversity for the eyes |
| cliff edge is Cambodia (literally - the dividing line IS | | | | of the alternative traveller. |
| the cliff!) and flat jungle land as far as the eye | | | | |