Khon Kaen (Thai: ขอนแก่น, pronounced [kʰɔ̌(ː)n kɛ̀n]) is one of Thailand's seventy-six provinces (changwat) which lies in central northeastern Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north, clockwise) Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani, Kalasin, Maha Sarakham, Buriram, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, and Loei.

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Khon Kaen ขอนแก่น
Province
From left to right, top to bottom : Phra That Kham Kaen, Nam Phong National Park, Ubol Ratana Dam, Phra Mahathat Kaen Nakhon, Khon Kaen City Pillar Shrine, Khon Kaen University
Flag Seal
Map of Thailand highlighting Khon Kaen province
Country	Thailand
Capital	Khon Kaen
Government
• Governor	Somsak Jangtrakul
Area [1]
• Total	10,659 km2 (4,115 sq mi)
• Rank	Ranked 14th
Population  (2019)[2]
• Total	1,802,872
• Rank	Ranked 4th
• Density	169/km2 (440/sq mi)
• Rank	Ranked 19th
Human Achievement Index [3]
• HAI (2017)	0.6090 "somewhat high" Ranked 24th
Time zone	UTC+7 (ICT)
Postal code	40xxx
Calling code	043
ISO 3166 code	TH-40
Vehicle registration	ขอนแก่น
Website	www.khonkaen.go.th

History

This section does not cite any sources. (August 2022)

The first city of the area was established in 1783 when Rajakruluang settled there with 330 people. King Rama I made Rajakruluang the first governor of the area when establishing tighter connections with the Isan area. The main city was moved six times until in 1879 it reached its present-day location at Nuang Kaw. Khon Kaen was under the governance of Udon in the early period of Rattanakosin, c. 2450 BCE. The Integrated Opisthorchiasis Control Program, also known as the Lawa Project, an internationally recognized liver fluke control program, has its offices in the Ban Phai and Ban Haet Districts south of Khon Kaen city.

In 1789, Thao Pia Mueang Pan has taken children with around 330 families evacuated from Ban Chee Lon to be located at Ban Bueng Bon. King Rama I ordered to raised the status of Ban Bueng Bon to be the city of "Khon Kaen" in 1797.

All immigration

In 1896, during the reign of King Rama V, the government changed the rule of distant districts. By changing to the northern Lao districts to be a Lao Phuan city, Khon Kaen city is under the rule of Udon Thani city or Monthon Udon with Krom Luang Prajak Silapakhom as the governor of the county. Udon Thani center Krom Luang Prajak Silapakhom (Provincial governor of Udon Thani at that time), thought that Khon Kaen political office located at Ban Don Bom not convenient for the government and ordered to moved Khon Kaen city to be located at Ban Thum (Mueang Khon Kaen District at present) in late 1896.

In 1899, Khon Kaen was moved from Ban Thum back to Ban Muang Kao as it was. In 1901, the government has required labor to help build a flood barrier to form a road around the old city marsh to hold water for use in the dry season, because this pond is an important water source for people of Khon Kaen.

On May 19, 1916, the county system in the country was abolished and the word "city" was changed to "province" instead. Since that time, Khon Kaen has become "Khon Kaen province".

Geography

Khon Kaen occupies part of the Khorat Plateau. The Chi and Phong Rivers flow through the province. The total forest area is 1,222 km² (472 sq mi) or 11.5 percent of provincial area.[1]

Symbols

Culture

Sinxay

The mayor of Khon Kaen in 2005 chose Sinxay to be the new identity of the Khon Kaen and had finials designed representing Sinxay and his two brothers, Siho and Sangthong. The story of Sang Sinxay, one of the masterpieces of Lao literature written by Pang Kham in 1649, during the Lan Xang period.[4]

Representations of characters from Sang Sinxay on lampposts in Khon Kaen

Lamppost finial depicting Sinxay

Lamppost finial depicting Siho

Lamppost finial depicting Sangthong

Administrative divisions

Provincial government

The province is divided into 26 districts (amphoes). The districts are further divided into 198 subdistricts (tambons) and 2,139 villages (mubans).

• The numbers 26 to 28 were reserved for three other planned (minor) districts: Phu Kham Noi, Nong Kae, and Non Han.

There are plans to split off the northwestern part of the province to form a new province centered at Phu Wiang. The other districts which will belong to this new province are Nong Ruea, Chum Phae, Si Chomphu, Phu Pha Man, Nong Na Kham, and Wiang Kao.[5]

Local government

As of 26 November 2019 there are:[6] one Khon Kaen Provincial Administration Organisation (ongkan borihan suan changwat) and 84 municipal (thesaban) areas in the province. Khon Kaen has city (thesaban nakhon) status. Ban Phai, Ban Thum, Chum Pae, Kranuan, Mueang Phon and Sila have town (thesaban mueang) status. Further 77 subdistrict municipalities (thesaban tambon). The non-municipal areas are administered by 140 Subdistrict Administrative Organisations - SAO (ongkan borihan suan tambon).[2]

Education

Universities

• Khon Kaen University

Schools

• Khon Kaen Wittayayon School

Health

Khon Kaen has hospitals operated by both the public and private sectors. Its main hospital operated by the Ministry of Public Health is Khon Kaen Hospital. The province also has a university hospital, Srinagarind Hospital of the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University.

Transport

Air

• Khon Kaen Airport.

Rail

The railway system in Khon Kaen is on both northeastern routes from Bangkok Railway Station. Khon Kaen province's main railway stations was Khon Kaen Railway Station. In 2017, a 60 kilometre dual-track line will connect Khon Kaen to Nakhon Ratchasima province. It is the first segment of a dual track network that will connect Isan with the Laem Chabang seaport.[7]

Road

The city is bisected by Mittraphap Road, also known as "Friendship Highway", or Asian Highway 2 (AH2), the road linking Bangkok to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. A multi-lane by-pass enables through-traffic to avoid the city centre to the west, and connects to the airport and to the main roads to Kalasin province and Maha Sarakham province in the east, and Udon Thani province in the north.

Sport

The sports teams listed below are based in Khon Kaen.

Football

• Khon Kaen (Thai League 2)—Khon Kaen Provincial Stadium
• Khon Kaen United (Thai League 2)—Khon Kaen Provincial Stadium

Volleyball

• Khonkaen Star (Women's Volleyball Thailand League)—Khonkaen International Convention and Exhibition Center

Human achievement index 2017

Health	Education	Employment	Income
37	34	32	51
Housing	Family	Transport	Participation
50	3	21	52
Province Khon Kaen, with an HAI 2017 value of 0.6090 is "somewhat high", occupies place 24 in the ranking.

Since 2003, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Thailand has tracked progress on human development at sub-national level using the Human achievement index (HAI), a composite index covering all the eight key areas of human development. National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) has taken over this task since 2017.[3]

Map with provinces and HAI 2017 rankings

Sister cities

• Nanning, Guangxi, China (2001)
• Gaborone, Botswana

Notable residents

• Paradorn Srichaphan, tennis player, the first Asian to reach top ten of the ATP rankings
• Somluck Kamsing, boxer, the first Thai athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics
• Nadech Kugimiya, actor
• Sukollawat Kanarot, actor
• Peechaya Wattanamontree, actress
• Apichatpong Weerasethakul, filmmaker
• Kanphanitnan Muangkhumsakul, professional golfer (LPGA Tour)

Gallery

• 
  Ubol Ratana Dam

References

External links

• Khon Kaen travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Province page from the Tourist Authority of Thailand
• Official website of province (Thai only)

На других языках

[de] Khon Kaen (Provinz)