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| Loei Province is located at
the northwest corner of the Northeast Plateau with an
area of 11,424 sq km and a population of 632,320 (end
2001). In topography and climate, it is more similar
to the Northern region instead of the Northeast. |
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A magnificent
view of
Phu Kradueng National Park |
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It is largely
mountainous and has a cool and foggy climate throughout
most of the year. Although it is about two degrees
nearer to the equator than the northernmost point
of the country, Loei is the only province of Thailand
to have recorded a temperature of 0°c. |
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A view of Phu Kradueng National park. |
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Being
mountainous, Loei boasts two national parks,
one wildlife sanctuary, and many minor scenic
spots such as caves and waterfalls. The best
known and most popular of all of these is
Phu Kradueng National Park. Set up in 1943,
it is among Thailand's earliest such establishments.
It will take an average young man about four
hours to climb the 5 km track to the mountain
top. The mountain, Phu Kradueng, is 1,350
metres above sea level. Its top constitutes
a large piece of flat ground about 60 sq km
in area, grown with pine trees, flowering
plants and shrubs. Of course, there are dense
forests around the mountains, in which wildlife
abounds.
At the east end of the mountain top, there
is a cliff called Pha Nok Aen, which offers
a spectacular view of the sunrise and also
that of the mountain ranges and open country
below. On both sides of the path to the cliff,
wild roses grow in large groves which bloom
profusely in March and April. |
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Phu
Luang's forests are shrouded in
mist almost all year round. (By courtesy of TAT) |
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| Strange
to say, there is also a cliff named Lomsak at the west
end of the flat top where visitors may view the equally
magnificent scene of sunset. There is an old pine tree
growing at the edge of the sheer precipice, making it
a perfect spot for taking photographs. |
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Tat
Hueang Waterfall, a famous one in Phu Rua National
Park. (By courtesy of TAT) |
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| The other
national park is called Phu Rua or the Boat Mountain.
It is so called because at one edge of its flat top
there is an overhanging rock protruding like the bows
of a junk. The park is smaller than Phu Kradueng, but
its peak is higher at 1,375 metres above sea level.
It has several cliffs, including a vantage point to
view the sunrise. From the summit, one can see the two
rivers separating Loei from Laos--the Mekong and the
Hueang. |
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Doritis
pulcherrima (By courtesy of TAT) |
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| Phu
Luang, a wildlife sanctuary at 1,550 metres above sea
level, is a very good place for trekking from October
to April. The weather of the sanctuary is cool all year
round.The area is closed during the rainy season from
May to September. |
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| There
is a scenic spot of another nature--Kaeng Khutkhu, a
large group of rocks blocking the flow of the Mekong
River at a place about 3 km from Chiang Khan town. The
reefs extend almost the entire width of the river. When
the water level is down late in the dry season from
February to May, the rocks will appear, leaving a narrow
channel on the Thai side through which water flows very
rapidly. The long-time submersion of the rocks make
them colourful, adding further attractions to the spot. |
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Phi
Ta Khon masks
(By courtesy of TAT) |
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| Like any other
province in Thailand, Loei has many famous Buddhist
temples and Buddha images. Of these, two should be mentioned.
One is Si Song Rak Chedi in Dan Sai county built in
1560 as a symbol of mutual assistance between Ayutthaya
and Si Sattana Khanahut (i.e. today's Vientiane of Laos).
It is about 30 metres tall with a square base like the
chedi in Nakhon Phanom. There is an annual fair at the
pagoda in the 6th lunar month. |
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Si
Song Rak Chedi
(By courtesy of TAT) |
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| The other is
a Buddha image named Phrachao Ong Saen enshrined in
Wat Phothichai Na Phueng in Na Haeo county. Legend has
it that the image once travelled from Chiang Saen in
Chiang Rai to Loei by himself. The governor of Chiang
Khong, also located in Chiang Rai, having heard this,
led a procession of elephants, horses and troops to
Na Haeo, intending to invite the Buddha image to his
own town, but without success. Phrachao Ong Saen was
so popular because people believed that he was able
to bring rain to wherever he was, thus preventing the
area from drought. And so he was also known as Fon Saen
Ha Buddha, which means the Buddha of a hundred thousand
rain showers. |
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A
cheerful parade in Phi Ta Khon Festival |
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Loei
is also known for its unique Phi Ta Khon Festival,
taking place for three days at a weekend in June or
July in Dan Sai and Na Haeo and nowhere else. It is
basically a merit making activity, but differs from
all the other similar events in that it includes parades
of young men wearing ghost-like masks and robes in
various shapes and colours, and playing joyfully with
onlookers, adding to the fun of the festival. |
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| Accessibility:By
road, 520 km from Bangkok; 206 km from Khon Kaen, 152
km from Udon Thani; by rail, 450 km from Bangkok to
Khon Kaen or 569 km from Bangkok to Udon Thani, then
by road to Loei; by air 1.15 hr. to Loei. There are
also daily coaches from Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal
to Loei province and Phu Rua county taking about 8 hours. |
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