Surin Attractions

Amphoe Muang

Ban Bu Thom Basketry Village

is situated at Tambon Muang Tai, Amphoe Muang, about 12 kilometers along the Highway 2080 leading towards Amphoe Sikhoraphum. Out of rice growing season, the villagers’ additional occupation is rattan basketry weaving.

Huai Saneng

is a reservoir under the irrigation project situated some 5 kilometers from Surin along the Surin-Prasat route with a left turn for another 4 kilometers along the irrigation channel. A royal residence was built here for the Princess Mother. Accommodation is also available for visitors. For further information, please contact Chief of Surin Irrigation project, Huai Saneng Reservoir, Amphoe Muang, Surin, Tel. 511-966.

Luang Pho Phra Chi, Wat Burapharam

The image of the Buddha subduing Mara, Luang Pho Phra Chi is most revered by Surin people. It is not known when the images was built. Wat Burapharam is assumed to be constructed in Thon Buri or early Rattanakosin Period, dating back some 200 years.


Phanom Sawai Forest Park

is located about 22 kilometers from Surin City Hall and accessible by the Surin-Prasat road, the distance of 14 kilometers, then further on a dirt road for another 6 kilometers. The park’s major attraction is a triple-peaked hill with the first peak called Phanom Preah where Wat Khao Phanom Sawai was built among shady surroundings and the image of the Buddha bestowing favors known as Phra Phuttha Surin Mongkhon is enshrined. The second peak is Phanom Srei topped by a Buddha image of medium size. The third, Phanom Krol, is topped by an eight-porched hall in which an imitation of the Buddha’s Holy Footprint is enshrined. The hill has been regarded a sacred place by the townspeople who on the first day of the new moon in fifth lunar month walk up to the hilltop to pay homage to the place. The day is a traditional holiday for Surin people. 

Prasat Muang Thi

is located 16 kilometers to the east of Amphoe Muang Town Hall at Tambon Muang Thi. To get there, drive along the Surin-Sikhoraphum route. The sanctuary comprises 5 brick indented Prangs situated on a common base. Only 3 Prangs are still to be seen at present.

Silk Weaving Villages

at Ban Chan Rom, Tambon Ta Ong, Amphoe Muang, and Ban Khwao Sinarin, Khwao Sinarin Subdistrict are renowned for local hand-woven silk and hand-crafted gold and silver beads which are also put on sale.

Khwao Sinarin Village is located to the north of Amphoe Muang and accessible by an asphalt branch forad from the Surin-Roi Et Highway (the Highway 214) and further on for another 2 kilometers along a dirt road.

Ban Chan Rom is located to the east of Amphoe Muang along the Surin-Sangkha Highway (the Highway 2077). The Chan Rom villagers feed their own silkworms, the source of silk threads to be woven.

Surin City Pillar Shrine

is situated 500 meters to the west of the City Hall. The present shrine was built in 1968 to replace the old one which contained no pillar. The 3-meter city pillar, carved from an auspicious laburnum wood from Kanchanaburi, was erected and celebrated on March 15 th, 1974.

The Statue of Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Chang Wang

was erected in 1984 to commemorate the establishment of Surin Province by him. The monument is situated at the southern entrance to Muang Surin at the starting point of the Surin-Prasat road. The 2.2 meter bronze statue, with a mahout’s hook in his right hand and a pair of swords on his back marks his bravery and also the province’s reputation as the elephant city.

Amphoe Chom Phra-Tha Tum

Prasat Chom Phra

is located within Wat Prasat Chom Phra, Tambon Chom Phra, 26 kilometers from Surin. The ruins comprise laterite Prang, image hall (Viharn) and wall with a huge Buddha image of modern period in front of the Viharn.

Ban Ta Klang Elephant Village

is located at Ban Ta Klang, Tambon Kra Pho, Amphoe Tha Tum, about 58 kilometers from Surin. To get there, drive along the Highway 214 (Chom Phra-Tha Tum) for 36 kilometers, then turn to a branch road at Ban Nong Tat for another 22 kilometers. Former occupation of the Thai Suai, local villagers of Ban Ta Klang, was to round up, train, and raise elephants. But unlike those captured in the north of Thailand to be trained to work, the elephants here are trained to perform in the annual Surin Elephant Round-up. Ban Ta Klang is also situated among beautiful surroundings with white sandy beach where the Mun and Chi rivers meet. Here, visitors can enjoy a daily elephant training show during October-November. An elephant’s museum was constructed at Ban Ta Klang under TAT’s sponsorship to gather all elephant-related information and implements used in the Round-up.

Amphoe Lamduan-Sangka

Prasat Phum Pon

is an ancient Khmer sanctuary of Prei Kameng Period dating back to the 12th - 13th century B.E. Being Surin’s oldest ruins, Prasat Phum Pon comprises a brick Prang on latrite base with sandstone door frame, colonnettes, and lintel. To the west, there are remains of a building’s base and still another one lying 32 meters beyond.

Prasat Phum Pon is located at Ban Phum Pon, Tambon Dom, 10 kilometers from Amphoe Sangkha along the Sangkha-Buachet route.

Prasat Tapiang Tia

is located at Mu 2 Tambon Chok Nua, Amphoe Lamduan within the precincts of Wat Prasat Thep Nimit Prasat Tapiang Tia is a 5-finial brick sanctuary of Laotian architectural style dating back to late Ayutthaya Period.

Reserved Pinery Area

covers an area of 625 Rais where the best kind of plateau pines grow. The only plateau pinery in Thailand, the Reserved Pinery Area is located at Ban Nong Khu, Tambon Chok Nua, Amphoe Lamduan, 35 kilometers from Surin along the Surin-Sangkha route. The area is under the Thai Danish cooperation project.

Prasat Yai Ngao

is a 12-indented square sanctuary built of brick. The Khmer ruins lie 4 kilometers to the southeast of Amphoe Sangkha Town Hall at Ban Sangkha, Tambon Sangkha.

Amphoe Prasat-Kap Choeng

Prasat Ban Phlai

A Khmer sanctuary donated to the God Shiva in Brahmanism, Prasat Ban Phlai comprises 3 brick Prangs situated on a common moated laterite base. A lintel’s fragment discovered here and currently displayed at Phimai National Museum indicates that Prasat Ban Phlai was constructed in the 16th century B.E. The sanctuary lies about 10 kilometers to the northeast of the Town Hall at Ban Prasat, Tambon Chua Phloeng, Amphoe Prasat.

Prasat Hin Ban Phuluang

is a Hindu sanctuary of Baphuon Period dating back to the 16 th-17th century B.E. between the reigns of Jayavarman I and Jayavarman VI of the ancient Khmer Kindgon. A small sandstone Prang on laterite base, Prasat Hin Ban Phuluang was built and sculpted with fine craftsmanship. The pediment above the entrance depicts a scene of Krishna lifting Govardhana Mountain from the Hindu Story ’Krishnavatar’, and incarnation of the God Vishnu. The God Indra on elephant back centers the stone lintel. There is a pond on either side of the walkway to the entrance.

Prasat Hin Ban Phluang is situated at Ban Phluang, Tambon Kang Aen, Amphoe Prasat, 4 kilometers from the Town Hall along the Surin Prasat Chong Chom route with a left turn between kilometer markers 34-35 for another 900 meters.

Prasart Hin Banphulung is opened every day from 07.30 A.M. - 06.00 P.M. Admission fee is 30 Baht.

Prasat Tamuan Thom

is located on a stream bank, 200 meters to the south of Prasat Tamuan Tot. The sanctuary Comprises 3 Prangs decorated with bas-reliefs of floral designs and standing dieties, intricate sandstone’gopura’ (roofed entrance), 2 laterite buildings, and sandstone gallery. Outside, there is a pond lined with laterite.

Prasat Ban Prasat

is located at Ban Prasat, Tambon Phlai, Amphoe Prasat, about 5 kilometers from Amphoe Prasat Town Hall. The sanctuary lies in deteriorated condition with only some remains of laterite wall and a big pond, 2 meters beyond the eastern wall.

Prasat Tamuan Tot

is located some 12 kilometers from Ban Ta Miang, Tambon Bak Dai, Amphoe Kap Choeng on the Thai-Cambodian borderline. The stone sanctuary, built on sand-stone base, is similar to Prasat Ban Phluang.

Amphoe Sikhoraphum

Prasat Ban Chang Pi

is a whole laterite sanctuary situated at Mu 1, Tambon Chang Pi, 12 kilometers to the southwest of Amphoe Sikhoraphum Town Hall along the Surin Sikhoraphum route.

Prasat Sikhoraphum

comprises 5 brick Prangs on common laterite base. It dates back to mid 17th century B.E. The main Prang at the center is 32 meters high and decorated with intricately carved sandstone lintel, colonnettes, and pilasters. Prasat Si Khoraphum is located at Ban Prasat, Tambon Ra Ngaeng, Amphoe Sikhoraphum, 34 kilometers from the provincial town along the Surin Sikhoraphum route with a left turn of 800 meters at Amphoe Prasat. Prasart Sikhoraphum is opened every day from 07.30 A.M. - 06.00 P.M. Admission fee is 30 Baht.