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This is one of the most important sites in the Khwai Noi River basin in Kanchanaburi. Prehistoric human skeletons have been discovered near
the ancient city, together with metal tools, vessels and ornaments, bricks, foundations of Dvaravati period architecture and laterite ruins from
the 13th century.

The Northeast includes many historical monuments in the Khmer style from prehistoric times to the 13th century. Among these, Prasat Hin Khao Phanom Rung is one of the most important. This is the only Khmer religious monument constructed on a natural mountain.

A satellite town of the Sukhothai era, Si Satchanalai is located on the bank of Yom River, 50 kilometres from modern Sukhothai. Ruins of 134 monuments have been discovered in the park. The city plan was laid out along fixed cosmological lines - temple complexes lay at its heart, surrounded by city walls, rivers and forest.

Khamphaeng Phet was an important city of the Sukhothai Kingdom from the 13th to 15th centuries. The earliest mention of the city appears in the stone inscriptions from Wat Mahathat and Wat Phra Sri in Kamphaeng Phet.

The large ancient city of Sri Thep in the Pasak River basin served as a centre of communications between the cities in central Thailand and those in the North and Northeast for a long period.

The largest stone monument in the Northeast is Prasat Hin Phimai in Phimai Historical Park. It was erected for the practice of Mahayana Buddhism in the early 12th century. This particular monument became the prototype of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, which makes it of even greater historical and aesthetic importance.

From the 14th to 18th centuries, Ayutthaya was the capital of the central Thai Kingdom for 417 years. With influences from Dvaravati, Khmer, Mon, and Lawa cultures, Ayutthaya was able to create its own arts and culture from a delicate blend of those cultures.

Phra Nakhon Khiri Historical Park is in Phetchaburi Province, an important satellite city of Ayutthaya. Commonly called Khao Wang (the palace on the mountain), it was built on top of Samana mountain as a summer palace for King Rama IV. Within the park area are royal halls, temples and groups of buildings, constructed in harmonious Thai, Western neoclassic and Chinese architectural styles.

The park is situated on the Phu Phra Bat hill of Phu Phan Mountain. There are 62 archaeological and cultural sites offering prehistoric rock paintings from about 4,000 to 2,000 years ago. There are also many historical artefacts from Dvaravati and Khmer cultures.

Thailand also has its own species of dinosaur and distinctive neolithic cave paintings. The best place to visit is the northeastern plateau because this region offers the greatest variety with easy access. Just 59 kilometres from Udon Thani, for example, lies the world-famous village of Ban Chiang with its marvellous pottery.