Sisaket
Sisaket (ศรีสะเกษ, sometimes Si Saket) is a town in Isaan, Thailand.
Understand
With a long history, the area around Sisaket has had a strong culture and a prosperous economy since the Khmer era over one thousand years ago. Moreover, many ethnic tribes settled here such as the Suay, Lao, Khmer, and Yer. Sisaket became a town in 1759 during Ayuthaya period. In the reign of King Rama V, or around a century ago, the town moved to its present location.
With plenty of Khmer Ruins, Sisaket is an interesting destination to visit. It is also the gateway to visit the world famous Preah Vihear ruins, a cliff-top Khmer sanctuary most of which is just across the border in Cambodia. However, it can can be visited without requiring a Cambodian visa. The province grows a wide variety of fruits, such as rambutan and durian. These are typically available at the beginning of rainy season around May. Much of the local population are near-subsistence farmers earning an average of about 100 baht or USD3 per day.
Get in
By car
From Bangkok, use Hwy 1 (Payolyothin Rd) then Hwy 2 (Mitraphap Rd) from Saraburi. Near Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima) take Hwy 24 (Chock Chai-Det Udom) to reach Sisaket. This route is 571 km.
By bus
Buses and air-conditioned coaches leave the Northeastern Bus Terminal (Mo Chit 2) in Bangkok for Sisaket daily. The journey takes 8 hours. For more information, visit The Transport Co., Ltd. or call +66 2 9362852-66 or Sisaket Bus Terminal at +66 45 612500.
By train
Ordinary, rapid, and express trains regularly leave Bangkok and Bang Sue Station for Sisaket. The route is 515 km. For more information, call the State Railway of Thailand at 1690, +66 2 2204334, +66 2 2204444, and Sisaket Railway Station at +66 45 611525.
For getting around in Sisaket City, tricycles are readily available. Moreover, there are buses from downtown Sisaket to other towns as well as provinces nearby.
Get around
There are no meter-taxis or tuk-tuks, but you can hire a motorbike-taxi or take a samlor (three-wheeled bicycle-taxi).
See
- Phra That Ruang Rong (8 km away on the Sisaket-Yang Chum Noi Rd). A beautiful wat (temple). The whole complex takes about 90 min to visit. Open only in the daytime.
- Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew (Wat Lan Khuad or Temple of a Million Bottles) (~61 km south of Sisaket, in the small town of Khun Han). A bizarre yet entirely serious Buddhist temple complex constructed entirely out of glass bottles. Even the pictures on the walls were assembled from bottle caps. The temple is a worthwhile detour if visiting Preah Vihear with your own transport.
Do
Eat
Sisaket is in the heart of Isaan. You will find excellent Isaan food everywhere. There are quite a few good restaurants in Sisaket. But maybe the best offer in town is the lively evening market adjacent to the railway on the south side of the train station. There you will find a wide variety of cooked, baked and barbequed food for reasonable prices. The evening market opens at 17:00 and closes at 21:00.
Drink
There are a few places you can go in the evening or night life. One of the most famous being Sugars on Lak Muang Rd. Then you could go off to the Nona Disco on Kuang Heng Rd, and last but not least, to the I-Bar in the Prompiman Hotel on Lak Muang Rd, not far from the train station. In the I-Bar you can meet the trendy young locals and listen to live music. Dress properly, no beachwear, or you will be refused at the door.
Sleep
- Kessiri Hotel, 1102-05 Khukan Rd, thada_lim@yahoo.com.
- North-East Hotel, 1619 Srisumank Rd.
- Prompiman Hotel, 849/1 Lukmuang Rd, ☏ +66 45 612696, salesprompiman@hotmail.com. 500+ baht.
- SP-Boutique Hotel.
Connect
Go next
- Anlong Veng — to the south in Cambodia
- Preah Vihear — ancient Khmer temple, about two hours to the south
- Surin — about two hours to the west, known for the annual Elephant Roundup
- Ubon Ratchathani — provincial capital of Ubon Ratchathani Province, about an hour to the east
| Routes through Sisaket |
| Bangkok ← Surin ← | W  E
|
→ Ubon Ratchathani |