National Parks North East [ North Eastern ] Thailand

• There are 25 National Parks in Northeast Thailand [ Isan ]. These National Parks are listed in the left column alphabetically and by Province in the right column. However please note that some National Park's boundaries cross more than one Province or region of Thailand so the classifications of where they are is not totally so simple.
  
• Most National Parks have been selected as conservation areas because of their location in mountainous water catchment areas and for the resulting vegetation and wildlife living in these micro-locations. They are interesting from the view of the naturalist but in many cases those of the historian also. Many National Parks in Northeast Thailand house art, monuments or artifacts of past civilizations. These include, prehistoric settlements, the early history period before the Dvaravati Period, the Dvaravati Period, The Khmer Empire Period and the Lang Chang period of 14th C to 18th C inclusive.
• In addition to the National Parks in Isan there are some National Historical Sites, such as Phu Phra Bat, and National Museums such as Ban Chiang Prehistoric Site and other UNESCO reserved Sites such as, Dong Phayayen Khao Yai Forest Complex.

• Northeast Thailand comprises the Korat Plateau which is an undulating sandstone landscape generally 200 metres [ 650 feet ] above sea level, tilted down towards the east and is drained by the Chi and Mun Rivers eastward to the Mekong River at the Lao border.
• The Western side is dominated by the Petchabun Mountain Range, flat topped sandstone mountains, two of which comprise Phu Kradung National Park and Phu Rua National Park. Phu Wiang National Park is an exciting spot for palaeontologists and the search for dinosaur fossils. Khao Yai National Park at the Western end of the Dang Raek Mountains to the South is the foremost National Park for eco-tourists. 
• The upper portion is dominated by the Phu Phan Mountains which are a range of mountains spreading west to east in upper Isan dividing the Khorat Plateau of Northeast Thailand into two separate drainage basins, the northern Sakhon Nakhon Basin, and the southern Khorat Basin. Theses hills cross the provinces of Nongbua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Kalasin and Mukdahan. The name of the range is derived from the characteristic mesa shape of its peaks and is Thai Lao. The Phu Phan Mountains include four National Parks and one  Provincial Forest [ Phu Pha Bat ]. The National Parks are, Phu Phan, Phu Kao Phu Phan Kham, Phu Pha Lek and Huai Huat [ Phu Pha Yon ].
• Northeast Thailand is characterised by seasonally dry deciduous dipterocarp forests and savannah style grasslands, once the grazing home for large herds of Elephants, deer and native cattle.
• The Northeast offers wildlife and a variety of climatic zones for forests and other vegetation as well as numerous locations for palaeontologists to explore and prehistoric art admirers to gaze.