Udorn and Nong Khai are the two northernmost provinces of Thailand's Northeast. Archaeologically, they represent a crossroads where civilizations from West. East and North met and passed on. Three forgotten archaeological sites give ample evidence of this once cosmopolitan state of affairs. The ancient town of Ban Don Kaeo. Amphur Kumpawapee, in Udorn Thani stands on an island in the middle of lake Nong Han Kumpawapee. From this lake emerges the river Lam Pao. Flowing into the province of Kalasin, the river passes many ancient Dvaravati sites in Amphur Si Dhat, and also the ancient city of Fa Daed Sung fung in Amphur Kamalasai. It joins the Chi River in the province of Roi Et.
Archaeological remains mostly take the form of upright stones or sema of Dvaravati style, one of the distinctive cultural features of the Chi river basin. The forms of these sema are very primitive One stone inscription found in Amphur Si Dhat not far from Amphur Kumpawapee dates from the 7th century A.D. Si Dhat is an ancient town, the oldest site in Udorn to be influenced by the Dvaravati culture of the Chi river basin.
Another of these cultural intersections was an ancient city of Lop Buri (lfth to l3th century A.D.) in Amphur Nong Han, Udorn Thani. The laterite base of an old prasat modified during the Lan Chang period (about the l4th to l6th century A.D.), a sandstone Buddha image and some upright stones in the Lop Buri style still stand at the wat in the middle of the city. The Lop Buri style, among other elements, derived from the ancient city of Nong Han, Sakon Nakhon, from whence Khmer culture disseminated westward. The remains of an ancient city in Amphur Nong Han, Udorn Thani, are undoubtedly those of the city of Nong Han Noi. This town is mentioned, together with the city of Nong Han Luang (Sakon Nakhon) in an ancient chronicle, the Uranga Dhat, a very significant document for archaeology in the Northeast.
Finally, there is Vieng Kuk, located on the southern bank of the Mekhong river in Nong Khai. In spite of the absence of moat or wall, it is regarded by local people, as in ancient chronicles, as a very old town. There are many remains of ancient wat and stupa and of Buddha images. Most date back to Lan Chang. The style of the stupa and of the Buddha images clearly reflects the influence of Lan Na and Sukhothai in the north of Thailand. Historical connections can be found between the kingdoms of Lan Chang and Lan Na since King Phra Chai Chetta, who was invited to rule over Lan Na in the l5th century A.D.
