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Northeastern Thai and Lao food is generally of the simple, spicy, peasant variety enjoyed by the inhabitants of this relatively poor region. The most famous dishes include <i>somtam</i>– papaya salad with fish sauce, garlic, chilli peppers, peanuts and <i>puu na</i> field crab added to taste. This is often eaten with <i>kai yang</i>– grilled chicken, the best of which is said to come from Sisaket, close to the Lao frontier.<br/><br/> Perhaps the most classic of Isaan dishes is <i>larb</i>– spiced minced meat generally served with salad and a side plate of raw vegetables. Unlike Bangkok and the South, <i>khao niaw</i>, or 'sticky rice' – a glutinous variant served in small woven bamboo baskets and eaten with the hand – is the main accompaniment to every meal.
Northeastern Thai and Lao food is generally of the simple, spicy, peasant variety enjoyed by the inhabitants of this relatively poor region. The most famous dishes include <i>somtam</i>– papaya salad with fish sauce, garlic, chilli peppers, peanuts and <i>puu na</i> field crab added to taste. This is often eaten with <i>kai yang</i>– grilled chicken, the best of which is said to come from Sisaket, close to the Lao frontier.<br/><br/> Perhaps the most classic of Isaan dishes is <i>larb</i>– spiced minced meat generally served with salad and a side plate of raw vegetables. Unlike Bangkok and the South, <i>khao niaw</i>, or 'sticky rice' – a glutinous variant served in small woven bamboo baskets and eaten with the hand – is the main accompaniment to every meal.
The Bru, or Brao, are an ethnic group living in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Nowadays there are few known Bru, if any, in Cambodia. They speak Bru, a Mon-Khmer language, which has several dialects. Their total population is estimated at 130,000. In Laos, most Bru live in eastern Savannakhet Province in the Sepone District, in the Isaan region. In Thailand, most Bru live in Sakon Nakhon Province, in the Isaan region of northeast Thailand. In Vietnam, most Bru live in the Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Dak Lak and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.
Siamese dance is an elegant art form refined over centuries and supported by regal patronage. The Thais reputedly first acquired a dance troupe when, in 1431 CE, they conquered the ancient Khmer capital of Angkor and took as part of their booty an entire corps de ballet - dancers whose performances had once been seen as a symbolic link between nature, earth and the realm of the gods. The two major forms of Thai classical dance drama are 'khon' and 'lakon nai'. In the beginning, both were exclusively court entertainments and it was not until much later that a popular style of dance theater, 'Likay', evolved as a diversion for the common folk who had no access to royal performances.
Nakhon Phanom, once the center of the ancient Sri Kotrabun Kingdom, lies adjacent to the Mekong River, 735 kms northeast of Bangkok. The area was long settled by ethnic Lao people and belonged to the Lan Xang kingdom even after it came under the control of Ayutthaya. At first it was known as 'Si Kotrabun', and during the times of King Rama I as 'Maruka Nakhon'.
Nakhon Phanom, once the center of the ancient Sri Kotrabun Kingdom, lies adjacent to the Mekong River, 735 kms northeast of Bangkok. The area was long settled by ethnic Lao people and belonged to the Lan Xang Kingdom even after it came under the control of Ayutthaya. At first it was known as 'Si Kotrabun', and during the times of King Rama I as 'Maruka Nakhon'.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Nandi (Nandin) the Bull was the mythical mount of the god Shiva in Hindu mythology. Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Prasat Hin Phanom Rung (Phanom Rung Stone Castle) is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.<br/><br/> The Phanom Rung Festival takes place annually in the month of April, this coincides with the April solar alignment. Four times a year the sun shines through all the sanctuary's 15 doors, at sunrise in April and September and at sunset in March and October.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling. In Hindu mythology, Rahu is a snake that swallows the sun or the moon causing eclipses.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Phanom Rung is a Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 1,320 feet above sea level, in Buriram province in the Isaan region of Thailand. It was built in sandstone and laterite in the 10th to 13th centuries. It was a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva, and symbolises Mount Kailash, his heavenly dwelling.
Nearly 95 percent of the Thai population are Theravada Buddhists, though many would argue that Siamese Buddhism has integrated with animist folk beliefs as well as Chinese religions. Thai Buddhism was based on the religious movement founded in the 6th century BC by Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, who urged the world to relinquish the extremes of sensuality and self-mortification and follow the enlightened Middle Way. Theravada Buddhism was made the state religion in Siam only after the establishment of the Sukhothai kingdom in the 13th century CE. By the 19th century, and especially with the coming to power in 1851 of King Mongkut who had been a monk himself for 27 years, the 'sangha' (monkhood), like the kingdom, became steadily more centralized and hierarchical in nature and its links to the state more institutionalized.
The Bru, or Brao, are an ethnic group living in Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Nowadays there are few known Bru, if any, in Cambodia. They speak Bru, a Mon-Khmer language, which has several dialects. Their total population is estimated at 130,000. In Laos, most Bru live in eastern Savannakhet Province in the Sepone District, in the Isaan region. In Thailand, most Bru live in Sakon Nakhon Province, in the Isaan region of northeast Thailand. In Vietnam, most Bru live in the Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Dak Lak and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.