Hindu Temple - Khon Kaen - Prasat Puay Noi

There is very little information available about Prasat Puay Noi, an ancient Hindu Temple in Khon Kaen Province, other than the fact that it was built in the 11th Century as a Khmer Sanctuary.
From the middle of the 9th Century, most of North Eastern Thailand was in the hands of the Khmers whose civilization was centered on the Angkor Temples in Cambodia. It was not until the 13th Century that the power of the Khmer empire was finally broken leaving behind many fine examples of Khmer art and architecture. Prasat Puay Noi in Khon Kaen is one of these examples and whilst not being amongst the finest examples of Khmer art, it is the largest Khmer Sanctuary in the North East, and has some wonderfully detailed carvings and sculptures to be seen with especially fine carvings on many of the sandstone lintels.

Prasat Puay Noi contains 3 Pagodas built from brick standing on a single laterite base. All of the buildings face towards the East and each has a smaller chapel attached. The building is designed in the Nakhonwat style which is the same style used in the famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Restoration of this Hindu Temple was begun in 1989 and completed in 1994. Although Prasat Puay Noi is located over 80kms from the city of Khon Kaen, this Hindu Temple is still very much worth going to see because of the high quality of the carvings. The setting is also extremely beautiful and rarely are there many visitors.