The Dinasour of Kalasin

Sirindhorn Museum - Kalasin 

From Roi Et, the next Isaan province was Kalasin which was near enough about 50km hence I had plenty of time to get there during the day. I took a detour based on local recommendation and headed south about 20km from Roi Et to visit a mini temple that resembles the Borobudur style.

Wat Pa Kung was the name of the place and after the quiet detour I went for a slow ride to Kalasin while absorbing the countryside scenery with Bluey. 

Wat Pa Kung Temple at Roi Et

Reaching Kalasin, this place was even more depressed and if there was any place in Thailand that looked poor to me, this was it. The center was like the eighties street back in Malaysia in small towns where people just pass time watching the dust settles on the road. Talking a walk around downtown and then a slow ride around the outer skirt of Kalasin confirmed to me that this town had very little to offer in terms of tourism

The main point of Kalasin was to visit the Sirinthorn Museum which was the largest and most comprehensive dinosaur museum in Thailand but that museum is 30km away from Kalasin main town, out in the middle of nowhere.

I stayed in Kalasin for one night and the next day packed my stuff and headed to the museum only to be caught unaware by the museum closure since it was a Monday. A quick decision and since I did not want to stay in Kalasin another night which was quite a depressing town, I rode to Khon Kean 100km away. 

Isanosaurus - The Isaan Dinasour

Species of Dinosaur found in Isaan - Isanosourus Attavipatchi

Sirindhorn Museum - Kalasin 

Thinking back, I should have just stayed one more night in Kalasin then visit the museum. I ended up making a daytrip back to Kalasin just to visit the Dinasour Museum the very next day. So that's Kalasin – Khon Kean – Kalasin – Khon Kean .... 300 km ... As tired as I was, I figured it was worth it for it is quite a scenic ride around the Lam Pao Lake.

Around Kalasin state however was a very contrast different to the main town. There was the man made lake of Lam Pao which was beautiful with floating huts restaurant lining up the banks. I did the full circle even visiting the Dam but the best part was Thepsuda Bridge crossing the lake. 

Lam Pao Dam

Lam Pao Lake & Thepsuda Bridge 

Lam Pao Lake

Sirinthorn Museum was well worth the visit. The only country in South East Asia that has discovered dinosaur fossils is in Isaan Thailand. That was a shocker for me as I had always thought the dinosaurs was native to big continent lands. The amount of fossil in the museum was also another surprise. They had a large collection and not just from Thailand, but from all around the world donated by other museum and countries.

One of the interesting thing of Sirinthorn Museum was is that the museum is so out of the way from any town because it was built exactly where the dinosaur fossils were found. Tracking up the back path a little from the main museum building, one can see the excavation site and fossil that is still semi burred in the natural earth. 

Archeological Research Room at Sirindhorn Museum

Excavation site of Dinosaur Fossil at Kalasin 

Traveled on: Feb 2019