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Introduction

Yasothon is famous for its boisterous Rocket Festival every May,when giant home-made missiles are launched into the air in a symbolic rain-making gesture.

In the town at Wat Mahathat,Phra That Yasothon is a much-visited Lao-style chedi, said to be over 1,200 years old. It enshrines holy relics of Phra Ananda,one of Lord Buddha's chief disciples. That Kong Khao Noi is an ancient Khmer chedi with a much revered brick and stucco Buddha that is ritually bathed every April. The handicraft village of Ban Si Than is famed for the triangular pillows used in most Thai households.

Yasothon has an area of 4,161 square kilometres. It is divided into the following districts: Muang, Kham Khuean Kaeo, Maha Chana Chai, Pa Tio, Loeng Nok Tha, Kut Chum, Kho Wang, Sai Mun and Thai Charoen.

Borders

North	: Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom and Roi Et Provinces
South	: Sisaket Province
East	: Ubon Ratchathani Province
West	: Roi Et Province

The distances from Amphoe Muang to other Amphoes are as follow :

From Yasothon City of nearby Provinces
Mukdahan Province	: 111 kms.
Nakhon Phanom Province	: 215 kms.
Roi Et Province	: 71 kms.
Sisaket Province	: 159 kms.
Ubon Ratchathani Province	: 98 kms.

From Yasothon City to other districts.
Amphoe Sai Mun	: 18 kms.
Amphoe Kham Khuean Kaew	: 23 kms.
Amphoe Pa Tio	: 28 kms.
Amphoe Kut Chum	: 37 kms.
Amphoe Maha Chana Chai	: 41 kms.
Amphoe Loeng Nok Tha	: 69 kms.
Amphoe Kho Wang	: 70 kms.
Amphoe Thai Charoen	: 51 kms.

How to ge there

By Car

From Bangkok, take Highway No. 1 to Saraburi and Highway No. 2 to Ban Phai, then take Highway No. 23 to Yasothon via Borabue and Maha Sarakham and Roi Et, a total distance of 531 kilometres.

By Bus

Bangkok-Yasothon buses depart from Mochit 2 Bus Terminal every day. Timetables

By Rail

There is no direct train running to Yasothon. Visitors can take a train to Ubon Ratchathani, then continue the trip by bus to Roi Et..

By Air

There is no direct flight to Yasothon. Visitors can fly from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani and continue the trip by bus to Yasothon.

Festivals & Events

Bang Fai Rocket Festival - Phaya Thaen Park

Date : May (second weekend)
Yasothon is most famous for its spectacular Rocket (Bung Fai) Festival, an Bang Fai Rocket Festival

event which draws visitors from all over the country. The festival features large home-made rockets, fireworks displays, parades and beauty contests. Traditionally northeastern villagers have created and launched rockets of all kinds and sizes as a belief that this will ensure that the gods will send plenty of rain for the rice planting season. As part of this two-day festival there are beauty pageants and various forms of folk and cultural entertainment full of merriment.

Meritorious Garland Tradition

Date : February
During the season for merit making and local festival of the Magapuja, worship for the full moon Day of te third lunar mnth in commemoration of the Great Assembly of Disciples, there was, believed to be the only one in the world, a spectacular traditon which has long been practiced by the villagers of Ban Fayart, mahachanachai district, Yasothon. And this merit making festival is called BOON HAE MALAI of the Meritorious Garland Tradition.

Being the devout Buddhists, all people in Ban Fayart would take exquisitedly decorated handmade garland flowers which were made from pop-paddy to worship to the Lord Buddha.

Later, local wisdom of the people of Ban Fayart have played a great role to the tradition. They apply the pop-paddy to decorate and beautify the garland, all are hand decorative garlands. There are various style of garlands according to the decorators. They also try to use cotton yarn, artificial plastic flowers, flowers made from crepe paper, and plastic beads to make them more attractive.

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