Phrathat Kham Kaen

Located in Wat Chetiyaphum, the Phrathat is believed to be the origin of Khon Kaen city since ancient times. Phrathat Kham Kaen can be date the 20th century A.D. According to the legend, a back to  king who ruled Mori town in the Khmer kingdom assigned 9 senior monks to bring relics of the Lord Buddha to be placed in Phrathat Phanom. On the way, the caravan spent a night here, setting a camp by the heartwood of a dead tamarind tree. The caravan reached Nakhon Phanom on the next day just to learn that Phrathat Phanom had already been completed, so they returned on the same route with a wish to place the relics at their hometown instead. On the way back, they were surprised to find the dead tamarind tree buddingly lush. Therefore, they decided to build a Phrathat here and placed the relics and Buddha images inside, naming Phrathat Kham Kaen which means the stupa of tamarind heartwood.

The Phrathat is now well renovated and landscaped. A celebration is held annually on the full moon day of the 6th lunar month. Phrathat Kham Kaen is 12 kilometres from downtown Khon Kaen. Visitors can get there via Highway 209 (Khon Kaen-Kalasin route). After crossing the Nam Phong River, turn left and keep going for another 14 kilometres.