Maha Sarakham is one of the provinces (changwat) of Thailand, located in the northeastern (Isan) region of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kalasin, Roi Et, Surin, Buriram and Khon Kaen. The province's capital is the town of Maha Sarakham. It is the home of Mahasarakham University, the largest university in the Northeast of Thailand in term of students (37,342), and Rajabhat Mahasarakham University.

Mukdahan is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south clockwise) Amnat Charoen, Yasothon, Roi Et, Kalasin, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom. To the east it borders the Mekong River, across which lies Savannakhet Province of Laos.

Nakhon Nayok is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Saraburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Prachinburi, Chachoengsao and Pathum Thani. Nakhon Nayok is renowned for its refreshing waterfalls and abundant varieties of fruits.

Nakhon Pathom is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi. The province is famous for an ancient stupa called the “Phra Pathom Chedi”, though the actual chedi is completely concealed under a larger one built in the 19th century. The chedi is a reminder of the long vanished Dvaravadi civilisation that once flourished here and by tradition Nakhorn Pathom is where Buddhism first came to Thailand. The province itself is renowned for its many fruit orchards.

The province is located at the valley of the river Mekong and is mostly plain. In the northern part of the province has more upland character, and forest covered plains. The main river in the northern part is the Songkhram River and the smaller Oun river. The southern part is more flat, and has the Kum river as only notable river. The provincial capital, the city of Nakhon Phanom, is located directly at the banks of the Mekong. Phu Lang Ka National Park covers 50 km of forests and hills, and includes the waterfalls Tat Kham and Tat Pho as its most popular attractions. Also flowers like the Lady Slipper Orchid and diverse wildlife is found in the park.

Nakhon Ratchasima is a city in the north-east of Thailand and gateway to Isan. It is the capital of the Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Nakhon Ratchasima district. As of August 16, 2010, in the municipal area has a population of 142,645. The city is also commonly known as Korat, a short version of the full name. It is located at the western edge of the Khorat Plateau and historically marked the boundary between the Lao and Siamese territory, however now is considered a gateway to the Northeast (Isan).

The Ping and Nan rivers merge near the city of Nakhon Sawan to form the Chao Phraya River. The Mae Wong National Park on the border with Khamphaeng Phet province was created in 1987 to preserve the Mae Wong-Mae Poen jungle. Bueng Boraphet is the largest freshwater swamp in Thailand, in total covering 212 km. The swamp is located directly east of the town Nakhon Sawan and extends into the districts Tha Tako and Chum Saeng. During the winter months many waterfowls migrate there. Parts of the swamp are protected as a non-hunting area.

Nakhon Si Thammarat is one of the southern provinces of Thailand, at the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south clockwise) Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang, Krabi and Surat Thani. The province is located on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand on the east side of the Malay Peninsula. The terrain is mostly rugged hilly forest area. It contains the highest elevation of southern Thailand, the Khao Luang with 1,835 m, now protected in the Khao Luang national park.

The province is located in the remote valley of the Nan River, surrounded by mountains covered with forests. The highest mountain is the 2079 meter high Doi Phu Kha in Amphoe Pua, north-east of the city of Nan towards the border with Laos.

Narathiwat is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Yala and Pattani. To the south it borders the Malaysian state of Kelantan. The southern railway line ends in this province that is one of the nation’s five provinces that borders Malaysia. The name of this province means “the residence of good people”. The province features a range of cultures as well as natural resources, and is relatively fertile. Narathiwat is located some 1,140 kilometers south of Bangkok and occupies an area of 4,475 square kilometers. Seventy five percent of the area is jungles and mountains. The area has a tropical climate.

During the existence of the Laotian kingdom of Lan Xang, Nong Bua Lam Phu was traditionally given to rule to the crown prince. In 1827 Chao Anou of Vientiane designated Phagna Narin to be the governor of this place, which is famous as the spot where the Naresuan, the King-Liberator of Siam, came in the sixteenth century to learn the outcome of a war between the Lao and Burmese in the Vientiane area. Nong Bua Lam Phu was long a Lao stronghold, and was the birthplace of the principal wife of Chao Siribunyasan, the last independent king of Vientiane. Under Thai rule, the province originally consisted of five Amphoe (districts) in the province Udon Thani. In 1993 Udon province was decentralized and a separate province of Nong Bua Lamphu was created. It is one of the three youngest provinces of Thailand, together with Amnat Charoen and Sa Kaeo.

Nong Khai is located in the valley of the Mae Nam Kong (Mekong river), which also forms the border with Laos. There are highlands to the south. The Laotian capital Vientiane is only 25 kilometers away from the provincial capital of Nong Khai. The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge, which connects the two countries, was built jointly by the governments of Thailand, Laos and Australia, and was opened in 1994.

Nonthaburi is located directly northwest of Bangkok on the Chao Phraya river. The province is part of the greater Bangkok Metropolitan Area. In most parts it is as urbanized as the capital, and the boundary between the two provinces is nearly unrecognisable.

Pathum Thani is located directly north of Bangkok and is part of the Bangkok metropolis. In many parts the boundary between the two provinces is not noticeable anymore, since both sides of the boundary are being equally urbanized. Pathum Thani town is the administrative seat, but Ban Rangsit, seat of Thanyaburi district, is the largest populated place within the provincial boundary. Pathum Thani is an old province filled with multiple temples, parks and areas to experience Mon culture. A lot of the modern knowledge, culture and history are presented in the museums and temples. The most famous amusement park in Thailand, Dream World, is also set there. In addition, it is a source of Mon culture and traditions by the Chaophaya River that shows the special characteristic of their culture.

Pattani is located on the Malay Peninsula, with the coast of the Gulf of Thailand in the north. In the south mountainous landscape with the Sankalakhiri mountain range, including the Budo - Su-ngai Padi National Park, is located at the border to Yala and Narathiwat, protecting hill forests with rare vegetation such as the Bangsoon palm and Takathong rattan, as well as birds like the hornbill. Namtok Sai Khao on the border with Songkhla and Yala is a forest park, remarkable for the Sai Khao waterfall.

Phang Nga is located on the west side of the Malay Peninsula, and includes many islands of the Phang Nga Bay. The most famous one is the so-called James Bond Island, a needle formed limestone rock in the sea, which featured in the 1974 movie The Man with the Golden Gun. The Ao Phang-Nga (Phang-Nga Bay) National Park was established in 1981 to protect the many fascinating islands. The Similan Islands, one of Thailand's main diving destinations, are also part of Phang Nga province. It is located 788 kilometres (490 mi) from Bangkok and covers an area of 4,170 square kilometres (1,610 sq mi).

Phatthalung is located on the Malay Peninsula. To the east it borders the large shallow Songkhla lake, while the west is covered by mountains of the Nakhon Si Thammarat chain. The Khao Pu - Khao Ya National Park is located in these mountains at the border to Trang. Phatthalung was formerly known as Mardelong in Malay, especially during the time when the region came under Malay-Muslim influence.

After Phayao was founded in 1096 it was a small city-state kingdom. In the 13th century it gained enough importance to be equal partner of King Mengrai of Lannathai and the Sukhothai kingdom. However a later king of Lannathai captured Phayao in 1338, and made it part of Lannathai. During the Burmese rulership of Lannathai the city became deserted, and in 1897 became part of the province Chiang Rai. Becoming effective on August 28, 1977 it was split off from Chiang Rai again, and became a province of its own.

Phetchabun is located in the lower northern region of Thailand, in the area between the northern and the central region. The province lies in the broad fertile river valley of the Pa Sak River, with mountains of the Phetchabun mountain range to the east and west. It is surrounded by places of interest, many well-known national parks, beautiful waterfalls and great lakes.

Phetchaburi is located at the northern end of the Malay Peninsula, with the Gulf of Thailand to the East and the Tanaosi mountain range forming the boundary to Myanmar. Except these border mountains most of the province is a flat plain area. With an area of about 3000 km² the Kaeng Krachan National Park is Thailands largest national park, covering nearly half of the province. It protects mostly rainforests in the mountains along the boundary to Myanmar, but also the Kaeng Krachan reservoir is part of the park. The only significant river of the province is the Phetchaburi River. Several caves are found in the province, most notable the Khao Luang caves near the capital city. Illuminated by a hole in the roof several Buddha statues are placed in the cave.

The rivers Nan and Yom flow through the Phichit province, before they join shortly before the Chao Phraya is formed. The province mainly consists of low fertile river plains, making rice and lotus the main crops. The town Phichit was established in 1058 by Phraya Kotabongthevaraja, and was first part of the Sukhothai kingdom, and later of Ayutthaya. The name of the main city changed several times. At first it was called Sra Luang (city of the royal pond), in Ayutthaya times it was called Okhaburi (city in the swamp), and then finally Phichit (beautiful city).

The lands situated in the present-day Phitsanulok Province were inhabited since the stone age, although the neolithic inhabitants of the region are not likely to have been the ancestors of the modern Thai people who reside there today. The earliest historical records relating to what is now Phitsanulok Province indicates that at a time prior to or during the 11th century, the present-day city of Phitsanulok was but a small strategic Khmer outpost known as Song Khwae. During the next century, in 1188, Nakhon Thai, located near the center of the present Phitsanulok Province, was established as the capital city of the Singhanavati Kingdom, an early city-state of Thailand. Later, during Thailand's Sukhothai Period, the city of Phitsanulok emerged as a major city in the east of the Sukhothai Kingdom, and the great temples of Wat Chula Manee, Wat Aranyik and Wat Chedi Yod Thong were constructed. In 1357, the renowned Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat was erected, and the Ayutthaya Period witnessed the construction of several of the province's other chief temples. Phitsanulok served for 25 years as the capital city of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. In 1555, King Naresuan the Great was born in the city of Phitsanulok. Naresuan played a significant role in the history of Thailand, as he expanded the kingdom (then called Siam) to its greatest territorial extent, by conquering sizable portions of modern day Burma and Cambodia. In recent times, Phitsanulok Province has become an important agricultural center, part of the Bread Basket of Thailand, providing rice and other crops to consumers in Thailand and throughout the world.

The history of Phrae dates back to the Haripunchai kingdom of the Mon. It became part of the Lannathai kingdom in 1443, when King Tilokaraj was on an expedition to capture Nan.

Ayutthaya was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong. It was the capital of Thailand (then called Siam) for 417 years from 1350 until it was sacked by the Burmese army in 1767. During this era, now usually referred as the Ayutthaya period or Ayutthaya kingdom, Ayutthaya was ruled by 33 kings of 5 different dynasties. The Kingdom became a major regional player, and a trade center of the East, a meeting point of European merchants and Asian traders. Notable monarchs during the Ayutthaya period include King Naresuan the Great, who liberated Ayutthaya from the first Burmese occupation and embarked on a reign of conquest, and King Narai the Great, who initiated diplomatic relations with the France, during the reign of Louis XIV. His reign was the golden age of trade and culture. The city was positioned in a strategic position. During several months of the year, the flood plains around the cities would be flooded by the many rivers around the city. Enemy sieges were thus impossible, and forced to withdraw. This advantage was a contributing factor in the many failed Burmese invasions.

Phuket, which is approximately the size of Singapore, is Thailand’s largest island. The island is connected to mainland Thailand by two bridges. It is situated off the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber, and enjoyed a rich and colorful history. The island was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traders.

Prachin Buri is divided into two major parts, the low river valley of the Prachin Buri River, and the higher lands with plateaus and mountains of the Sankambeng Range, the southern prolongation of the Dong Phaya Yen mountains. In those areas are also two national parks, Khao Yai and the Tab Larn National Park.

Prachuap Khiri Khan is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Phetchaburi in the north and Chumphon in the south. To the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar. Prachuap Khiri Khan, or commonly referred to as simply Prachup, is a province located in the lower central region 93km south of Hua Hin. While much smaller and quieter than Hua Hin, Prachuap is actually the provincial capital of the same-named province. It connects with the South of Thailand and possesses various interesting tourist attractions such as beaches, islands, forests and mountains.

Ranong is located on the Kra Isthmus, the narrow strip that connects mainland Thailand with the Malay Peninsula, on the west side of the Phuket mountain range. It has a long coast on the Andaman Sea. The province is known for having the most rainfall of all Thailand, the rainy season lasting for about eight months. In 1955 the annual rainfall reached 6,699.5 mm, compared to about 1,200 in central Thailand. The province is the least populated province of Thailand; 80% of the area is covered by forests, and 67% is mountainous terrain. Historically the major industry was tin mining, but most mines are now exhausted. White clay mining for the production of porcelain and fishing are the main industries today, together with rubber and cashew nut farming.

Ratchaburi is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram and Phetchaburi. In the west it borders Tanintharyi Division of Myanmar. Ratchaburi means, "The land of the king." The province is full of cultural heritage, beautiful places, and historical sites. Ratchaburi covers 5200 square kilometers. It is located 80 kilometers west of Bangkok and borders Burma to the west with the Tanaosi range as a borderline. It has Mea Klong River through the center of town.

Rayong's neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Chon Buri and Chanthaburi. To the south is the Gulf of Thailand. Although the north is hilly, the province consists mostly of low coastal plains. Several islands in the Gulf of Thailand belong to the province, including the popular tourist destinations, Ko Samet, Ko Mun and Ko Kodi.

Roi Et is located in the North-East of Thailand. Neighboring Provinces are (from north clockwise) Kalasin, Mukdahan, Yasothon, Sisaket, Surin and Maha Sarakham. The Name Roi Et translates to 101, which refers to the original 11 satellite cities around the main city as well as the 11 city gates. To express the importance of the city the number was exaggerated.

Sakon Nakhon is located on the Khorat Plateau, not far from the river Mekong. The Nong Han lake - the biggest natural lake of North-East Thailand - near the city Sakon Nakhon is a popular resort of the local people. The Phu Phan Mountains delimit the province to the south.

Samut Prakan is located at the mouth of the Chao Phraya river to the Gulf of Thailand. The part of the province located on the western side of the river consists mostly of rice and prawn fields as well as mangrove forests, while the east part is the urban center with industrial factories.

Samut Sakhon is located at the mouth of the Tha Chin Klong river, a distributary of the Chao Phraya river, to the Gulf of Thailand. At the coast to the sea are many fields used for sea salt production.

Samut Songkhram is located at the mouth of the Mae Klong river to the Gulf of Thailand. With several canals the water of the river is spread through the province for irrigation. At the coast are many lakes for producing sea salt. The sandbar Don Hoi Lot at the mouth of the river is famous for its endemic shell population of Solen regularis.

Saraburi is one of the central provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Lopburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Nayok, Pathum Thani and Ayutthaya. Saraburi has been an important town since ancient times. It is believed to have been constructed in the year 1548 during the reign of King Maha Chakkraphat of Ayutthaya as a centre for recruiting troops.

Satun is located on the Malay Peninsula, on the shore of the Andaman Sea. It is separated from Songkhla Province by the Nakhon Si Thammarat mountain range, and from Malaysia by the Sankalakhiri mountains. The Ko Tarutao and Ko Phetra marine national parks are part of the province. Close to the border with Malaysia is the Thale Ban National Park, a big freshwater swamp area.

Sa Kaeo became a province in 1993, when the six districts Sa Kaeo, Khlong Hat, Wang Nam Yen, Aranya Prathet, Ta Phraya and Watthana Nakhon of Prachin Buri were elevated to provincial status. It is thus one of the three youngest provinces of Thailand, together with Amnat Charoen and Nong Bua Lam Phu.

The area of Singburi hold an important position in early Thai history since Dvaravati period down to Ayutthaya period. Formerly the province separated into 3 small provinces - In Buri, Prom Buri and Sing Buri - which were unified by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1895.

The many Khmer ruins found in Sisaket show it must have been important to the Khmer empire at least by the 12th century, although probably sparsely populated. According to local tradition, it was known Sri Nakorn Lamduan. It was later called Khukhan, after a town built in the late 15th century A.D. during the reign of the King Boromaratcha III of Ayutthaya. Ethnic Laos settled the northern portion of the province, and in 1786 the town Sisaket was formed, subject to Khukhan. In 1904, Sisaket was renamed Khukhan, while the original town was designated Huai Nua. Monthon Udon Thani was created in 1912, assuming the administration of the most of area. In 1933 the monthon system was ended, and the province of Khukhan was directly administrated from Bangkok. The name of the town and province was restored to Sisaket in 1938, with the district containing Huai Nua being called Khukhan. The Rasi Salai Dam built here in 1994 was unofficially decommissioned in July 2000 following devastation of local farming villages.

Songkhla is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Satun, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani and Yala. To the south it borders Kedah and Perlis of Malaysia. In contrast to most other provinces, the capital Songkhla is not the largest city in the province. The much newer city of Hat Yai, with a population of 359,813, is considerably larger, with twice the population of Songkhla (163,072). This often leads to the misconception that Hat Yai is the provincial capital.

Sukhothai, meaning the Dawn of Happiness, was a town founded in the 13th century on the fringe of the Khmer empire. The exact year is unknown, but according to the Fine Arts Office it was between 1238 and 1257. Founded by Phokhun Si Intharathit, it was the first truly independent Thai (Siamese) Kingdom after defeating the Khmers. Sukhothai enjoyed a golden age under their third king, King Ramkhamhaeng, who was credited with creating the Khmer-derived Thai alphabet which is essentially the same as that in use today. He also laid the foundation for politics, the monarchy and religion, as well as expanding its boundary of influence. Sukhothai was later ruled by many kings. The province is most famous for the historic city of Sukhothai, the capital of the Sukhothai kingdom. It is located about 12 km from the modern New Sukhothai city. Not far from Sukhothai are the Si Satchanalai historical park and the Kamphaeng Phet Historical Park. Both were cities within the former Sukhothai kingdom and of the same time period. The province was at first known as Sawankhalok; it was renamed to Sukhothai in 1939.

Suphan Buri might be the site of the legendary Suvarnabhumi, which is mentioned in very old Buddhist writings. However the first confirmed historical settlement was in the Dvaravati period, when the city was known as Mueang Thawarawadi Si Suphannaphumi. Its founding did take place 877-882. Later it was called U Thong, and was the home city of Prince U Thong, the founder of the Ayutthaya kingdom. King Khun Luang Pha Ngua finally gave it the current name. Suphan Buri was an important border city, and also the location of several battles with the neighboring Burmese.

The area of Surat Thani was already inhabited in prehistoric times by Semang and Malayan tribes. Founded in the 3rd century, until the 13th century the Srivijaya kingdom dominated the Malay Peninsula. The city Chaiya contains several ruins from Srivijaya times, and was probably a regional capital of the kingdom. Some Thai historians even claim that it was the capital of the kingdom itself for some time, but this is generally disputed. Wiang Sa was another main settlement of that time. After the fall of the Srivijaya it was divided into the cities (Mueang) Chaiya, Thatong (now Kanchanadit) and Khirirat Nikhom. While Chaiya was administrated directly from the capital, Thatong and Khirirat were controlled by the Nakhon Si Thammarat kingdom. In 1899 they were merged into one province named Chaiya. In 1915 also the court of the Monthon Chumphon was moved to Bandon, which received its new name Surat Thani on July 29, 1915 during a visit of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI). The monthon was renamed to Surat accordingly. In 1926 it was abolished and incorporated into monthon Nakhon Si Thammarat. In 1933 the monthon was dissolved, so the province became the first level administrative subdivision. The provincial administration was at first located in a building in Tha Kham (Amphoe Phunphin). It was moved to the city of Surat Thani directly at the shore of the Tapi river in World War II, but when the Japanese invaded Thailand on December 8, 1941 and landed in Surat Thani as well, the building caught fire during the short battle and burned down. It was reopened in 1954. On March 19, 1982 it was destroyed again by a bomb planted by communist rebels, killing 5 people. A new building was built in the south of the city, the former site of the provincial hall is now the city pillar shrine (Lak Mueang).

In the north of Surin is the valley of the Mun river, a tributary of the Mekong. To the south of the province is the Dongrek mountain chain, which also forms the boundary to Cambodia. The central and northern parts of the province are undulating flood plains.

Tak was a historical kingdom built over 2,000 years ago, even before the Sukhothai period. The ancient kingdom had its peak around the 1st century. By the 5th century the capital of this kingdom was moved south to Lavo (present day Lopburi Province). A city named Ban Tak was established by Jamadevi, princess of the Lavo kingdom, around 663 AD. It became part of the Sukhothai kingdom through battles led by Ramkhamhaeng the Great and formed the main fortress on the western front. The city was moved further west and renamed Mueang Rahang when the Ayuthaya kingdom was lost to Burma during King Maha Thammaracha's reign. The city was moved back to the east side of the Ping River during the early Bangkok period.

Trang used to be a port involved in foreign trade. It was the first city where rubber was planted. Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi brought rubber from Malaysia and planted it here before anywhere else in southern Thailand in 1899. Rubber is now considered an important commodity of Thailand. The important Trang River flows through the province from its origin in the Khao Luang mountain range and the Palian River from the Banthat mountain range.