Khon Kaen 2.32

Khon Kaen is one of the four major cities of Isan, Thailand, also known as the "big four of Isan", the others being Udon Thani, Khorat, and Ubon Ratchathani. It is the capital of Khon Kaen Province and the Khon Kaen District. Khon Kaen lies 450km north-northeast of Bangkok.Geography and demographyKhon Kaen is on the Khorat Plateau, and is the center of the mid-northeastern provincial group of Thailand, according to the Thai government. Its geographical location is. The city has a population of 113,754.Regional importanceKhon Kaen is a regional center for education, financial institutions, government offices, and transportation in the northeastern region. The city is also an industrial center, especially for the region's silk trade, as well as an agricultural area. Khon Kaen has played host to a number of regional conferences, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and United Nations meetings. The Lao People's Democratic Republic maintains the office of Consulate-General on Phothisan Road.Khon Kaen has ever been one of the major cities in Thailand's National Economic and Social Development Plan, along with Chiang Mai, Songkhla, Nakhon Ratchasima, and Chonburi. It is home to the campuses of Rajamangala University and Khon Kaen University, the largest university in the northeast, with a student population of around 25,000.