Roi Et Province Guide: History, Towns and Local Products
Roi Et sits in the middle of Isan, on the flat plains that stretch towards the Mun River. Its name means 'one hundred and one', and its town is built around a lake, Bueng Phlan Chai, with an island temple at its centre.
This guide looks at the meaning of that name, the Khmer ruins and modern monuments of the province, its twenty districts and the jasmine rice and khaen it is known for across Thailand. Makers based here will find a few ideas on selling further afield, too.
Roi Et
Jasmine Rice, the Khaen and a Giant Chedi
A heartland of Isan whose plains grow some of the world's finest jasmine rice and whose villages make the khaen, the sound of the North-East.
By the SnapSellGo Thailand Desk · Updated September 2026 · 8 min read
Made in Roi Et
The things Roi Et is proud of. Shops from the province are on their way.
Nothing on these cards is for sale yet: they present Roi Et specialities until real listings arrive.
Why Roi Et is the heart of Isan rice and music
In the south of the province lies part of Thung Kula Ronghai, a vast, once arid plain that now grows Hom Mali jasmine rice, prized for its fragrance and protected as a geographical indication. Roi Et also has Khmer remains such as Ku Ka Sing, and modern landmarks such as Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol, a giant white chedi on a hill in Nong Phok district.
The province is just as famous for music. The khaen, a bamboo mouth organ that is the sound of Isan folk music, is made by craftsmen in villages such as Ban Si Kaeo. Every spring, Bun Phawet, the merit-making festival of the Vessantara story, fills the town with processions.
Thung Kula Ronghai
A plain famous for Hom Mali jasmine rice.
Chedi Chai Mongkol
A giant white chedi on a hill in Nong Phok.
The khaen
Isan's bamboo mouth organ, made in local villages.
Bueng Phlan Chai
The lake at the heart of the town.
How Roi Et came to be
Roi Et's story runs from Khmer outposts to a modern town built around its lake.
- 11th centuryKhmer sanctuaries such as Ku Ka Sing are built on the plain.
- 18th centuryRoi Et is re-established as a town by Lao settlers.
- 20th centuryIrrigation and farming turn Thung Kula Ronghai into prime jasmine rice land.
- TodayHom Mali rice from Thung Kula Ronghai is protected as a geographical indication.
Twenty districts on the Isan plain
Roi Et has 20 districts and about 1.3 million residents. These are the ones visitors and buyers meet first.
| District | What you find there |
|---|---|
| Mueang Roi Et | Bueng Phlan Chai, Wat Burapha's standing Buddha and the town markets. |
| Nong Phok | Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol on its hill. |
| Kaset Wisai | Ku Ka Sing and the jasmine rice plains. |
| Suwannaphum | Rice fields of Thung Kula Ronghai. |
| Selaphum | Khaen makers in villages such as Ban Si Kaeo. |
Dates to plan a trip around
Roi Et's year follows the rice and the temples. Here are the key moments.
Made in Roi Et: OTOP and local specialities
Under OTOP, every product is linked to the sub-district where it is made, and Roi Et's pride is Hom Mali jasmine rice from Thung Kula Ronghai, sold in sacks and gift packs across Thailand.
Its villages also make khaen mouth organs from bamboo, weave silk and cotton, and produce Isan preserves sold in the town markets.
The carousel at the top of this guide shows live products from Roi Et producers as they go online, and makers keep all of every sale.
Short on time? Bueng Phlan Chai, then the standing Buddha of Wat Burapha. Into big monuments? Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol. Visiting in spring? Bun Phawet. Buying local? A sack of Thung Kula Ronghai jasmine rice.
Frequently asked questions
What does Roi Et mean?
It means 'one hundred and one' in Thai. One explanation is that the old town had eleven gates, a number later read as 101.
What is Thung Kula Ronghai?
A large plain in southern Roi Et and neighbouring provinces, famous for Hom Mali jasmine rice, which is protected as a geographical indication.
What is a khaen?
A mouth organ made of bamboo pipes, the signature instrument of Isan folk music. Villages in Roi Et such as Ban Si Kaeo are known for making it.
What is Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol?
A very large white chedi on a hill in Nong Phok district, one of the province's best-known landmarks.
Sources: Wikipedia entries for Roi Et province, Bueng Phlan Chai, Thung Kula Ronghai, Hom Mali rice, the khaen, Ku Ka Sing and Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol. Dates of Buddhist and lunar festivals shift every year. Cover photo: Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkol by Pawyilee, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.