Isan (Issan, Isaan, or Isarn) spreads across 20 provinces in the North-East of Thailand, and is bordered by Laos and Cambodia. It’s both the largest and least known region of Thailand.
A third of the Thai people live in the Isan region and the main language is Isan, which is a dialect of the Lao language, but written in the Thai alphabet.
It’s also Thailand’s poorest region. The main economic activity is agriculture. Tourism is scarce. Forty percent of the Isan population is concentrated in the provinces of Khorat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, and Khon Kaen, which are also known as “the big 4 of Isan”.
Thai Massage schools and courses (accessible for Non-Thai) are rarely to be found in the region. Below an overview of what we’ve encountered.