page_title: Phimai District
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Phimai District / History
caption_attribution_description: The Phimai historical park protects one of the most important Khmer temples of Thailand. It is located in the town of Phimai, Nakhon Ratchasima province. The temple marks one end of the Ancient Khmer Highway from Angkor. As the enclosed area of 1020x580m is comparable with that of Angkor Wat, Phimai must have been an important city in the Khmer empire. Most buildings are from the late 11th to the late 12th century, built in the Baphuon, Bayon and Angkor Wat style. However, even though the Khmer at that time were Hindu, the temple was built as a Buddhist temple, as Buddhism in the Khorat area dated back to the 7th century. (From Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phimai_historical_park)
context_page_description: Phimai is a district in the northeastern part of Nakhon Ratchasima Province, northeastern Thailand.
context_section_description: Phimai was an ancient Khmer city named Vimai or Vimayapura. A stone pillar dating to the reign of King Suryavarman I was found, naming the city Bhirapura meaning 'strong city'. Phimai was the important city ever since, both during Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin times.
  Mueang Phimai District was established in 1900. Khun Khachit Sarakam (ขุนขจิตสารกรรม) was the first governor.
  Queen Mother Sriphatcharindra (Saovabha) visited Prasat Phimai and Sai Ngam (ficus forest) in 1911. The government officers and people renovated the city for the royal visit, and named six roads to commemorate the event.
  In 1940 the government renamed the district by eliminating the word mueang.
caption: Prasat Hin Phimai
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