Isan

Isan (Isan/ ; an aa written as Isaan, Isarn, Issan, or Esarn;  īśānya "northeast") is the northeast region o Thailand.  It is locatit on the Khorat Plateau, an haes a mairch wi Laos alang the Mekong River tae the north an east, an a mairch wi Cambodie tae the sootheast an the Prachinburi mountains sooth o Nakhon Ratchasima. Tae the wast it is separatit frae Northren an Central Thailand bi the Phetchabun muntain range.

Frae the beginnin o the 20t century this region in northeastren Thailand wis offeecially named as Isan, a term adoptit frae Sanskrit Ishan that means “north east direction.” The term "Isan" wis oreeginally derived frae Isanapura, caipital o the Chenla kinrick.  The Lao-speakin fowk frae this region, who comprise a majority o the population, distinguish themselves no anerlie frae the Lao o Laos but in addition an aa the central Thai bi cawin themsels later as Khon Isan, or Thai Isan.  The Khmer an Kuy (Suai) who live in the soothren pairt o the northeast region o Thailand communicatit in leids an follae customs that are mair similar tae Cambodie than tae the tradition o either the Thai fowk or the Lao fowk.

Agricultur is the main economic activity, but due tae the socio-economic conditions an hot, dry climate, ootput lags ahint that o ither pairts o the kintra.  Isan is Thailand's poorest region.

The main leid o the region is Isan, whilk is a dialect o the Lao leid.  As a dialect o Lao, but written in the Thai alphabet, Isan is amang the Chiang Seng an Lao-Phutai leids, whilk are members o the Tai leids o the Kradai leid family. Thai is an aa spaken, wi regional accents, bi amaist awbody. Khmer (the leid o Cambodie) is widely spoken in regions near the mairch wi Cambodie (Buriram, Surin, an Sisaket). Maist o the population is o Lao oreegin, but the region's incorporation intae the modern Thai state haes been lairgely successful.

Prominent aspects o the cultur o Isan include the indigenous form o fowk muisic, cawed mor lam (), Muay Thai () boxin, cock fechtin, an celebratory processions (). Isan fuid, in whilk sticky rice (, khao niao) an chiles are prominent, is sufficiently distinct frae Thai cuisine that it is considerit unique.  Sticky rice is a staple o Thai Northeastren cuisine, an it accompanies meals frequently.

References


Category:Regions o Thailand