Orientation
The main road into the city is Highway 2 Mittraphap Road which originates in Saraburi and terminates in Nong Khai. The Mall, Tesco Lotus and several hotels are situated next to it. Shortly after The Mall, it bears left, goes past the main bus station and onto Khon Kaen. To the north of the city it joins up with the bypass also known - somewhat confusingly - as Highway 2.
The road network within the city is, for the most part, an American-style grid system. Therefore, once you are familiar with the place, it is easy to find your way around. But if you are new in town it can be a nightmare as every road looks the same. This is particularly the case in the moated historic centre of the city.
The moat encloses the original city - almost a perfect rectangle, one and a half kms by one km - and consists of seven main roads that run east to west: Phonsaen, Yommarat, Atsadang, Chomphon, Mahat Thai, Supphasit and Kamheng-Songkhram, and six main roads that run north to south: Chumphon not to be confused with Chomphon, Jagkree, Manat, Pratchak, Kudan and Phonlan.The English spelling of Thai words is an inexact science so don't be surprised to see variations on these spellings in different guide books, on maps and on street signs. For example, Jagkree is sometimes spelled Chakrii; Phonsaen can be Polsan; Chomphon can be Jompol; Supphasit may have no h; Atsadang may have double s and no t; Pratchak may have no t, and so on.To add to your confusion, the names of Jagkree Road and Pratchak Road change south of their intersections with Chomphon Road: to Watchara Sarit Road and Chai Narong Road respectively.
The obvious geographical reference point for travellers is the statue of Thao Suranaree or Yamo. Every tuk-tuk, motorbike taxi, songtaew and taxi driver will understand "Yamo" so you shouldn't have any problem getting there. She stands between Chumphon and Ratchadamnoen Roads. Both of these are one-way streets and from Ratchadamnoen you can catch songtaews to just about every part of the city. Ratchadamnoen ends where it meets Highway 224. Turn left onto Highway 224 and it becomes Highway 2 Mittraphap after about a kilometre. Turn right, and the 224 takes you east and then south towards Dan Kwian pottery village and Chok Chai. At Chok Chai 30 kms south of the city the 224 crosses Highway 24 which goes to Buriram, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani.
Three main roads lead off Ratchadamnoen: Chomsurangyat, Pho Klang and Suranaree. These are busy two-way thoroughfares and all three converge a kilometre and a half west of Yamo to form Mukmontri Road which leads back to Highway 2.
History
The modern-day city can trace its roots back to the late seventeenth century when King Narai of Ayutthaya ordered the construction of the city to protect the Ayutthaya Kingdom's northeastern frontier from Laotian or Khmer attack. It was just such a Laotian attack that was defeated by local heroine Thao Suranaree in 1826. She, and her army, are credited with freeing the city from King Anouvong's Laotian forces. These exploits have lifted 'Yamo' to almost god-like status in Korat. Her statue, in the centre of the city on Ratchadamnoen Road, is the most visited attraction in the city.The city continued to grow, helped by the arrival of the railway in the early twentieth century, and, today, is a typical Thai mix of chaos, pollution and tradition.