Far from finished, the Phra Maha Chedi Chai Mongkhon is already a sight to behold. At its heart is a gleaming white chedi rising a symbolic 101m, making it one of the tallest in Thailand. It's encircled by a 101m-wide building and sits on 101 râi (16 hectares) of land. Inside is a riot of gold paint and mirrored tiles, and, depending on your tastes, it's either beautiful or gaudy; but either way you're sure to love it. The chedi sits atop a mountain that's sometimes called Isan Buddhist Park . Another 8km down the forest-clad road from the chedi is the Northeast Botany in Literature Park , a quiet botanical garden featuring plants mentioned in important Thai stories. Two kilometres further on is Pha Mok Mi Wai cliff, which is a viewpoint for the sea of fog that forms most mornings during the cool season.
The chedi is 80km northwest of Roi Et city near Nong Phok. It's a pain to get there without your own wheels. From Roi Et take a sŏrng·tăa·ou to Phon Thong (40B, one hour, every half-hour) and then catch one of the Khon Kaen-Amnat Charoen buses to Ъrà·đoo kong (Kong Gate) in Ban Tha Saat (25B, 30 minutes, hourly). Then it's 5km uphill. Hitching is usually easy.
