Regional Importance
Khon Kaen is a regional center for education, financial institutions, government offices and transportation. The city is also an industrial center, especially for the region's silk trade, as well as an agricultural hub. Khon Kaen has played host to a number of regional conferences, such as the Asean Regional Forum and United Nations meetings. The Lao People's Democratic Republic maintains the office of Consulate-General on Phothisan Road.
Presently Khon Kaen is one of the major cities under Thailand's National Economic and Social Plan, along with Chiang Mai, Songkhla, Nakhon Ratchasima and Chonburi. It is also the home of Rajamangala University and Khon Kaen University—the largest university in the Northeast, with a student population of around 25,000.
Strategically important for the Isan region's infrastructure, Khon Kaen Airport was raised to international standards in 2005, with the opening of a new terminal. However, despite efforts to expand services, as of April, 2010, only two airlines use the airport. Thai Airways operate three flights a day to Bangkok with an Airbus, and Nok Air run a twice weekly service to Chiang Mai using an ATR turboprop.
The city is bisected by Mithraphap Road, also known as 'Friendship Highway', or 'Highway 2', the road linking Bangkok to the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge. A modern, multi-lane by-pass enables through-traffic to avoid the city centre to the west, and connects to the airport and to the main roads to Kalasin and Mahasarakham in the east, and Udon Thani in the north.
The city can be easily navigated by driving along either of the two north-south main roads—Na Muang and Klang Muang, which are located east and parallel to the Friendship Highway. In addition, there are two main east-west roads—Srichan Road and Prachasamosorn Road—leading east to the city of Kalasin, and West to the airport, as well as to other small villages.
| Climate data for Khon Kaen (1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.3 (86.5) |
32.7 (90.9) |
35.2 (95.4) |
36.4 (97.5) |
34.5 (94.1) |
33.2 (91.8) |
32.7 (90.9) |
32.0 (89.6) |
31.6 (88.9) |
31.4 (88.5) |
30.7 (87.3) |
29.7 (85.5) |
32.53 (90.56) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 22.8 (73.0) |
25.5 (77.9) |
28.4 (83.1) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.0 (84.2) |
28.5 (83.3) |
28.0 (82.4) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.0 (80.6) |
26.4 (79.5) |
24.7 (76.5) |
22.6 (72.7) |
26.69 (80.05) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 16.2 (61.2) |
19.3 (66.7) |
22.3 (72.1) |
24.5 (76.1) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.8 (76.6) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.2 (75.6) |
23.7 (74.7) |
22.5 (72.5) |
19.6 (67.3) |
16.4 (61.5) |
21.89 (71.41) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 4.4 (0.173) |
14.7 (0.579) |
34.7 (1.366) |
66.4 (2.614) |
173.6 (6.835) |
179.5 (7.067) |
165.8 (6.528) |
196.0 (7.717) |
246.1 (9.689) |
107.3 (4.224) |
55.8 (2.197) |
3.3 (0.13) |
1,247.6 (49.118) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 108 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 279.0 | 248.6 | 251.1 | 252.0 | 238.7 | 180.0 | 182.9 | 164.3 | 171.0 | 232.5 | 255.0 | 266.6 | 2,721.7 |
| Source: Hong Kong Observatory. | |||||||||||||
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