The development of Khorat dates from the Vietnam War, when American troops came to live here. For modern-day visitors to what is one of Thailand’s biggest cities after Bangkok, with a population of around 200 000 inhabitants, it has the advantage of offering a full range of services and accommodation for tourists on their route eastwards to admire the treasures of the Khmer Empire. You may also wish to visit the Maha Wirawong National Museum, which displays items discovered during archaeological excavations of Khmer sites in the region, or the astonishing Wat Sala Loi, built in 1973.