Prasat Ban Pluang

Prasat Ban Pluang is a well-preserved 11th-century Khmer Hindu temple located in Ban Pluang village, Kang Aen Subdistrict, Prasat District, Surin Province, northeastern Thailand. Built of laterite and sandstone in Baphuon style, it consists of a single prang with an antechamber facing east. It is notable for its exquisite sandstone lintels and pediments, particularly the lintel depicting Indra on Erawan, and is maintained as an archaeological site by the Fine Arts Department.

Visitors can expect a compact, tranquil archaeological site set in a village environment with a single laterite prang and sandstone doorway, lintels and pediments. The sanctuary is surrounded by a laterite enclosure wall and moat traces, with open grassy grounds and mature trees. Inside the compound visitors can view detailed carvings, the eastern gopura entrance, and information panels explaining Khmer art and history. The site is quiet, uncrowded, and suitable for close observation and photography of classical Khmer architecture.

Built in the 11th century during the Khmer Empire, attributed to the Baphuon period under Suryavarman I, as a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva. Constructed of laterite with sandstone decorative elements, it was part of the network of Khmer sanctuaries along ancient routes in present-day Isan. Registered as an ancient monument by the Fine Arts Department, it exemplifies Angkorian architectural and artistic traditions in northeastern Thailand.

Represents the spread of Khmer Hindu culture and Angkorian art in Isan. The lintels and pediments depicting Hindu deities such as Indra and Krishna are important examples of Khmer iconography studied for religious and artistic heritage. The site is valued locally as a cultural landmark and for educational tourism about the region's Khmer past.