Prasat Sikhoraphum

Prasat Sikhoraphum is a 12th-century Khmer temple complex located in Ra-ngaeng Subdistrict, Sikhoraphum District, Surin Province, northeastern Thailand. It is notable for its five sandstone and brick prangs standing on a single laterite base, a rare architectural layout in Thailand. Originally a Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva and later used as a Buddhist temple, it features intricate carvings, lintels and is one of Surin's most significant and best-preserved Khmer monuments.

Visitors can expect a compact, well-preserved Khmer temple compound set on flat ground in the town of Sikhoraphum. The central attraction is five prangs aligned on one base, surrounded by a laterite enclosure wall, gopura entrance and grassy courtyard. Visitors can walk around the base, view sandstone lintels and carvings depicting Hindu deities, explore the interior shrine areas, read information boards, and photograph the towers from the courtyard.

Built in the 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II, Prasat Sikhoraphum was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva. It exhibits Khmer architecture transitioning from Baphuon to Angkor Wat style, constructed of brick, laterite and sandstone. Later converted for Buddhist use, it is one of the most complete and significant Khmer monuments in Surin Province and is maintained by the Fine Arts Department.

The temple represents the spread of Khmer culture and Hindu-Buddhist religious traditions in northeastern Thailand. It remains a respected religious site for local communities, featuring both Hindu iconography and later Buddhist elements, and is an important cultural landmark for understanding the region's Khmer heritage.