Ancient tuskers in Nakhon Ratchasima

Posted by paul on January 7th, 2009 filed in Culture & customs, Top attractions, Travel destinations, Up Country

Elephants do not get any more venerable than the ancient beasts which cavort with dinosaurs in Nakhon Ratchasima. Inside the Rajabhat University’s museum there’s an elephant that has been waiting to see visitors for 16 million years. You truly should not disappoint him. Boasting Bt160-million triplet of museums, the Northeastern Research Institute of Petrified Wood and Mineral Resources has re-opened after three months of renovations, and they are much better now, particular thanks to some multi-media miracles.

Today this facility features Asia’s largest fossil museums. The dinosaur bones blend with gigantic pieces of petrified wood, all “natives” of Thailand’s north eastern region. One of the only seven in the world and Asia’s only one, the elephant-fossil museum offers fascinating display areas, such as the one for petrified wood, which houses a specimen that is 1.75 metres long, and 16 million years-old elephant fossils and impressing wood opals.

Up to 10 metres long, here you also can see the largest fossils of carnivorous dinosaurs ever found in the country. The petrifying new additions feature a 360-degree video animation showing battling dinosaurs along with moving models of these huge creatures.

The museum expects to welcome 150,000 visitors annually. For the next two or three months, you can still visit for free!

Nakhon Ratchasima tourist guide