Sa Kamphaeng Noi Khmer Ruins

A single sandstone tower, about 11 metres tall, stands within the grounds of Wat Sa Kamphaeng Noi in Khayung subdistrict, Uthumphon Phisai district - built as an arokayasala, a hospital chapel, one of 102 that Khmer king Jayavarman VII commissioned across his realm in the early 13th century. It’s free to enter, open daily 08:00-16:00, and sits beside Highway 226 between Si Sa Ket town and Uthumphon Phisai.

The layout follows the standard arokayasala plan: a rectangular sanctuary tower with its entrance facing east, connected to a small chapel (bannalai) and enclosed by a low wall and gateway, with a stone-lined reservoir set apart from the main structure. That reservoir isn’t just a ruin - its water has reportedly been drawn for Thai royal ceremonies, including coronations, since 1953, a continuity of use that most Isan Khmer sites don’t have. The tower itself is built from rectangular sandstone blocks rather than the brick-and-sandstone combination used at nearby Sa Kamphaeng Yai, giving it a heavier, more monolithic look despite being the smaller of the two sites.

Because it’s a single tower rather than a multi-prang complex, Sa Kamphaeng Noi reads more like a shrine than a temple city - there’s less to walk around than at Si Sa Ket’s larger Khmer ruins, and most visits are a short stop rather than a half-day excursion. It sits inside an active wat compound, so expect the usual signs of ongoing worship: incense, flowers, and occasional monks or local visitors, layered onto the 800-year-old structure.

Watch out: Don’t confuse this with Sa Kamphaeng Yai - both sites are in Uthumphon Phisai district and the names are near-identical, but they’re different subdistricts, different builds (single tower versus three brick prangs), and different eras.

For the province’s other Khmer sites, Sa Kamphaeng Yai Khmer Ruins is a short drive away in the same district, and Prang Ku Khmer Ruins is a further option if you’re touring Si Sa Ket’s Khmer heritage in one trip.