Isan

Northeast Thailand or Isan (Isan/, ; ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pāli ''isāna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 provinces in northeastern Thailand. Isan is Thailand's largest region, on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River (along the Laos–Thailand border) to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Sankamphaeng Range south of Nakhon Ratchasima. To the west it is separated from northern and central Thailand by the Phetchabun Mountains. Isan covers , making it about half the size of Germany and roughly the size of England and Wales. The total forest area is or 15 percent of Isan's area.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, northeastern Thailand has been generally known as ''Isan'', while in official contexts the term ''phak tawan-ok-chiang-nuea'' (; "northeastern region") may be used. The majority population of the Isan region is ethnically Lao, but distinguish themselves not only from the Lao of Laos but also from the Central Thai by calling themselves ''khon Isan'' or ''Thai Isan'' in general. But some refer to themselves as simply ''Lao'', and academics have recently been referring to them as ''Lao Isan'' or as ''Thai Lao'', with the main issue with self-identification as ''Lao'' being stigma associated with the Lao identity in Thai society.

The ''Lao Isan'' people are aware of their Lao ethnic origin, but Isan has been incorporated as a territory into the modern Thai state through over 100 years of administrative and bureaucratic reforms, educational policy, and government media. Despite this, since the election of Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister in the 2001 Thai general election, the ''Lao Isan'' identity has reemerged, and the ''Lao Isan'' are now the main ethnolinguistic group involved in the pro-Thaksin "Red Shirt movement" of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship. Several Thai prime ministers have come from the region. Provided by Wikipedia