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Village of the Little Tamarind
Ban Kham Pia means “Village of the Little Tamarind”. It borders the Pu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary on the Mekong River, east of Nongkhai Thailand. Eighty percent of the population consists of farmers. It has maintained much of its original character due to its isolation and lack of people moving into or out of the village. Very few westerners are seen here, yet there are many interesting things to do in one place.

You can walk around the village and see people going about their daily tasks such as weaving baskets, mending fishing nets, weaving cloth or pounding rice in the traditional way. As villagers meet you will hear the cry “pai yang” – “Where are you going?” They speak Lao here or Isan as it is called in Thailand. But in Ban Kham Pia and one neighbouring village, the language is spoken slightly differently from the rest of Thailand or Laos. This shows how stable the population has been here.

A good Home Stay or Bed and Breakfast service is available. You can stay in a traditional Thai wooden homestead or something more modern if you wish. Accommodation is simple and clean, Thai style. You may see your host going about their daily tasks such as weaving cloth, cooking meals Thai style or just enjoying life. “Jai yen yen” is the phrase used here. It literally means cool, cool heart which to Thai’s means “peaceful and calm heart”.

But this is also the closest village to the Phu Wua Wildlife Sanctuary with easy access to the many attractions here. Everything can be organized for you at the Visitors Centre near the middle of the village. Guides and transportation are available. Some of the attractions here are Wat Phu Tok, The Elephant Watching Tree House, Treks into the Sanctuary, Hook Cave or Jan Tom Cave where you can spend the night if you wish, a Forest Temple, a Traditional Thai Homestead which is also used as a B & B, numerous Waterfalls that can be reached by trekking or more easily near the park entrances, and much, much more.