NAKHON RATCHASIMA — 24 April 2026, Archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be a centuries-old Khmer structure beneath a residential development in northeastern Thailand, prompting plans for further excavation.
The discovery, described locally as a sandstone “prasat” ruin, was made on privately owned land in Ban Mai subdistrict, Mueang district. The landowner has granted permission for officials to investigate a 27-square-wah plot.
The Fine Arts Department’s Office 10 in Nakhon Ratchasima has deployed an archaeological team to conduct careful excavations to avoid damaging artefacts. Initial findings indicate stone formations consistent with an ancient temple structure, now undergoing scientific verification.
Local residents say the site has long been regarded as sacred. Retired official Prayut Theppariwat, 76, who lives nearby, said oral histories describe the area as once containing a deep cave believed to hold valuables, with a large reservoir, or “baray”, formerly located nearby.
Another resident, 84-year-old Ranjuan Chaekoh, a former landowner, said villagers traditionally paid respects at the site before farming, believing it would bring protection and good fortune. The area was later sold and developed, and the structure was only revealed when excavation work uncovered stone remains.
The site gained wider attention after being shared on social media earlier this year, highlighting concerns that remnants of a Khmer-era monument, estimated to be 900 to 1,000 years old, risked being lost amid urban expansion.
Experts believe the structure may be linked to a larger religious complex, with evidence such as pottery fragments and what is thought to have been a large water reservoir nearby.
Officials said further excavation is planned to better understand the site’s origins and historical significance.
