Directions

Words you will need for traveling:

• Si Khio:  Si Khiu on roadsigns, Si Khio on Google.  (pronounced See Kieu, or like the letters CQ). This is the nearest town to us (about 30 km) and you will ask for bus or train tickets to this town, but make sure it is on the way to Korat, (Nakhon Ratchasima), because there are other places in Thailand that sound like Si Khiu
• Korat: This is the largest city next to us (about 1 hour away). Ticketing offices may ask if you mean the Si Khio near Korat.
• Nakhon Ratchasima: This is the province where we are located (as well as Si Khio). Korat is the capitol of this province. Ticketing offices may ask if you are traveling to this province.

Directions from Bangkok to Si Khio:

1. Go to the Mo Chit bus station (the north bus station). You can take the skytrain or any taxi in town to get there. If you take the skytrain then when you exit at the Mo Chit terminal for the skytrain you are still a couple of km away from the Mo Chit bus station. So just jump in a taxi at the base of the skytrain terminal and take it to the Mo Chit bus station.
2. The ticket window for buses going to the Issan region of Thailand (the North East) is on the 3rd floor of the bus station. The taxi may have dropped you off at that level especially if the driver asked where you were going, otherwise you can take the elevator to the 3rd floor.
3. Ticket windows 40, 49, 50, 52 or 53 all sell tickets to Si Khio. the ticket for the express bus is just over 200 Baht.  If you find a cheaper price, be ready for a slower trip, as it will stop more often. There will be many people around directing (clueless) travelers, just tell them you want to go to Korat and they will direct you to the correct window. Be sure and buy a ticket to Si Khio, not Korat.
4. Once you have purchased your ticket they should then direct you to bus stop number 70 (this may change though) and tell you how long it will be until the bus leaves. They generally leave every 30 minutes.  It will be a 2.5-3.5 hours with the more expensive bus, but up to 5 hours with a cheaper ticket.  One major benefit of paying a bit more is that there will be a toilet!
5. People will direct you to the correct bus if you show them your ticket. once down the stairs, just say ‘Si Khio’ and they will load any bigger luggage under the bus. Ask the driver’s assistant to tell you when you arrive at Si Khio, which he/she will probably do anyway, as you will most likely be the only tourist on the bus, and they generally are very thoughtful and helpful, but best to ask anyway, just in case they forget.

Directions from Chiang Mai to Si Khio:

You can get to Bangkok from Chiang Mai via an overnight train which is very lovely, though slow, or a bus, which is also nice (especially the VIP bus), then follow the directions from Bangkok (above). A better option is for you to get an overnight bus straight from Chaing Mai to our closest town, Si Khio, which arrives around 8am here. Our farm is 30min from Si Khio. Either way, it’s very easy and only the train really needs to be booked in advance.

Directions from Si Khio to the Farm

Map to Rak Tamachat from Si Khio

There are a few ways to get to the farm when you arrive in Si Khio. Both the bus and the Train station have sidecars (motorbikes with a cart attached to it) and small song tao’s (trucks with seats in the back for passengers). Either of these will take you to the farm for 100-200Baht per person, depending on how many people you are. The sidecars are recommended if you are on your own or only 2 people.

There are also large, 20 passenger Song Tao’s that make the trip from Si Khio to Hua Takaeng Thai, the village near our farm, or maybe the second closest village of Nong Bua Noi. They will cost 30Baht or less.

Sorry it’s a little confusing, but it should all work out! If you end up getting dropped off in Nong Bua Noi, there should be a sidecar to take you to our farm for 50 Baht.

Directions by car or bike:

The name of the farm is Rak Tamachat, but if your asking people in the local area for directions they’ll probably understand you better if you say “Farm Farang”. The nearest villages to the farm are “Hua takaeng dai”, which is only half a kilometer or so from the farm, or Nong Bua Noi, which is about 4 km away.

So you want to get to Hwy2 the main Hwy between Korat (Nakhon Ratchasima) and Bangkok. Go through Korat heading towards Bangkok and continue for about 47km. untill you arrive in Si khio (pronounced Si Khio), go past Si Khio for about 2 km and then exit Hwy 2 following the signs to Chaiyaphum, Hwy 201.

• Head north on Hwy 201 toward Chaiyaphum (at this point ignore signs to Si Khio)

• Stay straight on Hwy 201 for 15.8 Km

• Watch for a yellow “cow crossing” sign on the left and just after on the right is a double blue sign in Thai. Turn at this road. There will be a large archway over the road saying welcome to Nong Bua Noi.

• There is also a red roofed bus stop at this turn (but it is difficult to see until you are right there).
• Continue on this road. After 1.2 kilometers you enter a village. Stay straight through the village.
  
• The road curves you to the right near a temple.
• When you come to a T in the road, take a left
• This road will wind you around and turn into a dirt road after a while
• In about 4 km you will hit another T in the road. Go right.
• In 0.3 km, turn left into the gate of Panya Si Khio. You should see a road with
  
• trees planted to flank both sides.

Map to Rak Tamachat from Si Khio

Here is a GoogleEarth image of how to get to the farm using the most paved roads:

Travel Safely!