Udon Thani Province is located in the north of the Khorat Plateau and is located 564 kilometers from Bangkok, between the provinces of Khon Kaen to its south and Nong Khai to its north. The city of Udon Thani, its capital.

Formerly known as Ban Mak-kaeng, Udon Thani was first settled as a military base led by Prince Prachak to crack down on minority uprising in then north eastern state of Lao Puan. Ban Mak-kaeng has evolved from a rural city eventually into what is known as the present-day Udon Thani, literally the northern city.

The province is most famous for the archaeological site Ban Chiang with its remains of the Bronze age, located in what is now a village about 50 Kls east of Udon.

In recent years the province has received international attention due to the discovery of a large potash deposit in the area and some anticipate that the region will become a major exporter of the mineral.

Udon Thani today, is a thriving town with many multi national retailers opening branches in and around the city, along with a good selection of eating establishments catering for all tastes.