Khon Kaen is the commercial and political centre of Northeastern Thailand and is well known for the high-quality silk that is produced in the province. Located in the heart of Isan, Thailand’s northeast region, Khon Kaen has been one of the fastest-growing areas in Thailand. The Thai government nominated Khon Kaen as the export center for trade throughout the Indo-China Region and both Laos and Vietnam have consulates in Khon Kaen to process VISA applications. Khon Kaen also contains the largest university in the northeast, Khon Kaen University, a major centre of education and technology.