Maha Sarakham province

{{Short description|Province of Thailand}}

{{Other uses|Maha Sarakham (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Maha Sarakham

| native_name = มหาสารคาม

| native_name_lang = th

| settlement_type = Province

| image_skyline = {{Photomontage|photo1a=Cultural heritage monuments at Kusuntararam Temple.jpg|photo2a=ปลายทาง@สะพานคุยเชือก - panoramio.jpg|photo2b=Mahasarakham University sign.jpg|size=280|spacing=1|color=Transparent|border=0}}

| image_size = 270

| image_caption = From top: Wat Kusuntararam, Chi River in Maha Sarakham, Mahasarakham University (MSU)

| nickname = Sarakham

| motto = พุทธมณฑลอีสาน ถิ่นฐานอารยธรรม ผ้าไหมล้ำเลอค่า ตักสิลานคร
("Phutthamonthon of Isan. Home of civilisation. Valuable silk. City of Taxila.")

| image_seal = Seal of Maha Sarakham province (colour).png

| image_flag = Flag Maha Sarakham Province.png

| image_map = Thailand Maha Sarakham locator map.svg

| mapsize = frameless

| map_alt =

| map_caption = Map of Thailand highlighting Maha Sarakham province

| coordinates =

| coordinates_footnotes =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = Thailand

| seat_type = Capital

| seat = Maha Sarakham

| leader_party =

| leader_title = Governor

| leader_name = Wiboon Waewbundit
(since 2023)

| leader_party1 =

| leader_title1 = PAO President

| leader_name1 =

| area_footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.forest.go.th |title=Table 2 Forest area Separate province year 2019 |publisher=Royal Forest Department |access-date=6 April 2021}}

| area_total_km2 = 5,607

| area_rank = 39th

| elevation_footnotes =

| elevation_m =

| population_footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statMenu/newStat/home.php |publisher=Department of Provincial Administration (DOPA) |title=Official statistics registration systems |access-date=10 February 2025 |postscript= , year 2024 >provincial level >Excel File >no.44}}

| population_total = {{decrease}}929,952

| population_as_of = 2024

| population_rank = 24th

| population_density_km2 = 166

| population_density_rank = 20th

| population_demonym =

| population_note =

| demographics_type2 = GDP

| demographics2_footnotes = {{cite journal|title=Gross Regional and Provincial Product, 2019 Edition|journal=<> |date=July 2019|url=https://www.nesdc.go.th/ewt_dl_link.php?nid=5628&filename=gross_regional|access-date=22 January 2020|publisher=Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC)|language=en|issn=1686-0799}}

| demographics2_title1 = Total

| demographics2_info1 = baht 56 billion
(US$1.9 billion) (2019)

| demographics_type1 = Human Achievement Index

| demographics1_footnotes = {{cite web |url=https://www.nesdc.go.th/main.php?filename=Social_HAI |department=Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC)|title=ข้อมูลสถิติดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี 2565 (PDF) |language=thai |trans-title=Human Achievement Index Databook year 2022 (PDF) |access-date=12 March 2024 |postscript= , page 56}}

| demographics1_title1 = HAI (2022)

| demographics1_info1 = 0.6523 "somewhat high"
Ranked 24th

| timezone1 = ICT

| utc_offset1 = +7

| postal_code_type = Postal code

| postal_code = 44xxx

| area_code_type = Calling code

| area_code = 043

| iso_code = TH-44

| website = {{URL|mahasarakham.go.th}}

| footnotes =

}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Maha Sarakham Provincial Administrative Organization

| native_name = องค์การบริหารส่วนจังหวัดมหาสารคาม

| native_name_lang = th

| settlement_type = Provincial Administrative Organization

| government_type = Local administrative divisions

| governing_body = Maha Sarakham Provincial Administrative Organization

| leader_title = President

| leader_name = Phonphat Charatsathian

| website = {{URL|pao-mk.go.th}}

}}

Maha Sarakham province, also written Maha Sarakham or Mahasarakham ({{langx|th|มหาสารคาม}}, {{IPA|th|mā.hǎː sǎː.rā.kʰāːm|pron}}; {{langx|tts|มหาสารคาม}}, {{IPA|lo|mā.hǎː sǎː.lāː.kʰâːm|pron}}), known locally and simply as Sarakham ({{langx|th|สารคาม}}, {{IPA|th|sǎː.rā.kʰāːm|pron}}; {{langx|tts|สารคาม}}, {{IPA|tts|sǎː.lā.kʰâːm|pron}}), is one of the 76 provinces (changwat) of Thailand which lies in central northeastern Thailand, also called Isan. Its neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise): Kalasin, Roi Et, Surin, Buriram, and Khon Kaen.

The town of Maha Sarakham is the provincial capital. It is the home of Mahasarakham University, one of the largest universities in northeast Thailand with 41,000 students (2017),{{cite web|title=MSU at a glance|url=https://inter.msu.ac.th/glance-all-msu-at-a-glance.html|website=Mahasarakham University|access-date=6 December 2020}} and Rajabhat Mahasarakham University.