Southern Thailand is on the Malay Peninsula, with an area of around 70,714km2 (27,303sqmi), bounded to the north by Kra Isthmus, the narrowest part of the peninsula. The western part has highly steep coasts, while on the east side river plains dominate. The largest river in the south is the Tapi, in Surat Thani, which, together with the Phum Duang in Surat Thani, drains more than 8,000km2 (3,100sqmi), more than 10 percent of the total area of southern Thailand. Smaller rivers include the Pattani, Saiburi, Krabi, and the Trang. The largest lake in the south is Songkhla Lake (1,040km2 (400sqmi) altogether). The largest artificial lake is the Chiao Lan (Ratchaprapha Dam), occupying 165km2 (64sqmi) of Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani. The total forest area is 17,964km2 (6,936sqmi) or 24.3 percent of provincial area.[1]
The limestone of the west coast has been eroded into many steep singular hills. The parts submerged by the rising sea after the Last Ice Age now form many islands, like the well-known Phi Phi Islands.[citation needed] Also well known is the so-called James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay, featured in the movie The Man with the Golden Gun.
The population of the growing region is projected to be 9,156,000 in 2015, up from 8,871,003 in 2010 (census count and adjusted). Although those figures are adjusted for citizens who have left for Bangkok or who moved to the region from elsewhere, as well as registered permanent residents (residency was problematic in the prior 2000 census), the figure is still misleading.[citation needed] There are still a huge number of migrant or informal workers, temporary workers and even stateless people and a large expatriate population, which are not included.[4]
Wat Phra Baromathat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, an old and important templePagoda in Javanese or Sailendran-style, Chaiya, Surat ThaniMalay Muslim provinces in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia.
The Malay Peninsula has been settled since prehistoric times. Archeological remains were found in several caves, some used for dwellings, others as burial sites. The oldest remains were found in Lang Rongrien Cave, dating 38,000 to 27,000 years before present, and in the contemporary Moh Khiew cave.
In the first millennium, Chinese chronicles mention several coastal cities or city-states. No exact geographical locations were recorded and so the identification of these cities with later settlements is difficult. The most important of those states were Langkasuka, usually considered a precursor of the Patani Kingdom; Tambralinga, probably the precursor of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom, or P'an-p'an in Phunphin district, Surat Thani, probably located at the Bandon BayTapi River. The cities were highly influenced by Indian culture, and have adopted Brahman or Buddhist religion. When Srivijaya in Chaiya extended its sphere of influence, those cities became tributary states of Srivijaya. The city Chaiya in Surat Thani Province contains several ruins from Srivijaya times, and was probably a regional capital of the kingdom. Some Thai historians even claim that it was the capital of the kingdom itself for some time, but this is disputed.
After Srivijaya lost its influence, Nakhon Si Thammarat became the dominant kingdom of the area. During the rule of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great of Sukhothai, Thai influence first reached Nakhon Si Thammarat. According to the Ramkhamhaeng inscription, Nakhon Si Thammarat was a tributary state of Sukhothai. During most of later periods, Nakhon became a tributary of Ayutthaya.
The deep south belonged to the Malay sultanates of Pattani and Kedah, while the northernmost part of the peninsula was under the control of Bangkok.
During the Thesaphiban reforms at the end of the 19th century, both Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattani were incorporated into the central state. The area was subdivided into 5 monthon, which were installed to control the city states (mueang). Minor mueang were merged into larger ones, thus forming the present 14 provinces. With the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 the boundary to Malaysia was fixed. Kedah came under British control, while Pattani stayed with Siam.
Although Central Thai is the sole official language in Thailand and most people are able to communicate in Central Thai, the language is only the third largest native language in southern Thailand, with roughly four hundred thousand native speakers. In particular, it is native only among the Teochew, Hoklo, Hakka and Cantonese ethnic groups, particularly in their major ethnic enclaves like Hat Yai and Bandon districts; their dialect is very similar to the Krungthep dialect (the upper-class dialect of Bangkok) but is seasoned with some Southern Thai loanwords.
Administrative divisions
The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) identities Southern Thailand as 14 provinces.[6] The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) includes for Southern Thailand (east coast) also the two provinces of Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi.[7]
Thailand is a Buddhist-majority country. About 93.46% in Thailand follow Buddhism.[11] Buddhism is the majority religion in southern Thailand as well but makes up 75.45% of the region's people.[10] The Thai follow Theravada Buddhism. Minority ethnic groups such as Khmer also follow Buddhism, and 10 of the 14 provinces in southern Thailand have Buddhist majorities.
Islam constitutes 24.33% of Southern Thailand even though it constitutes only 5.36% of the whole country.[10] Islam is mostly followed by the Malay people in Southernmost Thailand: Yala, Pattani, Naratiwat and Satun provinces, near Malaysia. There is also a small Thai Muslim population.
Christianity makes up 0.21% of Southern Thailand's population. Sikhism makes up 0.05% in the region and is practiced by Indian immigrants.[10]
Economy
The bulk of the region's population relies on agriculture for 27 percent of its gross regional product in 2014. It is followed by industry (12 percent), trade (10 percent), transportation (9 percent), tourism (8 percent), and construction and property (7 percent).[12]
For FY 2018, Southern Thailand Region had a combined economic output of 1,402 trillion baht (US$45.2 billion), or 8.6 percent of Thailand's GDP. Surat Thani province had an economic output of 206.869 billion baht (US$6.67 billion), which is equal to a GPP per capita of 182,371 baht (US$5,883), more than double for Yala province, which is fifth and more than three times for Narathiwat province, lowest in the ranking.[13]
Gross Provincial Product (GPP)
Rank
Province
GPP (million baht)
Population (x 1000)
GPP per capita (baht)
1
Surat Thani
206,869
1,134
182,371
2
Chumphon
87,746
498
176,200
3
Songkhla
248,386
1,635
151,918
4
Nakhon Si Thammarat
164,375
1,507
109,050
5
Yala
43,006
468
91,815
6
Pattani
48,549
641
75,697
7
Phatthalung
36,006
492
73,213
8
Narathiwat
44,778
721
62,066
East coast
879,715
7,096
123,973
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Gross Provincial Product (GPP)
Rank
Province
GPP (million baht)
Population (x 1000)
GPP per capita (baht)
1
Phuket
234,028
580
403,534
2
Phang-nga
78,493
250
313,919
3
Krabi
86,684
418
207,415
4
Satun
31,215
290
107,505
5
Ranong
28,014
269
103,966
6
Trang
64,586
630
102,589
West coast
523,020
2,437
214,616
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Transportation
Southern Thailand is connected with Bangkok by railway and highway. Several regional airports are located at the larger towns. The transportation hub of all of southern Thailand is Hat Yai.
Road
Phetkasem Road, the longest road in Thailand, runs from Bangkok along the Kra Isthmus and then along the west coast of the peninsula. From Trang, it crosses over to the east coast to Hat Yai, and ends at the Malaysian border.
Two Asian highways run through southern Thailand: Asian Highway 2 runs mostly parallel to the railroad all the way from Bangkok. It crosses to Malaysia at Sadao, and continues on the west side of the peninsula. Asian Highway 18 begins in Hat Yai and runs south along the east coast, crossing to Malaysia at Sungai Kolok.
Ko Samui AirportKo Samui Airport runwayHat Yai Airport
Southern Thailand has five international airports and six domestic airports. As of 2018[update] Thailand's transport ministry is constructing the 1.9 billion bahtBetong Airport. It is scheduled for completion in 2020.[14]
Surat Thani, often shortened to Surat, is the largest of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. It lies on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means 'city of good people', a title given to the city by King Vajiravudh ; Surat Thani is therefore the sole province in Southern Thailand for which the native name is in the Central Thai language.
Trang, also called Mueang Thap Thiang, is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, on the west side of the Malay Peninsula facing the Strait of Malacca. Neighboring provinces are Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, and Satun.
Nakhon Si Thammarat province is a province (changwat) of Thailand, on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. As of 2018, it was the most populous province of Southern Thailand, with a population of approximately 1.5 million. Neighboring provinces are Songkhla, Phatthalung, Trang, Krabi and Surat Thani.
Songkhla is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Satun, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani, and Yala. To the south it borders Kedah and Perlis of Malaysia.
Satun (Thai: สตูล, pronounced[sà.tūːn] is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Trang, Phatthalung, and Songkhla. To the south it borders Perlis of Malaysia.
Thai Airways Company or Thai Airways was the domestic flag carrier of Thailand. Its main base was the domestic terminal at Don Mueang International Airport. Its head office was located in Pom Prap Sattru Phai, Bangkok. In 1988, Thai Airways merged to become Thai Airways International.
Southern Thai, also known as Dambro, Pak Tai, or "Southern language", is a Southwestern Tai ethnolinguistic identity and language spoken in southern Thailand, as well as by small communities in the northernmost states of Malaysia. It is spoken by roughly five million people and as a second language by the 1.5 million speakers of Pattani and other ethnic groups such as the local Peranakan communities, Negritos and other tribal groups. Most speakers are also fluent in or understand the Central Thai dialects.
The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) is the state-owned rail operator under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport in Thailand.
Highway 401 is a national highway in Southern Thailand. It starts from the west coast of the Thai-Malay Peninsula at an intersection with Phetkasem Road near Amphoe Takua Pa, Phang Nga Province.
The 2010 Regional League Division 2 was contested by the five regional league winners and runners up of the 3rd level championships of Thailand. The two best 3rd placed teams from the regional leagues also take part
The 2012 Regional League Division 2 was contested by the five regional league winners and runners up of the 3rd level championships of Thailand. The two best 3rd placed teams from the regional leagues also take part
Southern Line is a metre-gauge railway line in Thailand, operated by State Railway of Thailand (SRT), which runs through most of the provinces in the Central, Western, and Southern regions of Thailand. At 1,144.29 kilometres in length, it is Thailand's longest railway line.
Pattani railway station or Pattani railway station is a railway station located in Khok Pho Subdistrict, Khok Pho District, Pattani. It is a class 1 railway station located 1,009.209 km (627.1 mi) from Thon Buri Railway Station. The station opened in April 1917 as Khok Pho Station, as part of the Southern Line section between U Taphao Junction -Khlong Sai. The line extended further south, terminating at Su-ngai Kolok in September 1921, where it linked up with the Malaysian railway.
The 4th Thailand Regional Games were held in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand from 1 to 7 November 1970, with contests in 12 sports. These games were the qualifications for the 1970 Asian Games. At the medal tally, Thailand was third after Japan and South Korea.
The 1968 Thailand National Games, officially known as the II Thailand National Games, and commonly known as Chiang Mai 1968, was a multi-sport event held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from 3 to 9 December 1968 with 118 events in 14 sports and disciplines featured in the games. This was Chiang Mai's first time to host the Thailand National Games. A total of 1,700 athletes from 9 regions participated in the games.
The 2016-17 Southern Thailand floods was a large scale flood disaster occurring in the southern region of Thailand, during the country's annual monsoon season. It was characterised by having the 'worst rainfall in 30 years'. The disaster occurred over 2 consecutive months, December 2016 to January 2017, covering 13 provinces. This flood event stood out from earlier flood catastrophes due to the massive, long-term damage it produced. There was an estimated 95 fatalities and 1,815,618 total victims in the provinces that were affected by the disaster. Additionally, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) of the Ministry of Interior estimates that there were 9 4,314 road segments, 348 bridges, 126 weirs, and 2 sluices were among the destroyed infrastructure items. The extensive area of heavy rain and the simultaneous occurrence of numerous dam breaks severely damaged the local logistics infrastructure. While gum and palm oil help some regions' economies, others, like the extremely underdeveloped territory bordering Malaysia, are socioeconomically unstable. In these situations, the government made efforts in disaster restoration works by utilizing the military in a way that had never before been done for this purpose. Some 120 billion baht in damages were foreseen as of mid-January, much of it due to lost production in agriculture, tourism and infrastructure. Rubber supply is particularly impacted. Particularly hard hit are palm and rubber plantations.
The Department of Airports (DOA) is a Thai government department under the Ministry of Transport. It operates 28 civil airports throughout the country. The department was split off from the Department of Civil Aviation in 2015, part of a restructuring response to ICAO's downgrading of Thailand's aviation safety rating. The other agency that previously formed part of the old department is the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.
The 5th Infantry Division (พล.ร.๕.) is an infantry division of the Royal Thai Army, it is currently a part of the Fourth Army Area. The unit is composed of the 5th Infantry Regiment, 15th Infantry Regiment and 25th Infantry Regiment.
The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) is a Thai state enterprise under the Ministry of Interior. Established on 28 September 1960 by the Provincial Electricity Authority Act 1960 —which are served by the Metropolitan Electricity Authority.
1 2 3 "รายงานสถิติจำนวนประชากรและบ้านประจำปี พ.ศ.2561"[Statistics, population and house statistics for the year 2018]. Registration Office Department of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior (in Thai). 31 December 2018. Archived from the original on 14 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
↑ Wikramanayake, Eric; Eric Dinerstein; Colby J. Loucks; et al. (2002). Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment. Washington, DC: Island Press.
↑ ดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี2560[Human Achievement Index - HAI year 2017](PDF). social.nesdb.go.th (Report) (in Thai). National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB). 2017. pp.149–165. ISBN978-974-9769-33-1. Retrieved 14 September 2019, sub 5.64-5.77 section: Average household income per month{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
↑ ดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี2560[Human Achievement Index - HAI year 2017](PDF). social.nesdb.go.th (Report) (in Thai). National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB). 2017. pp.149–165. ISBN978-974-9769-33-1. Retrieved 14 September 2019, sub 5.64-5.77 section: Poverty Ratio{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
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