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  Songkhla
at a glance
Songkhla, one of
Thailand's important
ports and coastal provinces, is located 950 kilometers from
Bangkok.
Occupying an area of 7,393
square kilometers on the eastern side of the Malaysian Peninsula, the
province is bordered by the States of Kedah (Sai Buri) and Perlis of
Malaysia to the south and the Gulf of Thailand to the east. In addition,
Songkhla borders on Nakhon Si Thammarat and
Phatthalung
Provinces to the north, Yala
and
Pattani
Provinces to the south, and
Satun and
Phatthalung
Provinces to the
west.
An undeniably historic town endowed with ancient ruins, arts, and places
of cultural importance, Songkhla, a melting pot of Thais, Chinese and
Malays, charms visitors with its unique traditions, dialect, and folk
entertainment. These characteristics are reflections of the provinces
rich cultural heritage, which has been preserved and passed down from
generations to generations.
Hat Yai, a district of Songkhla, is perhaps better known than the
provincial capital itself. Hat Yai serves as a southern hub of
communication, trading and transportation as well as a gateway to
Malaysia and
Singapore. In
light of this, Hat Yai has gained importance as the driving force of
economic growth in the southern region.
 History
of Songkhla
 Songkhla,
a medieval pirate stronghold, is a historic, albeit sleepy town with a
thriving fishing community. Another Srivijaya outpost in
Thailands southern
region, Songkhla was initially named Sa-thing". Previously a port and a
coastal trading post where Indian, Persian and Arabian merchants came to
exchange their products, the place was named "Sing Lha" after the 2
lion-shape islands at the mouth of the city's lake. At present, these 2
islands are Koh Nu (Rat
Island) and Koh Maeo (Cat
Island). The old
part of Songkhla is located at the present-day Amphoe Sathing Phra.
Todays
Songkhla
 Over
the last few decades, Songkhla has been rapidly developed and is
currently a unique attraction worth visiting. Blessed with natural
resources such as fine beaches, enchanting waterfalls, and a tranquil
lake, the province has an abundance of tourist attractions and an
amazing range of seaside resort towns. Moreover, the old section of
Songkhla still maintains its unique identity of ancient and historical
flavors through local architecture and cuisine.
While Songkhla is noted as a fishing community set in a peaceful
atmosphere, Hat Yai, on the other hand, serves as a transportation and
communications hub of the south with links to various destinations in
the neighboring provinces and
Malaysia.
Despite being only 30 kilometers apart, Songkhla and Hat Yai have
uniquely contrasting characteristics and are ideal places to visit.
Songkhla is administratively divided into 16 districts: Muang Songkhla,
Ranot, Krasae Sin, Sathing Phra, Singhanakhon, Khuan Niang, Rattaphum,
Bang Klam, Hat Yai, Na Mom, Chana, Thepha, Na Thawi, Saba Yoi, Sadao,
and Khlong Hoi Khong. |
