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THE
NORTH I CENTRAL
&
EAST
COAST I THE
NORTHEAST I THE
SOUTH |
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Chumphon
I
Krabi
I
Nakhon
Si
Thammarat
I
Narathiwat
I
Pattani
I
Phang
Nga |
|
Phattalung
I
Phuket
I
Ranong
I
Satun
I
Songkhla
I
Surat
Thani
I
Trang
I
Yala |
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This
region
extends
southward
along
a
narrow
peninsula
lying
between
the
Andaman
Sea
its
west
side
and
the
South
China
Sea
on
the
east.
It
is a
rich
land
in
terms
of
the
abundance
of
its
natural
resources,
the
fertility
of
its
soil,
the
diversity
of
its
people
and
its
commercial
viability.
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The
South
is
made
up
of
14
provinces
from
Chumphon
in
the
north
down
to
the
Malaysian
border
1,200
kilometres
from
Bangkok.
It
has
a
long
coastline
on
either
side
with
sandy
beaches
and
offshore
islands
on
both,
and
a
rugged
central
hinterland
of
mountains
and
forests. |
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The
east
coast
on
the
Gulf
of
Thailand
always
seems
to
be
more
relaxed,
with
long,
wide
bays
and
calm
seas;
the
Andaman
Sea
coast
tends
to
be
more
rugged
and
exhilarating,
with
its
strange
limestone
rock
formations
and
cliffs. |
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The
occurrence
of
two
seasonal
monsoons
means
that
the
climate
differs
from
the
rest
of
Thailand.
The
southwest
monsoon
sweeps
the
west
coast
and
the
Andaman
Sea
from
May
to
October,
while
the
northeast
monsoon
moves
across
the
Gulf
of
Thailand
form
November
to
February.
The
peninsula
forms
a
barrier
so
that
rain
rarely
falls
on
both
coastlines
simultaneously. |
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The
area
was
once
part
of
the
Buddhist
Srivijaya
Empire
but
later
came
under
the
rule
of
Ayutthaya
and
then
Bangkok.
Chinese
and
Malaysian
influences
have
played
a
large
part
in
the
cultural
makeup
of
the
region;
the
further
south,
the
stronger
the
Malaysian
influence,
with
a
dialect
akin
to
Malay,
a
predominance
of
Muslim
communities
and
mosques.
Rice
fields
give
way
to
rubber
plantations,
and
Chinese
tin
mining
operations
become
evidence. |
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The
coastline
attracts
most
tourists,
though
Samui
island
in
the
Gulf
of
Thailand
is
growing
in
popularity
as a
laid-back
holiday
spot
with
first
class
diving
opportunities
nearby
on
Tao
and
Pha-ngan
islands. |
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The
Andaman
Sea
coast
offers
more
sophisticated
choices
in
the
island
province
of
Phuket,
Thailand’s
premier
holiday
resort.
However,
the
fascinating
rock
formations
and
offshore
islands
at
Phang-nga,
Krabi
and
Trang
are
extremely
popular
for
the
diving
and
sailing
opportunities
they
offer. |
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The
mountains,
rivers
and
forests
in
the
national
parks
in
the
interior
of
the
peninsula
are
also
gaining
popularity
with
eco-tourists,
as
can
be
seen
with
the
growing
numbers
of
safari
expeditions
on
foot,
by
elephant
and
in
canoes. |
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The
South
of
Thailand
consists
of
14
provinces:
Chumphon,
Krabi,
Nakhon
Si
Thammarat,
Narathiwat,
Pattani,
Phang-nga,
Phatthalung,
Phuket,
Ranong,
Satun,
Songkhla,
Surat
Thani,
Trang
and
Yala. |
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