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Songkhla Province

Provincial Emblem Flag Province

Government . Governor: - Capital: Royal capital: - Population: 1,424,230 (2017) Area: 7,393.9 km2 Administrative divisions Songkhla is divided into 16 , which are further subdivided into 127 subdistricts () and 987 villages. The districts of Chana, Thepa were detached from Pattani and transferred to Songkhla during the Thesaphiban reforms around 1900.Mueang Trang. 1. Mueang Songkhla 2. Sathing Phra 3. Chana 4. Na Thawi 2

5. Thepha 6. Saba Yoi 7. Ranot 8. Krasae Sin 9. Rattaphum 10. Sadao 11. 12. Na Mom 13. Khuan Niang 14. Bang Klam 15. Singhanakhon 16. Khlong Hoi Khong Geography The province is on the , on the coast of the Gulf of . The highest elevation is Khao Mai Kaeo at 821 meters. In the north of the province is , the largest natural lake in Thailand. This shallow lake covers an area of 1,040 km², and has a south-north extent of 78 kilometers. At its mouth on the , near the city of Songkhla, the water becomes brackish.[1] A small population of Irrawaddy Dolphins live in the lake, but are in danger of extinction due to accidental capture by the nets of the local fishing industry. hosts two national parks. San Kala Khiri covers 214 km² of mountain highlands on the Thai-Malay border. Khao Nam Khang, is also in the boundary mountains.[3] Chinese Communist guerrillas inhabited this region until the 1980s. Within the boundaries of the city of Songkhla is Cape Samila Beach, the most popular beach in the province. The famous mermaid statue can be found here. The two islands Ko Nu and Ko Maew (Mouse and Cat Islands), not far from the beach, are also popular landmarks, and a preferred fishing ground. According to a local folk tale, a cat, mouse and dog were traveling on a Chinese ship, when they attempted to steal a crystal from a merchant. While trying to swim ashore, both the cat and the mouse drowned and became the two islands; the dog reached the beach, then died and become the hill Khao Tang Kuan. The crystal turned into the white sandy beach. History The name Songkhla is actually the Thai corruption of Singgora ; its original name means "the city of lions" in Malay (not to be confused with Singapura). This refers to a lion- shaped mountain near the city of Songkhla. Songkhla was the seat of an old Malay Kingdom with heavy Srivijayan influence. In ancient times (200–1400 CE), Songkhla formed the northern extremity of the Malay Kingdom of . The city-state then succeeded as the Sultanate of Singgora, it later became a 3 tributary of , suffering damage during several attempts to gain independence. Archaeological excavations on the isthmus between Lake Songkhla and the sea reveal that in the 10th through the 14th century this was a major urbanized area, and a center of international maritime trade, in particular with in China. The long Sanskrit name of the state that existed there has been lost; its short Sanskrit name was Singhapura ("Lion City") (not to be confused with Singapura), a city state. The short vernacular name was Satingpra, coming from the Mon-Khmer sting/steng/stang (meaning "river") and the Sanskrit pura ("city") :320-321 The ruins of the important port city of Satingpra are just few kilometres north of Songkhla city. Economy Songkhla Province is an energy hub. It earns 100 billion baht each year from a gas separation plant, power generation, and oil. The gas separation plant sells 35 billion baht worth of gas per year to EGAT. Power generation accounts for 45 billion baht. Offshore oil rigs in the vicinity of Ko Nu produce 20,000 barrels of oil per day worth 30 billion baht per year. If a proposed coal-fired electrical generation plan in Thepha goes ahead, energy earnings could rise to 300 billion baht per year. Culture The most important Buddhist temple of the province is Wat Matchimawat (also named Wat Klang), on Saiburi road in the city of Songkhla itself. On the island Ko Yo within Songkhla lake, since being easily accessible via the Tinsulanond Bridge, the residents have started to sell the hand-woven fabric named Phathor Ko Yo. Also famous for the island is the local jackfruit variant named Jampada. Held in the first night of October, the Chak Phra tradition is a Buddhist festival specific to the south of Thailand. It is celebrated with Buddha boat processions or sports events like a run up Khao Tang Kuan hill. In September or October at the Chinese Lunar festival the Thai-Chinese present their offerings to the moon or Queen of the heavens in gratitude for past and future fortunes.