Nakhon Si Thammarat Guide

Nakhon Si Thammarat province, often shortened to Nakhon, Nakhon Si, or Khon and internationally known as Mueang Khon, is a southern province of Thailand located on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. The province’s name, derived from its Pali-Sanskrit name ‘Nagara Sri Dhammaraja’ translates to the ‘City of the Sacred Dharma King’ in Thai.

As of 2018, the population of the province was approximately 1.56 million people. The province is situated on the east side of the Malay Peninsula and features rugged hilly forests. It is home to south Thailand’s highest peak, Khao Luang, which stands at 1,835 meters (approximately 6,000 ft). The province’s forest area spans 1,820 square kilometers, accounting for 18.4 percent of the total provincial area.

Nakhon Si Thammarat province boasts six national parks, five of which are part of Region 5 (Nakhon Si Thammarat) and one, Khao Pu–Khao Ya, is part of Region 6 (Songkhla) in Thailand’s protected areas.

Historically, Nakhon Si Thammarat is one of Thailand’s oldest cities and has a rich history. The earliest known settlement in the vicinity of the city was Tha Rua, dating back to the 12th century. The province was initially under the rule of the Srivijaya kingdom, which established a foothold on the Malay Peninsula by 775. The Chronicles of Nakhon Si Thammarat attribute the foundation of the current city to King Sri Thammasok in the 13th century. The city perished in the 14th century but was re-established under the influence of the Central Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya.

In the modern era, during the reforms of King Chulalongkorn, the traditional governorship of Nakhon Si Thammarat was abolished, and the city was incorporated into the Monthon Nakhon Si Thammarat in 1896. When the monthon system was abolished in 1932, Nakhon Si Thammarat became a province and remains so to this day.