MENU

   Southern Thailand

The southern peninsula stretches down between the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean. Beautiful beaches attract tourists from around the world, thus there are big investments made in the resort and hospitality businesses in the provinces of Krabi and Phuket, and of course the island of Koh Samui. Many southern beaches have been featured in numerous movies, notably "The Beach" and "Diamonds Are Forever". Southern Thailand begins at the province of Chumphon. Chumpon is considered the "Gateway to the south" and is located on the Gulf some 500 kilometer south of Bangkok. It borders on Prachaup Khirikhan to the north, Burma and Ranong to the west, Surat Thani to the south and the 222 km coastline of the Gulf of Thailand to the east.

This area of Southern Thailand has fruit orchards, plantations and rice fields, as well as forested areas and some small mining operations.

The landscape of the south varies dramatically from the rolling green rice fields to the tall trees of rubber plantations and the sloping hills of coconut palms and spiky pineapples of the south. These plantations are watered by a nearly eight-month rainy season, like in the province of Ranong. Some parts of the south still have dense jungles, which have been preserved for rare and endangered animal species.

The south experiences and accepts greater religious diversity than the other regions. A concentration of Muslims in the south constitutes the second largest religion in the Thai kingdom.

The southern language is the most distinctive and difficult to comprehend according to the central standard. Farther south near the Malaysian border, the southerners also speak Malay and have absorbed a Malay way of life.