Nakhon Si Thammarat (often in short Nakhon, Thai นครศรีธรรมราช ) is one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand, at the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from south clockwise) Songkhla, Phattalung, Trang, Krabi and Surat Thani.
The name of the province derives from its Pali-Sanskrit name Nagara Sri Dhammaraja (City of the Sacred Dharma King), which in Thai pronunciation becames Nakhon Si Thammarat.
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2 History 3 Symbols 4 Administrative divisions 5 External links |
Geography
The province is located on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand on the east side of the Malay Peninsula. The terrain is mostly rugged hilly forest area. It contains the highest elevation of southern Thailand, the Khao Luang with 1,835 m, now protected in the Khao Luang national park.
History
The area around Nakhon Si Thammarat was part (or probably even the center) of the Srivijaya kingdom from the 3rd century until king Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai occupied it and added it to his kingdom. With the fall of Sukhothai it fell it its successor, the Ayutthaya kingdom.
Nakhon became a province in 1932.
Symbols
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The provincial seal shows the Phra Baromathat Chedi of the Wat Phra Mahathat Voramahavihan, one of the most important historical sites in southern Thailand. According to historic sources it was already built in 311, but archaeology dates it to the 13th century. The chedi is surrounded by the animals of the Chinese zodiac in the seal.
The provincial flower is the Golden Shower Tree (Cassis fistula), and the provincial tree is Millettia atropurpurea.
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