Songkhla province is in the deep south
of Thailand, bordering with the state of Kedah in Malaysia, about 950 km south of Bangkok.
It was formerly a part of the large Srivajaya kingdom that had control of the southern
peninsular. The ancient city of Songkhla is located on a stretch of land between the Gulf
of Thailand and the Songkhla Lake (Thale Sep Songkhla). The original settlement was at the
foot of Khao Daeng. Many remnants from its past association with the Srivajayan empire and
from the much later Europeans who came to trade in the area can be found around the
province.The province also boasts splendid beaches, waterfalls and other natural
attractions.
Places of Attraction
National Museum
The museum is situated between Rong Meung and
Chana Roads. The building is of a southern Sino-Portuguese architecture and is over 100
years old. The museum has an excellent collection of exhibits from all over Thailand.
Amongst the displays are many artefacts from the Srivajayan period, as well as prehistoric
finds.
Wat Matchimawat
This temple is located on Saiburi Rd, just south of the town
centre. It is over 400 years old and the largest temple in Songkhla. Inside the bot are
some fine frescoes depicting the history of Songkhla and Buddhist philosophy. A museum
within the compound has an interesting collection of ancient art objects found around the
province.
Wat Chai Mongkhon
This temple is situated on the corner of Petch
Mongkhon and Chai Mongkhon Roads. A pagoda enshrines a highly revered Buddha bone relic
that was brought to the temple by a Buddhist monk called, Na Issaro. The monk visited Sri
Lanka in 1892 and was presented the relic by a rich merchant.
