Nakhon Si Thammarat นครศรีธรรมราช

Downtown Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand (12 January, 2013)


Nakhon Si Thammarat นครศรีธรรมราช is a major city in southern Thailand. Located about 610 km (380 mi) south of Bangkok, it has a population of around 110,000 people (2013 estimate). Tourists often pass through it without stopping on their way between Ko Samui and Hat Yai. As it is still not a popular tourist destination, not many foreign visitors come here. For that reason I am writing this guide so that it can become better known.

A songthaew, or pick-up truck, picking up passengers in Nakhon Si Thammarat (12 January, 2013)


Nakhon Si Thammarat is the capital of a Thai province of the same name. This lengthy name comes from the Pali-Sanskrit name, which reads "Nagara Sri Dhammaraja", which means "City of the Sacred Righteous King". (It is formed from the following Sanskrit words: नगरी, nagarI, "city"; श्री, zri, loveliness, splendid, glorious; धम, dhamma; श्रेष्ठ, zreSTha, king) The name becomes Nakhon Si Thammarat in Thai. Incidentally, the same word "nagara" becomes "Angkor" in Khmer. Historically, European merchants however recognized the city by its Malay name Ligor (also written Ligur).

Scholars believe that Nakhon Si Thammarat was the centre of the Srivijaya kingdom, an ancient kingdom that flourished in southern Thailand since the 3rd century AD. According to the Ramkamhaeng stele in Sukhothai, it fell under the realm of the Sukhothai kingdom, and later was absorbed as a tributary kingdom to Ayutthaya.

According to the chronicles of Nakhon Si Thammarat, the city itself was in the receiving end of tributes from twelve cities on the Malay peninsula, represented by twelve animals of the zodiac. The twelve cities are Saiburi (represented by the mouse), Pattani (ox), Kelantan (tiger), Pahang - most likely Kota Gelanggi (rabbit), Kedah (dragon), Phatthalung (snake), Trang (horse), Chumphon (goat), Baytaysamer or Chaiya (monkey), Saulau - may be Songkhla or Kanchanadit or Pla Tha (cock), Takua Pa (dog) and Kraburi (pig).

Nakhon Si Thammarat Handicraft Center (12 January, 2013)

Going to Nakhon Si Thammarat

Most visitors arrive by road from Hat Yai. It is about one to two hours from Hat Yai. Alternatively, you can also fly to Nakhon Si Thammarat from Bangkok on Thai AirAsia.

Travel within Nakhon Si Thammarat

As with most small towns in Thailand, you are better off with your own transport. Otherwise, look for tuk tuk and hire them by the hour to take you to the places of interest.

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, the most important temple in Nakhon Si Thammarat (12 January, 2013)

Map of Nakhon Si Thammarat

Places of Interest in Nakhon Si Thammarat

The most important sight in Nakhon Si Thammarat is Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan, its main Buddhist temple. It is on the tentative list for future inscription as a World Heritage Site.

Places of Interest near Nakhon Si Thammarat town

Places to eat at Nakhon Si Thammarat

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Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.