Songkhla
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Songkhla City, Thailand
Songkhla is a seafood lover's paradise, one of the important ports and coastal province of Thailand. Today Songkhla is a
unique attraction worth visiting. Blessed with natural resources such as fine beaches, waterfall and a traquil lake.
Songkhla is located 950 kilometers from Bangkok.
Population
Songkhla’s estimated population in 2010, is 1,357,023 and rapidly over 1,400,000 in recent years.
How to get to the city
By Car: From Bangkok: take Highway 4 passing Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat,Trang
and Phatthalung Provinces in order to reach Songkhla Province. The total distance is 950 kilometers.
By Bus: From Bangkok: There are daily buses from Bangkok to Songkhla and Hat Yai. The journey takes about 13 hours.
By Air: Thai Airways International has several daily flights connecting Bangkok and Phuket with Hat Yai.
By Train: The State Railway of Thailand provides daily rapid and express train services from Bangkok to Hat Yai. Travel
time is about 17 hours.
The weather
Songkhla has a tropical monsoon climate with short dry season, Spring start on March, Summer on June, Fall on
September and Winter on December.
Lifestyle
About three-quarters of the population in Songkhla are Buddhist, most of whom are of Thai or Chinese and a quarter
are Muslim, many of whom are of mixed Siamese and Malay ancestry. People love to cerebrated the Buddhist festival
such as Chak Phra is a tradition specific to the south of Thailand. It is celebrated with Buddha boat processions or
sports events like a run up Khao Tang Kuan hill.
Your guide to Songkhla
Wat Chai Mongkhon: The temple on Phetmongkhon-Chaimongkhon Road, has a chedi that was built to house the
Buddhist relics brought back from Langka by a monk named “Na Issaro”
The Songkhla National Museum: It is the source of local archaeology, history, and folk art and culture. It has a
notable collection of the artefacts of the ‘Na Songkhla Family’ that used to rule the city
Laem Samila: This peninsula is well known for its white sandy beach, shady pine groves, and the statue of a mermaid
that is Songkhla’s symbol.
Songkhla Lake: The natural lake in Thailand is about 80 kilometres long and 20 to 25 kilometres wide. It is a
freshwater lake with brackish water near the mouth. Boats are available for touring the lake.
Ko Yo is a small island in the Songkhla Lake but is the important attraction of Songkhla.
Hat Yai Municipal Park: The park is full of beautiful flowering plants, with a pavilion in the middle of the pond,
avarium, and food stalls. At the foot of the hill near the avarium stands the statue of King Rama V.
Map of Songkhla
Things to do
Bull Fight is the famous local favourite sport since the time of Phraya Mueang, in the Srivijaya Period. After the harvest, owners
would bring their bulls to fight as a gesture of solidarity and festivity. Two bulls would fight each other in each round lasting
between 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the bull’s conditions.
Khao Java Birds is the favourite domesticated bird in the south. Bird singing contests are usually held annually from January to
July. Singing birds are judged by their tone, voice, beat, loudness, and continuation. The winners are highly priced.
Shooting for sport in Songkhla can be carried out at two shooting ranges that are open to the public.
Thai Boxing in Songkhla is held either at the Songkhla Navy Base.
Golf can be enjoyed at various courses.
What’s on
Songkran Festival is held on 13 April. The festival is held around Niphat Uthit 1, 2, and 3 Roads, start from morning until evening.
All our neighbours and tourist often join in the festivities with us.
Thai Goods and Produce Promotion Fair is usually held in the middle of July when fruits are at their peaks. The fair boasts large
selection of the best agricultural products from all southern provinces both for display and for sale.
Tham Bun Duean Sip is held on the full moon of the tenth lunar month. We belief that during the new moon phase in the tenth
month, the souls of the deceased relatives and friends, especially those not yet reborn would be released to meet the living
relatives. So the living would prepare foods to offer them to the monks in their names.
Lak Phra and Tak Bat Thewo is held on the full moon in the eleventh lunar month, October of every year. The festival will start
one day before the actual day to wrap a large cloth around the top of the Chedi on Khao Tang Kuan. In the morning of the festival
day, alms are offered to monks (tak bat thewo) at the foot of the hill. Then monks will travel by boat from other temples in
Songkhla would proceed along the waterfront so the Buddhist can offer alms and pull their boats along.