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Nakhon Si Thammarat

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Nakhon Si Thammarat is a major city municipality in southern Thailand.

Nakhon Si Thammarat Downtown
Nakhon Si Thammarat Downtown

It serves as the capital of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The city is located on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula. It sits south of Bangkok. Originally, the city was located right on the coast. Over time, silting moved the coastline away from the urban center. This process involves sand and dirt building up in the water. Because of this, the city's shape is much longer from north to south than from west to east. This layout is due to its original position on a flood-safe dune.

The name of the city has a deep meaning rooted in Sanskrit. The word "Si" comes from the honorific "Sri." The name "Dharmaraja" translates to "righteous ruler." This term relates to an important concept in Theravada Buddhism.

Nakhon Si Thammarat Chedi Phra Baromathat
Nakhon Si Thammarat Chedi Phra Baromathat

The city is one of the oldest urban centers in Thailand. Early settlements like Tha Rua were found ten kilometers to the south. Archaeologists discovered Song dynasty ceramics there from the twelfth century. Later, the settlement moved to Muang Phra Wieng. This area was part of the Tambralinga Kingdom. The name Tambralinga means "Red Linga." This name comes from the Sanskrit words for copper and lingam.

History shows the city was a major political power. An inscription at Wat Sema Muang links the area to the Srivijaya thalassocracy. This was a maritime empire that controlled much of the region. By 775, the king of Srivijaya had established a foothold at Ligor. Ligor is the name Western sources used for the city. In the thirteenth century, King Sri Thammasok ruled the Tambralinga Kingdom. He is credited with founding the current city. He also introduced Singhalese Theravada Buddhism to the region. He constructed the famous Wat Phra Mahathat temple during his reign.

The Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom was quite large. It held authority over twelve cities. These territories stretched from Chumphon in the north to Pahang in the south. The Ramkamhaeng Stele mentions the city by name in 1292. This name means "The City of the Virtuous King." The kingdom eventually ended in the fourteenth century. Later, the city came under the influence of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The Siamese government used a system called a mandala to manage its influence. In the fifteenth century, King Trailokanat centralized power. This made Nakhon Si Thammarat a "Muang Ek," or a first-level city. It became the main seat of Siamese authority in the south.

The city was once protected by impressive fortifications. These walls were built to defend the urban area. The walls measured 2,238 meters from north to south. They were 456 meters from east to west. This enclosed an area of about one square kilometer. There were many gates throughout the walls. The eastern side had three gates leading to the sea. The western side had five gates. The northern wall had one gate called Prathu Chai Sak. Today, only the northern gate and a small section of the wall remain. A French architect named M. de Lamare helped renovate the walls in the 1680s.

Nakhon Si Thammarat Railway Station
Nakhon Si Thammarat Railway Station

Wat Phra Mahathat is the most important temple in southern Thailand. It contains a sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. The main structure is a chedi, which is a dome-shaped monument. The chedi stands 78 meters high. It is surrounded by 173 smaller chedis. At the base, there is a gallery called Viharn Tap Kaset. This area is decorated with Buddha statues and elephant heads. The chedi is so important that it appears on the provincial seal. It is also featured on the 25 satang coin. The city's climate is a tropical rainforest type. It is warm or hot all year. The wettest months are October through December. November usually sees the most rainfall.

Modern Nakhon Si Thammarat is a busy center for education and administration. As of 2019, the city had a population of 102,152 people. These residents live in 46,145 households across five subdistricts. The city is home to two universities. Walailak University is the largest in Thailand. Nakhon Si Thammarat Rajaphat University is the other major institution. Many students also attend various vocational colleges and large secondary schools. The city has grown in size over many years. It started as a small sanitation area in 1913. By 1994, it had been upgraded to a city municipality. Today, it remains a vital part of the Thai south.

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🖼️ Images & Media (4)
File:Nakhon Si Thammarat Chedi Phra Baromathat.jpg
Nakhon Si Thammarat Chedi Phra Baromathat.jpg
File:Nakhon Sri Thammarat City Wall.png
Nakhon Sri Thammarat City Wall.png
File:Nakhon Si Thammarat Downtown.jpg
Nakhon Si Thammarat Downtown.jpg
File:Nakhon Si Thammarat Railway Station.JPG
Nakhon Si Thammarat Railway Station.JPG
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