Southern Thailand, Coastal region in Thailand
Southern Thailand is a large region extending along two coasts, with the Andaman Sea on the west and the Gulf of Thailand on the east. Fourteen provinces share this narrow land strip that runs down to the Malaysian border and becomes only a few dozen kilometers wide in some places.
Archaeological finds in caves show prehistoric settlements, while early maritime routes formed between India and China. Over the centuries, small kingdoms like Srivijaya and Nakhon Si Thammarat arose and later came under the control of the central Thai monarchy.
The provinces combine Buddhist temples in the north with Islamic influences in the south, creating different traditional celebrations and food preparations across the region.
The region has international airports in Phuket, Krabi, and Hat Yai, connecting the area with the rest of the world. Railways and modern highways make it easier to move between the fourteen provinces, while ferries provide access to the islands.
The area supplies four-fifths of all Thai rubber, with plantations running across hills between white sand beaches and limestone formations. Many villages still organize their routines around harvesting and processing the latex collected from the trees.
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