The Southern
region is hilly to mountaineous, with thick virgin forests
and rich deposits of minerals and ores. This region
is teh center for the production of rubber and the cultivation
of other tropical crops.
Apart from being geographically different
from the rest of Thailand, with its thick jungles, dramatically
shaped mountains and countless beautiful islands, the
South has its own economic, ethnic and political features.
The south, which is flanked on two
sides by the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, is
lined with sandy beaches and palm-fringed islands lying
just offshore. Some of the finest beaches in the country
are to found in Phuket, Samui, and the islands in Phangnga
Bay, while inland are mountain scenery, caves, waterfalls,
and steamy tropic jungles. The region was noce a part
of the mighty Srivijaya Empire and many significant
ruins dating from that period have been discovered,
such as the Chedi Wat Maha That in Nakorn Si Thamarat,
more than a thousand years old.
The south is rich in culture and festivals
such as Chak Phra and Tenth Month festivals. Unique
to the region is the sport of bull fighting,while iocal
products of interest include ornaments made from sea
shells, pearl oysters and hand-woven cloth.
The south's wealth has been based
for centuries on its rubbber and tin industries. This
is changing with the advent of tourism; it is now the
fastest growing tourist region in Thailand. This is
being spear headed by the island of Phuket, now an international
tourist destination, with such places as Koh Samui,
Krabi, Hatyai and Songkla playing supporting roles.
