View source for Southern Thailand

{{Short description|Region in Thailand}}
{{Redirect|Southern Thai|the language|Southern Thai language}}
{{more citations|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| name               = Southern Region
| other_name         = Phak Tai (ภาคใต้), Paktai (ปักษ์ใต้)
| settlement_type    = [[Regions of Thailand|Region]]
| image_skyline      = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Sunrise_thailand_ko_samui.jpg{{!}} Sunrise Thailand Ko Samui
| photo2a = TaRuTao11.jpg{{!}} Tarutao National Park
| photo2b =Wat phra mahathat woramahawihan nakhon si thammarat.jpg{{!}} Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan
| photo3a = Khao Sok National Park Surat Thani Province, Thailand.jpg{{!}} Rajjaprabha Dam
| photo3b = Phuket, April 2012.jpg{{!}} Phuket City
| size = 270
| position = center
| spacing = 2
| color = transparent
| border = 0
| foot_montage = From upper-left to lower-right: Sunrise Thailand [[Ko Samui]], [[Tarutao National Park]], [[Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan]], [[Rajjaprabha Dam]] and [[Phuket City]].
| 
}}
| image_map          = Thailand South.png
| map_alt            = 
| map_caption        = Southern Region in Thailand
| parts_type         = Provinces
| parts_style        = coll
| parts              = {{nobold|14 Provinces}}
| p1                 = [[Chumphon Province]]
| p2                 = [[Krabi Province]]
| p3                 = [[Nakhon Si Thammarat Province]]
| p4                 = [[Narathiwat Province]]
| p5                 = [[Pattani Province]]
| p6                 = [[Phang Nga Province]]
| p7                 = [[Phatthalung Province]]
| p8                 = [[Phuket Province]]
| p9                 = [[Ranong Province]]
| p10                = [[Satun Province]]
| p11                = [[Songkhla Province]]
| p12                = [[Surat Thani Province]]
| p13                = [[Trang Province]]
| p14                = [[Yala Province]]
| subdivision_type1  = Largest city
| subdivision_name1  = [[Hat Yai]]
| subdivision_type2  = 
| subdivision_name2  = 
| unit_pref          = metric
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="RFD">{{cite web |url=https://www.forest.go.th |title=ตารางที่ 2 พี้นที่ป่าไม้ แยกรายจังหวัด พ.ศ.2562 |year=2019 |department=Royal Forest Department |language=Thai |trans-title=Table 2 Forest area Separate province year 2019 |access-date=6 April 2021 |postscript=, }} information, Forest statistics Year 2019.</ref>
| area_water_percent = 
| area_rank          = 
| area_total_km2     = 73,848
| area_land_km2      = 
| area_water_km2     = 
| population_as_of   = 2018
| population_footnotes = <ref name="TDD">{{cite web |url=http://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/ |title=รายงานสถิติจำนวนประชากรและบ้านประจำปี พ.ศ.2561 |date=31 December 2018 |department=Registration Office Department of the Interior, Ministry of the Interior |language=th |trans-title=Statistics, population and house statistics for the year 2018 |access-date=20 June 2019 |archive-date=14 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614102009/http://stat.bora.dopa.go.th/stat/statnew/statTDD/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| population_total   = 9,454,193
| population_density_km2 = 134
| population_demonym = [[Thai people|Khon Tai]],<br>[[Peranakan Chinese|Khon Peranakan]],<br>[[Thai Chinese|Khon Chin]]
| blank1_name_sec2   = {{nowrap|[[Language]]}}
| blank1_info_sec2   = [[Southern Thai language|Southern Thai]] • [[Pattani Malay]] • [[Kedah Malay|Satun Malay]] • [[Mos language|Mos]] • [[Urak Lawoi' language|Urak Lawoi']] • [[Moken language|Moklen]] • [[Hokkien]] ''etc.'' 
<!-- GDP  --------------->| demographics_type2 = GDP {{Nobold|(Nominal, 2024)}}
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="NESDB-2021">{{cite journal|title=''Gross Regional and Provincial Product, 2024 Edition''|journal=Gross Regional and Provincial Product |url=https://www.nesdc.go.th/en/?p=107927&ddl=107925|publisher=Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC)|language=en|issn=1686-0799}}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = Metro
| demographics2_info1 = [[baht|฿]]1.672 trillion<br /> ([[US$]]47.785 billion)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita 
| demographics2_info2 = ฿170,018<br />(US$4,829)
| timezone1          = [[Time in Thailand|ICT]]
| utc_offset1        = +07:00
}}
'''Southern Thailand''' (formerly '''Southern Siam''' and '''[[Tambralinga]]''') is the southernmost [[cultural region]] of [[Thailand]], separated from [[Central Thailand]] by the [[Kra Isthmus]].

==Geography==
[[File:Cheow Lan Lake, Khao Sok, Thailand.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Khao Sok National Park, Surat Thani]]
Southern Thailand is on the [[Malay Peninsula]], with an area of around {{convert|70714|km2|abbr=on}}, bounded to the north by [[Kra Isthmus]], the narrowest part of the peninsula. The western part has highly steep coasts, while on the east side river plains dominate. The largest river in the south is the [[Tapi River, Thailand|Tapi]], in [[Surat Thani province|Surat Thani]], which, together with the [[Phum Duang River|Phum Duang]] in Surat Thani, drains more than {{convert|8000|km2|abbr=on}}, more than 10 percent of the total area of southern Thailand. Smaller rivers include the [[Pattani River|Pattani]], [[Saiburi River|Saiburi]], [[Krabi River|Krabi]], and the [[Trang River|Trang]]. The largest lake in the south is [[Songkhla Lake]] ({{convert|1040|km2|abbr=on}} altogether). The largest artificial lake is the Chiao Lan (Ratchaprapha Dam), occupying {{convert|165|km2|abbr=on}} of [[Khao Sok]] National Park in Surat Thani. The total forest area is {{convert|17,964|km2|abbr=on}} or 24.3 percent of provincial area.<ref name="RFD"/>

[[File:LaoLiangPhi.jpg|thumb|Ko Lao Liang Phi]]

Running through the middle of the peninsula are several mountain chains, with the highest elevation at [[Khao Luang]], {{convert|1835|m|ft|abbr=on}}, in [[Nakhon Si Thammarat province]]. Ranging from the Kra Isthmus to [[Phuket province|Phuket]] Island is the [[Phuket Range|Phuket chain]], which connects to the [[Tanao Si Mountain Range]] further north. Almost parallel to the Phuket chain but {{convert|100|km|-1|abbr=on}} to the east is the [[Nakhon Si Thammarat Range|Nakhon Si Thammarat, or Banthat, chain]], which begins with [[Ko Samui|Samui Island]], [[Ko Pha-ngan]], and [[Ko Tao]] in Surat Thani Province and ends at the [[Malaysia]]n border at the Ko Ta Ru Tao archipelago. The border with Malaysia is formed by the [[Sankalakhiri mountain range|Sankalakhiri range]], sometimes sub-divided into the Pattani, Taluban, and Songkhla chain. At the Malaysian border, the [[Titiwangsa Mountains|Titiwangsa chain]] rises.

The limestone of the west coast has been eroded into many steep singular hills. The parts submerged by the rising sea after the [[Last Ice Age]] now form many islands, like the well-known [[Phi Phi Islands]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} Also well known is the so-called ''James Bond Island'' in [[Phang Nga Bay]], featured in the movie ''[[The Man with the Golden Gun (film)|The Man with the Golden Gun]]''.

The population of the growing region is projected to be 9,156,000 in 2015, up from 8,871,003 in 2010 (census count and adjusted). Although those figures are adjusted for citizens who have left for Bangkok or who moved to the region from elsewhere, as well as registered permanent residents (residency was problematic in the prior 2000 census), the figure is still misleading.{{Citation needed|date=August 2017}} There are still a huge number of migrant or informal workers, temporary workers and even stateless people and a large expatriate population, which are not included.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://citypopulation.de/Thailand-Cities.html|title=Thailand: Major Cities, Towns & Communes - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information}}</ref>

Most of southern Thailand is in [[Tenasserim–South Thailand semi-evergreen rain forests]] [[ecoregion]]. The [[Peninsular Malaysian rain forests]] and [[Peninsular Malaysian montane rain forests]] ecoregions extend into southernmost Thailand along the border with Malaysia.<ref name="wikramanayake">{{cite book|author1=Wikramanayake, Eric|author2=Eric Dinerstein|author3=Colby J. Loucks|display-authors=et al.|date=2002|title=Terrestrial Ecoregions of the Indo-Pacific: a Conservation Assessment|location=Washington, DC|publisher=Island Press}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Nakhon Si Thammarat Chedi Phra Baromathat.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Wat Phra Baromathat, Nakhon Si Thammarat, an old and important temple]]
[[File:Borom That Chaiya.jpg|thumb|120px|left|Pagoda in Javanese or [[Sailendra]]n-style, Chaiya, Surat Thani]]
[[File:Malay Peninsula Map British Siam Territory 1889 Johnston.png|thumb|Malay Peninsula map with British and Siam territories 1889]]

The [[Malay Peninsula]] has been settled since prehistoric times. Archeological remains were found in several caves, some used for dwellings, others as burial sites. The oldest remains were found in [[Lang Rongrien]] Cave, dating 38,000 to 27,000 years before present, and in the contemporary Moh Khiew cave.

In the [[1st millennium|first millennium]], Chinese chronicles mention several coastal cities or city-states. No exact geographical locations were recorded and so the identification of these cities with later settlements is difficult. The most important of those states were [[Langkasuka]], usually considered a precursor of the [[Patani Kingdom]]; [[Tambralinga]], probably the precursor of the [[Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom]], or [[Pan Pan (kingdom)|P'an-p'an]] in Phunphin district, Surat Thani, probably located at the [[Bandon Bay]] [[Tapi River, Thailand|Tapi River]]. The cities were highly influenced by [[Greater India|Indian]] culture, and have adopted [[Brahman]] or [[Buddhist]] religion. When [[Srivijaya]] in [[Chaiya]] extended its sphere of influence, those cities became tributary states of Srivijaya. The city [[Chaiya]] in [[Surat Thani Province]] contains several ruins from Srivijaya times, and was probably a regional capital of the kingdom. Some Thai historians even claim that it was the capital of the kingdom itself for some time, but this is disputed.

After Srivijaya lost its influence, Nakhon Si Thammarat became the dominant kingdom of the area. During the rule of King [[Ramkhamhaeng the Great]] of [[Sukhothai kingdom|Sukhothai]], Thai influence first reached Nakhon Si Thammarat. According to the Ramkhamhaeng inscription, Nakhon Si Thammarat was a tributary state of Sukhothai. During most of later periods, Nakhon became a tributary of [[Ayutthaya kingdom|Ayutthaya]].

The deep south belonged to the Malay sultanates of [[Pattani Kingdom|Pattani]] and [[Kedah]], while the northernmost part of the peninsula was under the control of Bangkok.

During the ''Thesaphiban'' reforms at the end of the 19th century, both Nakhon Si Thammarat and Pattani were incorporated into the central state. The area was subdivided into 5 ''[[monthon]]'', which were installed to control the city states (''[[mueang]]''). Minor ''mueang'' were merged into larger ones, thus forming the present 14 provinces. With the [[Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909]] the boundary to Malaysia was fixed. Kedah came under British control, while Pattani stayed with Siam.
<!-- Todo: Communist insurgency of the 1970s-->

==Languages==
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2026}}
{{Main|Southern Thai language|Kelantan-Pattani Malay|Thai language}}
The main language is '''[[Southern Thai language|Southern Thai]]''' ({{langx|th|ภาษาไทยใต้}} {{IPA|th|pʰaːsǎː tʰajtâːj|}}), also known as '''Pak Thai''' or '''Dambro''' ({{langx|th|ภาษาตามโพร}} {{IPA|th|pʰaːsǎː taːmpʰroː|}}), which is a [[Southwestern Tai languages|southwestern Tai]] language [[Spoken language|spoken]] in the 14 [[Provinces of Thailand|''changwat'']] of southern Thailand as well as by small [[Malaysian Siamese|Thai communities]] in the northernmost [[Malaysia]]n states. It is spoken natively by roughly five million people and as a second language by the 1.5 million native speakers of [[Patani Malay]], along with other [[ethnic groups]] such as the local [[Negritos]] communities, and other tribal groups.

Although [[Thai language|Central Thai]] is the sole official language in Thailand and most people in Southern Thailand are proficient in Central Thai at the level of native speakers, the language is only the third largest vernacular language in southern Thailand, with roughly four hundred thousand native speakers. In particular, it is native only among some [[Thai Chinese]] (Teochew, Hoklo, Hakka and Cantonese, but not the [[Peranakan Chinese|Peranakan]]s  nor the Hainan group in Southern Thailand, who speak Southern Thai). Particularly in their major [[ethnic enclaves]] like [[Hat Yai District|Hat Yai]] and [[Mueang Surat Thani District|Bandon]] districts  the ethnic Chinese native speakers of Central Thai speak with very  decidedly Krungthep accents (the [[Prestige (sociolinguistics)|prestige accent]] in Bangkok which is spoken by ethnic Chinese people there as well), even when they attempt to speak Southern Thai as [[Passive speaker (language)|passive bilingual speakers]].

==Administrative divisions==
[[File:Thailand Southern provinces.png|right|200px]]
The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) identities Southern Thailand as 14 provinces.<ref name="NESDC">{{cite web |url=https://www.nesdb.go.th/nesdb_en/ewt_dl_link.php?nid=4317 |title=Revisions to the Gross Regional and Provincial Product 2016 Edition |date=July 2018 |website=nesdb.go.th |publisher=The Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) |access-date=26 December 2019 |quote=page 35 The South}}</ref><br>
The Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) includes for Southern Thailand (east coast) also the two provinces of Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phetchaburi.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tmd.go.th/en/aboutus/location.php |title=Weather - Southern-east coast |year=2019 |website=tmd.go.th |publisher=Thai Meteorological Department |access-date=26 December 2019}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:95%;"
|-
!scope="col" style="width:4%;text-align:right;" class="unsortable"|&nbsp;
!scope="col" style="width:25%;text-align:center;"|Name
!scope="col" style="width:14%;text-align:center;"|[[Thai alphabet|Thai]]
!scope="col" style="width:9%;text-align:center;"|Area
!scope="col" style="width:10%;text-align:center;"|Pop.<ref name="TDD" />
!scope="col" style="width:8%;text-align:right;"|Dens.
!scope="col" style="width:10%;text-align=right;"|Annual<br>income
!scope="col" style="width:10%;text-align:right;"|Poverty<br>Ratio
!scope="col" style="width:10%;text-align:left;"|Coastal<br>region
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|1
|{{flag|Chumphon}}
|ชุมพร
|style="text-align:right;"|6,009.0
|style="text-align:right;"|510,963
|style="text-align:right;"|85
|style="text-align:right;"|351,672
|style="text-align:right;"|5.4%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|2
|{{flag|Nakhon Si Thammarat}}
|นครศรีธรรมราช
|style="text-align:right;"|9,942.5
|style="text-align:right;"|1,560,433
|style="text-align:right;"|157
|style="text-align:right;"|301,488
|style="text-align:right;"|8.1%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|3
|{{flag|Narathiwat}}
|นราธิวาส
|style="text-align:right;"|4,475.0
|style="text-align:right;"|802,474
|style="text-align:right;"|179
|style="text-align:right;"|238,680
|style="text-align:right;"|37.3%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|4
|{{flag|Pattani}}
|ปัตตานี
|style="text-align:right;"|1,940.4
|style="text-align:right;"|718,077
|style="text-align:right;"|370
|style="text-align:right;"|210,156
|style="text-align:right;"|36.0%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|5
|{{flag|Phatthalung}}
|พัทลุง
|style="text-align:right;"|3,424.5
|style="text-align:right;"|525,044
|style="text-align:right;"|153
|style="text-align:right;"|257,736
|style="text-align:right;"|14.0%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|6
|{{flag|Songkhla}}
|สงขลา
|style="text-align:right;"|7,393.9
|style="text-align:right;"|1,432,628
|style="text-align:right;"|194
|style="text-align:right;"|331,920
|style="text-align:right;"|8.2%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|7
|{{flag|Surat Thani}}
|สุราษฎร์ธานี
|style="text-align:right;"|12,891.5
|style="text-align:right;"|1,063,501
|style="text-align:right;"|83
|style="text-align:right;"|437,592
|style="text-align:right;"|1.4%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#98d798;"|8
|{{flag|Yala}}
|ยะลา
|style="text-align:right;"|4,521.1
|style="text-align:right;"|532,326
|style="text-align:right;"|118
|style="text-align:right;"|187,008
|style="text-align:right;"|21.2%
|style="text-align:center;"|East
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#ebbebe;"|9
|{{flag|Krabi}}
|กระบี่
|style="text-align:right;"|4,709.0
|style="text-align:right;"|473,738
|style="text-align:right;"|101
|style="text-align:right;"|372,132
|style="text-align:right;"|6.4%
|style="text-align:center;"|West
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#ebbebe;"|10
|{{flag|Phang Nga}}
|พังงา
|style="text-align:right;"|4,170.0
|style="text-align:right;"|268,240
|style="text-align:right;"|64
|style="text-align:right;"|346,104
|style="text-align:right;"|5.1%
|style="text-align:center;"|West
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#ebbebe;"|11
|{{flag|Phuket}}
|ภูเก็ต
|style="text-align:right;"|543.0
|style="text-align:right;"|410,211
|style="text-align:right;"|755
|style="text-align:right;"|378,000
|style="text-align:right;"|0.5%
|style="text-align:center;"|West
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#ebbebe;"|12
|{{flag|Ranong}}
|ระนอง
|style="text-align:right;"|3,298.0
|style="text-align:right;"|191,868
|style="text-align:right;"|58
|style="text-align:right;"|264,420
|style="text-align:right;"|16.6%
|style="text-align:center;"|West
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#ebbebe;"|13
|{{flag|Satun}}
|สตูล
|style="text-align:right;"|2,479.0
|style="text-align:right;"|321,574
|style="text-align:right;"|130
|style="text-align:right;"|278,496
|style="text-align:right;"|5.8%
|style="text-align:center;"|West
|-
|style="text-align:center;background:#ebbebe;"|14
|{{flag|Trang}}
|ตรัง
|style="text-align:right;"|4,917.5
|style="text-align:right;"|643,116
|style="text-align:right;"|131
|style="text-align:right;"|279,708
|style="text-align:right;"|15.9%
|style="text-align:center;"|West
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="width:95%;"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|'''Average household annual income in 2015 (Thai baht)'''.<ref name="INCOME">{{cite report |website=social.nesdb.go.th |script-title=th:ดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี2560 |trans-title=Human Achievement Index - HAI year 2017 |language=th |year=2017 |pages=149–165 |publisher=National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) |url=https://www.social.nesdb.go.th/social/Portals/O/HAI%202560%20Web%20NESDB.pdf |isbn=978-974-9769-33-1 |access-date=14 September 2019 |postscript=, sub 5.64-5.77 section: Average household income per month}}</ref>
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;"|'''Poverty Ratio in 2016'''.<ref name="POVERTY">{{cite report |website=social.nesdb.go.th |script-title=th:ดัชนีความก้าวหน้าของคน ปี2560 |trans-title=Human Achievement Index - HAI year 2017 |language=th |year=2017 |pages=149–165 |publisher=National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) |url=https://www.social.nesdb.go.th/social/Portals/O/HAI%202560%20Web%20NESDB.pdf |isbn=978-974-9769-33-1 |access-date=14 September 2019 |postscript=, sub 5.64-5.77 section: Poverty Ratio}}</ref>
|}

==Demography==
Southern Thailand has 9.454&nbsp;million inhabitants and its population density is {{convert|134|/km2}}.<ref name="TDD" />

===Ten major cities===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! No.
! Name
! Pop.
! Metropolitan
|-
||1||[[Hat Yai]]||159,627||397,379 in [[Hat Yai District]].
|-
||2||[[Surat Thani]]||130,114||177,242 in [[Mueang Surat Thani District]].
|-
||3||[[Nakhon Si Thammarat]]||104,948||271,330 in [[Mueang Nakhon Si Thammarat District]].
|-
||4||[[Phuket town|Phuket]]||78,923||238,866 in [[Mueang Phuket District]].
|-
||5||[[Ko Samui]]||65,847||82,900 in [[Ko Samui]]–[[Ko Pha Ngan]].
|-
||6||[[Songkhla]]||64,602||163,083 in [[Mueang Songkhla District]].
|-
||7||[[Yala, Thailand|Yala]]||61,293||167,582 in [[Mueang Yala District]].
|-
||8||[[Trang, Trang|Trang]]||59,999||156,115 in [[Mueang Trang District]].
|-
||9||[[Pattani (town)|Pattani]]||44,900||130,178 in [[Mueang Pattani District]].
|-
||10||[[Narathiwat]]||41,572||124,049 in [[Mueang Narathiwat District]].
|-
|}

==Religion==
{{Main|Religion in Thailand}}

{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religion in Southern Thailand (2015 census)<ref name="2015census">{{cite web|url=http://web.nso.go.th/en/survey/popchan/data/2015-2016-Statistical%20tables%20PDF.pdf|title=Population by religion, region and area, 2015|publisher=NSO|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref>

|label1 = [[Buddhism in Thailand|Buddhism]]
|value1 = 73.45
|color1 = Gold
|label2 = [[Islam in Thailand|Islam]]
|value2 = 26.33
|color2 = Green 
|label3 = [[Christianity in Thailand|Christianity]]
|value3 = 0.21
|color3 = DodgerBlue
|label4 = [[Sikhism in Thailand|Sikhism]]
|value4 = 0.005
|color4 = Yellow 
|label5 = Other religions
|value5 = 0.004
|color5 = Black
|label6 = No religion
|value6 = 0.008
|color6 = White 
}}

Thailand is a Buddhist-majority country. About 93.46% in Thailand follow Buddhism.<ref name="2018census">{{cite web|url=http://statbbi.nso.go.th/nso/nso_center/project/table/files/S-soc-health/2561/000/00_S-soc-health_2561_000_000000_00100.xls|title=Population by religion, region and area, 2018|publisher=NSO|access-date=9 March 2021}}</ref> Buddhism is the majority religion in southern Thailand as well but makes up 75.45% of the region's people.<ref name="2015census">{{cite web|url=http://web.nso.go.th/en/survey/popchan/data/2015-2016-Statistical%20tables%20PDF.pdf|title=Population by religion, region and area, 2015|publisher=NSO|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> The Thai follow [[Theravada Buddhism]]. Minority ethnic groups such as Khmer also follow Buddhism, and 10 of the 14 provinces in southern Thailand have Buddhist majorities. 

[[File:MalaysiaThailand (en).png|thumb|upright|150px|Malay Muslim provinces in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia.]]
Islam constitutes 24.33% of Southern Thailand even though it constitutes only 5.36% of the whole country.<ref name="2015census">{{cite web|url=http://web.nso.go.th/en/survey/popchan/data/2015-2016-Statistical%20tables%20PDF.pdf|title=Population by religion, region and area, 2015|publisher=NSO|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> Islam is mostly followed by the Malay people in Southernmost Thailand: Yala, Pattani, Naratiwat and Satun provinces, near Malaysia. There is also a small [[Thai people|Thai]] Muslim population. 

Christianity makes up 0.21% of Southern Thailand's population. Sikhism makes up 0.05% in the region and is practiced by Indian immigrants.<ref name="2015census">{{cite web|url=http://web.nso.go.th/en/survey/popchan/data/2015-2016-Statistical%20tables%20PDF.pdf|title=Population by religion, region and area, 2015|publisher=NSO|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref>

==Economy==
The bulk of the region's population relies on agriculture for 27 percent of its gross regional product in 2014. It is followed by industry (12 percent), trade (10 percent), transportation (9 percent), tourism (8 percent), and construction and property (7 percent).<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wangkiat|first1=Paritta|title=Songkhla power plant sit-in an energy wake-up call|url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1312419/songkhla-power-plant-sit-in-an-energy-wake-up-call|access-date=25 August 2017|work=Bangkok Post|date=25 August 2017}}</ref>

For FY 2018, Southern Thailand Region had a combined economic output of 1,402 trillion baht (US$45.2 billion), or 8.6 percent of Thailand's GDP. Surat Thani province had an economic output of 206.869 billion baht (US$6.67 billion), which is equal to a GPP per capita of 182,371 baht (US$5,883), more than double for Yala province, which is fifth and more than three times for Narathiwat province, lowest in the ranking.<ref>{{cite report |title=Phitsanulok Provincial Statistical Report 2562-2019: Economic Statistics - National Accounts |department=Phitsanulok Provincial Statistical Office |publication-date=2020 |issn=1905-8314 |publisher=National Statistical Office (NSO) |pages=96–97}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ {{big|Gross Provincial Product (GPP)}}
|-
! style="width:10px;" class=unsortable|Rank
! style="width:140px;"|Province
! style="width:100px;"|GPP<br>(million baht)
! style="width:100px;"|Population<br>(x 1000)
! style="width:100px;"|GPP per capita (baht)
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|1 ||Surat Thani ||style="text-align:center;"|206,869 ||style="text-align:center;"|1,134 ||style="text-align:center;"|182,371
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|2 ||Chumphon ||style="text-align:center;"|87,746 ||style="text-align:center;"|498 ||style="text-align:center;"|176,200
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|3 ||Songkhla ||style="text-align:center;"|248,386 ||style="text-align:center;"|1,635 ||style="text-align:center;"|151,918
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|4 ||Nakhon Si Thammarat ||style="text-align:center;"|164,375 ||style="text-align:center;"|1,507 ||style="text-align:center;"|109,050
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|5 ||Yala ||style="text-align:center;"|43,006 ||style="text-align:center;"|468 ||style="text-align:center;"|91,815
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|6 ||Pattani ||style="text-align:center;"|48,549 ||style="text-align:center;"|641 ||style="text-align:center;"|75,697
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|7 ||Phatthalung ||style="text-align:center;"|36,006 ||style="text-align:center;"|492 ||style="text-align:center;"|73,213
|-
| style="background:#98d798;text-align:center;"|8 ||Narathiwat ||style="text-align:center;"|44,778 ||style="text-align:center;"|721 ||style="text-align:center;"|62,066
|-
! style="background:#98d798;"|&nbsp;!!East coast !!879,715 !!7,096 !!123,973
|}

{{Chart|definition=GPP of the East Coast of Southern Thailand.chart|data=GPP of the East Coast of Southern Thailand.tab|width=500px}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ {{big|Gross Provincial Product (GPP)}}
|-
! style="width:10px;" class=unsortable|Rank
! style="width:120px;"|Province
! style="width:100px;"|GPP<br>(million baht)
! style="width:100px;"|Population<br>(x 1000)
! style="width:100px;"|GPP per capita (baht)
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|1 ||Phuket ||style="text-align:center;"|234,028 ||style="text-align:center;"|580 ||style="text-align:center;"|403,534
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|2 ||Phang-nga ||style="text-align:center;"|78,493 ||style="text-align:center;"|250 ||style="text-align:center;"|313,919
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|3 ||Krabi ||style="text-align:center;"|86,684 ||style="text-align:center;"|418 ||style="text-align:center;"|207,415
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|4 ||Satun ||style="text-align:center;"|31,215 ||style="text-align:center;"|290 ||style="text-align:center;"|107,505
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|5 ||Ranong ||style="text-align:center;"|28,014 ||style="text-align:center;"|269 ||style="text-align:center;"|103,966
|-
| style="background:#ebbebe;text-align:center;"|6 ||Trang ||style="text-align:center;"|64,586 ||style="text-align:center;"|630 ||style="text-align:center;"|102,589
|-
! style="background:#ebbebe;"|&nbsp;!!West coast !!523,020 !!2,437 !!214,616
|}

{{Chart|definition=GPP of the West Coast of Southern Thailand.chart|data=GPP of the West Coast of Southern Thailand.tab|width=350px}}

==Transportation==
Southern Thailand is connected with Bangkok by railway and highway. Several regional airports are located at the larger towns. The transportation hub of all of southern Thailand is Hat Yai.

===Road===
[[Phetkasem Road]], the longest road in Thailand, runs from Bangkok along the Kra Isthmus and then along the west coast of the peninsula. From Trang, it crosses over to the east coast to Hat Yai, and ends at the Malaysian border.

Two [[Asian highway]]s run through southern Thailand: [[AH2|Asian Highway 2]] runs mostly parallel to the railroad all the way from Bangkok. It crosses to Malaysia at [[Sadao District|Sadao]], and continues on the west side of the peninsula. [[AH18|Asian Highway 18]] begins in Hat Yai and runs south along the east coast, crossing to Malaysia at [[Sungai Kolok]].

[[File:Samui Airport Departure Gate.jpg|thumb|250px|Ko Samui Airport]]
[[File:Samui Airport Runway.jpg|thumb|250px|Ko Samui Airport runway]]
[[File:HDY parking.jpg|thumb|250px|Hat Yai Airport]]

===Rail===
The [[State Railway of Thailand#Southern Line|southern railway]] connects Bangkok to Hat Yai and continues from there to Sungai Kolok. There are branches from [[Ban Thung Phoe Junction]] to [[Kirirat Nikhom]]. Two smaller branches of the railway run from [[Thung Song]] to Trang and Nakhon Si Thammarat and from [[Hat Yai Station|Hat Yai Junction]] to Malaysia and Singapore.

===Air===
Southern Thailand has five international airports and six domestic airports. {{Asof|2018}} Thailand's transport ministry is constructing the 1.9 billion [[Thai baht|baht]] [[Betong Airport]]. It is scheduled for completion in 2020.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sritama |first1=Suchat |title=Better days around the bend |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/special-reports/1529118/better-days-around-the-bend |access-date=27 August 2018 |work=Bangkok Post |date=27 August 2018}}</ref>

* [[Chumphon Airport]]
* [[Hat Yai International Airport]]
* [[Krabi Airport|Krabi International Airport]] 
* [[Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport]]
* [[Narathiwat Airport]]
* [[Pattani Airport]]
* [[Phuket International Airport]] 
* [[Ranong Airport]]
* [[Samui Airport|Ko Samui International Airport]] 
* [[Surat Thani Airport|Surat Thani International Airport]] 
* [[Trang Airport]]

==See also==
* [[South Thailand insurgency]]
* [[Yawi language]]
* [[OK Betong]] — ''Thai film set in Southern Thailand''.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Suthiwong Pongpaiboon. ''Southern Thai Cultural Structures and Dynamics Vis-à-vis Development''. {{ISBN|974-9553-75-6}}.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Southern Thailand|position=left|Southern Thailand}}
*{{Wikivoyage-inline|Southern Thailand}}

{{Regions of Thailand}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|8.0592|N|99.9756|E|source:wikidata-and-enwiki-cat-tree_region:TH|display=title}}

[[Category:Southern Thailand| ]]
[[Category:Malay Peninsula|.]]
[[Category:Regions of Thailand]]