Nakhon Si Thammarat (Thai นครศรีธรรมราช) is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The city was the administrative center of southern Thailand during most of its history. Original a coastal city, silting moved the coastline away from the city. The city has a much larger norther-south extension then east-west, which dates back to its original location on a flood-save dune. The modern city centre around the train station is located north of old town.

Contents

1 Wat Phra Mahathat Woromaha Vihan 2 City wall 3 Administration 4 References

Wat Phra Mahathat Woromaha Vihan

Wat Phra Mahathat is the most important temple of Nakhon Si Thammarat and southern Thailand. It was constructed at the time of the founding of the town, and contains a tooth relic of Buddha. The 78 m high chedi is surrounded by many smaller ones. While the chedi is now in Sri Lankan style, it is said to be built on top of an earlier Srivijaya style chedi.

At the base of the chedi is a gallery named Viharn Tap Kaset, decorated with many Buddha statues and elephant heads emerging from the chedi. Viharn Phra Song Ma is the buildings which contains the staircase which leads to a walkway around the chedi above the gallery. At the bottom of the staircase are demon giants (yak) as guardians. Adjoining to the north is the Viharn Kien, which contains a small temple museum.

South of the chedi is the large ubosot building, the Viharn Luang. The monk living quarters are located across the street in a separate temple, Wat Na Phra Boromathat.

The chedi is the symbol of the Nakhon Si Thammarat province, present in the seal of the province.

City wall

The city chronicle already mentions a fortification when the town was refounded in 1278. Restorations were recorded at the time of King Ramesuan (14th century), as well as King Narai (1686). The latter one was supported by the French engineer M. de la Mare.

The walls spread 456 m from East to West, and 2238 m North to South, thus enclosing an area of about one square kilometre. The northern wall had only one gate, called Prathu Chai Nua or Prathu Chai Sak, also the souther wall had only one gate. To the east there were three gates, which connected the town with the sea. To the west were five gates. Today only the northern gate still exists, together with a short stretch of the northern city wall.

Administration

The district of Nakhon Si Thammarat (Amphoe Mueang) is subdivided into 16 communes (tambon). The missing numbers in the list belong to communes which now form the district Phra Phrom .

Nr.	Name	Thai name
1.	Nai Mueang	ในเมือง			14.	Mamuang Song Ton	มะม่วงสองต้น
2.	Tha Wang	ท่าวัง			15.	Na Khian	นาเคียน
3.	Khlang	คลัง			16.	Tha Ngio	ท่างิ้ว
5.	Sala Michai	ศาลามีชัย			18.	Pho Sadet	โพธิ์เสด็จ
6.	Tha Rai	ท่าไร่			19.	Bang Chak	บางจาก
7.	Pak Nakhon	ปากนคร			20.	Pak Phun	ปากพูน
8.	Nat Rai	นาทราย			21.	Tha Sak	ท่าซัก
12.	Kamphaeng Sao	กำแพงเซา			22.	Tha Ruea	ท่าเรือ
13.	Chai Montri	ไชยมนตรี

References

• Stuart Munro-Hay. Nakhon Sri Thammarat - The Archaeology, History and Legends of a Southern Thai Town. ISBN 974-7534-73-8