South Thailand / Surat Thani

South Thailand

The shape of Thailand is often likened to an elephant's head, in which case south Thailand would be the trunk. It forms the northern part of the elongated Malay Peninsula, and its mountain backbone is a continuation of the meridional chains of north Thailand.

The Menam Plain with its mountainous foothills in the west forms the northern boundary of this region, while to the west the almost inaccessible Tenasserim Mountains constitute the natural frontier with Myanmar, and in the south the San Kara Khiri Mountains divide it from Malaysia. The peninsula separates two oceans from one another; the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea form a part of the western Pacific, while in the west the Andaman Sea is a periphery of the Indian Ocean. If a canal were to be built across the Isthmus of Kra, which is only 64 km (40 mi.) wide, the distance by sea from coast to coast would be reduced by 1300 km (800 mi.). Although discussions are held from time to time about such a plan it is unlikely to come to fruition because of the huge costs involved. To the south the mountains divide into two roughly parallel chains running from north to south, the Phuket Mountains and the Nakhon Si Thammarat Mountains. The highest peak at 1835 m (6022 ft) is Khao Luang west of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

Geologically speaking, this region is almost the same as north Thailand, its mountains being foothills of the latter. Limestone was deposited on a granite base; where the granite has come to the surface, which is often the case as a result of deformation and erosive processes, flat-topped mountains have resulted. In the limestone regions, on the other hand, precipitous rock formations dominate the landscape. These towering rocks are described by geologists as tropical karst cones, their formation having been linked to the warm and moist climate. The flat top is almost always covered in thick vegetation, while the walls are mostly so steep that they appear simply as blank stone. These towers of rock often taper towards their base; the reason for this is that as it runs down rainwater attacks the stone and overhangs are constantly breaking off.

Geological occurrences have had a marked effect on the coastline. The west coast has numerous bays and islands formed from steep-walled limestone rock. The east coast with its wide beaches is most charming and has recently been opened up to tourism. Tectonic earth movements and landslips north of Songkhla have left large freshwater lakes.

The islands, such as Phuket, are fascinating. They were formed as the result of the tilting of the Malay Peninsula when the western part sank and the eastern end rose. In the course of this tectonic movement whole mountain ranges "were drowned" in the Andaman Sea, and only the peaks of the limestone rocks, covered in thick jungle, rose out of the sea in the form of islands. A boat trip in the Bay of Phangnga is a most impressive experience.

Until the collapse of the tin cartel the rich deposits of tin in south Thailand made the region economically prosperous. When tin prices fell on the world market and a large number of mines were closed as a result, those on Phuket Island suffered the same fate. Few attempts were made to fill in the mines and they remain as unpleasant scars on an otherwise extremely attractive landscape.