Surat Thani

Surat Thani Province, It known as Surat for short.Surat Thani is the largest province in the South region of thailand,on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Surat Thani means City of Good People, the title given to the city by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI). Neighboring provinces are (from north clockwise) Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi, Phang Nga and Ranong. The seal of the province shows the pagoda of Phra Boromathat Chaiya(Srivijaya style), which is believed to have been built 1200 years ago in centre of Srivija empire. The flag of the province also shows the pagoda in middle, placed on a vertically split flag with red color in top and yellow in bottom. The provincial symbolic flower is the Bua Phut (Rafflesia kerrii), a parasitic plant with one of the biggest flowers of all plants. The provincial tree is the Ton Kiam (Cotylelobium melanoxylon).

Surat Thani covers some 12,800 square kilometres and has an extensive coastline lapped by Thai Gulf waters. The provincial capital, 685 kilometres from Bangkok, is situated at the mouth of the Tapi River on the eastern side of the peninsula. Surat Thai is a major destination for both luxury and shoestring travellers seeking to realise their dreams of a tropical seascape. Renowned for its vast collection of palm-fringed islands off its coast and beautiful beach,the Gulf of Thailand belong to the district, including the tourist islands and beach Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Tao and Ko Nang Yuan. Surat Thani is also covered with large forest areas abundant in flora and fauna. Many rare species of plants and birds are to be found in the province's national parks.

Today, Surat Thani is an important commercial and shipping hub for rubber and coconut trading.