Nakhon Sri Thammarat (นครศรีธรรมราช)

The provincial capital of a province (map) of the same name in South Thailand, 780 kms South of Bangkok. It has a population of approximately 72,000 with a large Muslim community. Centuries before the Srivijaya empire spread over the southern peninsula there was a city state with the name Ligor (Lagor) which was the capital of the then Trambralinga empire. Later on, when monks from Sri Lanka founded a monastery there, the name was changed into Sri Dhamma Raja, Pali-Sanskrit for ‘City of the Holy Dhamma King’, what eventually became the present Thai name. The area around Nakhon Sri Thammarat was part of the Srivijaya Kingdom from the 3rd century on, until the rise of Sukhothai, which incorporated it into its realm. After the demise of Sukhothai it became one of the tributary kingdoms of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. When in 1767 AD Ayutthaya fell for the second time to the Burmese, the post of Chao Phraya for Nakhon Sri Thammarat was vacant. When Luang Sit (หลวงสิท), an retributive officer of the princely household, who held the position of deputy governor looking after the city of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, learned that Ayutthaya had fallen to the Burmese and that there was no one in charge of the defence of the country, quickly posed as the new ruler of the city and in 1769 AD, called for its independence. However, King Taksin, the new Thai ruler, who after the destruction of Ayutthaya had relocated the Thai capital to Thonburi, sent in his troops to quell the insurgency and arrested Luang Sit, who he replaced with his own grandson Chao Nara Suriyawong (เจ้านราสุริยวงศ์), sent in from the new capital. After this prince died, King Taksin in 1776 AD announced a decree that future rulers of Nakhon Sri Thammarat would have to be loyal to the throne and prove their allegiance by allowing their progeny to serve at the royal court in the capital as an assurance during their time in office. This rule was later annulled by his successor, King Rama I, who in 1784 AD appointed Phat (พัฒน์), his own viceroy and son-in-law, to rule the province, though granting him the title of only Chao Phraya, as had been customary during the Ayutthaya Period. Thus, Nakhon Sri Thammarat was once ruled by a monarch, having royal dominion for about eight years. Chao Phraya Phat governed until the reign of Rama II and at an old age retired to the honorary post of Counselor, allowing his son Phra Borirak Phoobet (พระบริรักษ์ภูเบศร์), who allegedly was an illegitimate son of the ruler of Thonburi, to become the new ruler of Nakhon Sri Thammarat. With later administrative reforms, the former tributary kingdom was more closely integrated into the Thai state and in 1896 the Monthon Nakhon Sri Thammarat was established, consisting of the provinces Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Songkhla and Pattalung. With the abolishment of the monthon system in 1932, the province covering only the central parts of the former kingdom became the top-level administrative subdivision of Thailand. During the early development of the many different Thai kingdoms the city of Nakhon Sri Thammarat was an important centre for religion and culture, and it is today still known for the production of nielloware (fig.), ya lipao (fig.), nang thalung (fig.) and dance masks. Places of interest include Wat Mahathat Wora Maha Wihaan (map - fig.) with its 56 meters high chedi with a spire plated in pure gold. The city is situated in a province of the same name which also includes the 570 kms² large Khao Luang National Park, pristine beaches on its North coast, and shadow puppet theatres. The most important resources of the region are rubber, coffee, rice and fruit. Nakhon Sri Thammarat is also famous for its bull fighting sport, called kilah chon hua in Thai. This province has 21 amphur and 2 king amphur. See also Nakhon Sri Thammarat data file. 回