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The
bustling town of Hat Yai is the province's main shopping,
commercial and entertainment centre, and a magnet for
visiting Malaysian and Singaporean tourists. |
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But
it is the seaside town of Songkhla, southern Thailand's
oldest beach resort, that gives the province its laid-back
character. Samila Beach is the main leisure area with
8 kms of golden sand dotted with seafood restaurants and
hotels, and guarded by a brass mermaid, the symbol of
Songkhla. |
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Southern
history can be traced at Songkhla National Museum, located
in one of the Sino-Portuguese mansions so famous in this
resort, and housing an outstanding collection of Thai
and Chinese art treasures gathered from the southern provinces.
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Songkhla
Lake is Thailand's largest inland body of water, where
fishing predominates. Yo island is famous for its fabrics,
the Institute of Southern Studies and its collection of
folk arts, and Wat Pha Kho, a temple where legend says
a holy man prevented a pirate invasion by turning salt
water into fresh water with his feet. At the northern
end of the lake is Khu Khut Waterfowl Park, renowned for
its wide variety of birdlife. |
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