Formerly being mostly overlooked, Satun is now increasingly well-known for its famous island, Koh Lipe.
Satun is divided into 6 districts namely; Mueang Satun, Khuan Don, Tha Phae, Khuan Kalong, La-ngu, Thung Wa and 1 minor district, Manang.
Satun is a small province in the Southern Thailand that is located along the coast of the Andaman Sea. It possesses almost 100 islands; some are the considered as the most beautiful islands of the Andaman Sea. Besides its picturesque islands, Satun also features some attractions about culture and local way of lives.
Satun is located in the far south of Thailand, nearly 1000 kilometers from Bangkok. Most of the provincial inland is mountainous and the coastal region features more than 60 islands. As Satun borders Malaysia, a majority of Satun’s population is Muslim, many of whom are of Malaysian descent, adding a colorful character to the town, particularly in regard to food and clothing. Fortunately for the people of Satun and visitors to the area, Satun has been largely unaffected by the domestic unrest in the south and is a quiet and safe place to visit.
Satun town, the province’s capital, is a sleepy town that typically only sees travelers who are en route to either the offshore islands or Malaysia. However, mainland Satun does feature the Thale Ban National Park, which contains a number of waterfalls and a large lagoon surrounded by towering mountains.
From the port town at Pakbara, the top island destinations in Satun are Koh Tarutao and Koh Lipe, idyllic and generally undeveloped islands renowned for their spectacular natural beauty. Other islands include Koh Bulon Lae, Koh Adang and Koh Petra National Marine Park.
Satun is a small province in the south of Thailand that is located along the coast of the Andaman Sea. In addition to a border crossing with Malaysia Satun Province possesses picturesque islands, verdant forests, and a mountainous interior.
Satun, once part of an independent Sultanate, has had strong ties with Thailand since the Ayutthaya period and as mixed marriages between Thais and Malay Muslims has been common for centuries, many Satun people are Samsam, meaning a mixed person. While most inhabitants of Satun, including most Samsams, are Muslims, Satun has avoided the regional unrest occurring in other southern provinces.
Most visitors to Satun come to visit the province’s spectacular national parks, including Mu Koh Tarutao National Park and Mu Koh Phetra National Park.
Ko Lipe
Ko Lipe is a small island in the Adang-Rawi Archipelago of the Strait of Malacca, in Satun Province of southwest Thailand, close to the Malaysian border. The Thai name (from the original Malay, Pulau Nipis) is transliterated in many different ways into English. The most common names are "Koh Lipe", "Koh Lipeh", "Ko Lipey", and "Ko Lipe". Ko Lipe is on the border of the Tarutao National Marine Park and is directly south of the larger islands Ko Adang and Ko Rawi, and about 50 km from the island of Ko Tarutao.It was originally settled by a group of Malay-speaking sea gypsies (chao leh in Thai and 'orang laut' in Malay), known as the Urak Lawoi’ people.
In 1432, during the reign of King Sam Fang Kaen of the Mangrai Dynasty (1402–1441), the Phra Kaeo, or Emerald Buddha, the most revered Buddha statue, was discovered in Chiang Rai when an earthquake split the chedi at Wat Phra Kaeo of Chiang Rai city. The beautiful jade figure was then seen concealed within. Another telling of the story has the "Emerald Buddha" hastily covered in mud just before marauders entered to pillage. Many years later, the clunky-looking mud Buddha was found to actually house a magnificent jade statue, perhaps by way of the earthquake mentioned above—which caused a piece of the clay to break off—revealing the jade beneath.
In 1992, the city pillar was moved from Wat Klang Wiang to Wat Phra That Doi Chom Thong, where it is known as Sadue Mueang, the "navel" or omphalos of the city.
Satun & Ko Lipe