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Songkhla
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The name <i>Songkhla</i> means 'the city of lions' (not to be confused with <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_Singapura/GzlWKv17">Singapura</a>) and is the <a href="/facts/Thai_language/PnaLdG77">Thai</a> <a href="/facts/Language_change/ycYsECY0">variant</a> of "Singgora" (<a href="/facts/Malay_language/2T6pPtgv">Malay</a> and <a href="/facts/Jawi_script/DdF2xzyM">Jawi</a>: سيڠڬورا). This refers to a lion-shaped mountain near the city of Songkhla. Archaeological excavations on the isthmus between Lake Songkhla and the sea reveal that in the 10th through the 14th century, this was a major urbanized area, and a center of international maritime trade, in particular with <a href="/facts/Quanzhou/KRhHy7kg">Quanzhou</a> in China. The long Sanskrit name of the state that existed there has been lost; its short Sanskrit name was <i>Singhapura</i> ('Lion City') (not to be confused with <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_Singapura/GzlWKv17">Singapura</a>), a city state. The short vernacular name was <i>Satingpra</i>, coming from the <a href="/facts/Mon-Khmer/htRcwIvn">Mon-Khmer</a> <i>sting</i>/<i>steng</i>/<i>stang</i> (meaning 'river') and the Sanskrit <i>pura</i> ('city').<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>: 320–321 </p><p>The ruins of the ancient <a href="/facts/Port_city/8gMBbCNH">port city</a> of <a href="/facts/Satingpra/m2mWLWBw">Satingpra</a> are just few kilometers north of Songkhla. It was one of the most important trading centers of the <a href="/facts/Tambralinga/CXIKGXMl">Tambralinga</a> Kingdom. Archaeological digs and investigations conducted toward the end of the 20th century testify the existence of a fortified <a href="/facts/Citadel/zQV4oHLm">citadel</a> protected by a <a href="/facts/Moat/8jWvJSvJ">moat</a> and a quadrangular surrounding wall made of brick. A sophisticated system of canals connected the sea to the Songkhla Lake permitting the circulations of ships. The excavations brought to light artifacts of great historical and artistic value.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> </p><p>The precursor of the present-day town of Songkhla was The <a href="/facts/Sultanate_of_Singora/ASyeagaV">Sultanate of Singora</a>, a heavily fortified port city. It was founded in the early 17th century by a Persian, Dato Mogol, and flourished during the reign of his son, Sultan Sulaiman Shah. In 1680, after decades of conflict, the city was destroyed and abandoned; remains include forts, city walls, a Dutch cemetery and the tomb of Sultan Sulaiman Shah. </p><p>On 8 December 1941 local time, the <a href="/facts/Imperial_Japanese_army/11l04P9p">Imperial Japanese army</a> landed in Songkhla, <a href="/facts/Japanese_Invasion_of_Thailand/wpJ3lUWK">invading Thailand</a>. Because of the <a href="/facts/International_Date_Line/Q79urxjd">International Date Line</a>, this actually occurred hours before the 7 December (Hawaii time) <a href="/facts/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor/CLBkUVjC">attack on Pearl Harbor</a>, making it the first major action of the <a href="/facts/Pacific_War/yNu6op98">Pacific War</a>. The Japanese forces then moved south towards <a href="/facts/Perlis/3RU6nI4k">Perlis</a> and <a href="/facts/Penang/IWJa6K33">Penang</a> as part of the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Malaya/e2p0UHVQ">Malayan campaign</a> which culminated in the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Singapore/HUXNISlA">capture of Singapore</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>Since 2003, Songhkla has been affected by <a href="/facts/South_Thailand_insurgency/4w1EupLK">separatist insurgencies</a> in neighboring <a href="/facts/Narathiwat_Province/txXnua2K">Narathiwat</a>, <a href="/facts/Pattani_Province/lP0fk64U">Pattani</a>, and <a href="/facts/Yala_Province/SAgcPqXN">Yala</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>The municipality's mayor, Peera Tantiserane, was murdered in Songkhla in 2014.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="climate">Climate</h2> <p>Songkhla has a <a href="/facts/Tropical_monsoon_climate/x0HmIH4C">tropical monsoon climate</a> (<a href="/facts/K%25C3%25B6ppen_climate_classification/VDcr86hF">Köppen climate classification</a> <i>Am</i>). Temperatures are very warm to hot throughout the year with only minor variation. There is a short dry season in February and March; the rest of the year is wet, with especially heavy rainfall from October to December. </p> <table><tbody><tr><th colspan="14">Climate data for Songkhla (1991–2020, extremes 1951-present)</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Month</th><th scope="col">Jan</th><th scope="col">Feb</th><th scope="col">Mar</th><th scope="col">Apr</th><th scope="col">May</th><th scope="col">Jun</th><th scope="col">Jul</th><th scope="col">Aug</th><th scope="col">Sep</th><th scope="col">Oct</th><th scope="col">Nov</th><th scope="col">Dec</th><th scope="col">Year</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Record high °C (°F)</th><td>32.4(90.3)</td><td>34.3(93.7)</td><td>36.5(97.7)</td><td>38.2(100.8)</td><td>38.6(101.5)</td><td>37.6(99.7)</td><td>36.6(97.9)</td><td>37.3(99.1)</td><td>35.6(96.1)</td><td>38.5(101.3)</td><td>34.0(93.2)</td><td>32.6(90.7)</td><td>38.6(101.5)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily maximum °C (°F)</th><td>29.0(84.2)</td><td>30.5(86.9)</td><td>31.5(88.7)</td><td>32.6(90.7)</td><td>33.4(92.1)</td><td>33.4(92.1)</td><td>33.3(91.9)</td><td>33.3(91.9)</td><td>32.7(90.9)</td><td>31.6(88.9)</td><td>30.0(86.0)</td><td>29.5(85.1)</td><td>31.7(89.1)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Daily mean °C (°F)</th><td>27.2(81.0)</td><td>27.5(81.5)</td><td>28.1(82.6)</td><td>28.9(84.0)</td><td>29.0(84.2)</td><td>28.7(83.7)</td><td>28.5(83.3)</td><td>28.3(82.9)</td><td>28.0(82.4)</td><td>27.4(81.3)</td><td>27.0(80.6)</td><td>26.9(80.4)</td><td>28.0(82.3)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily minimum °C (°F)</th><td>24.9(76.8)</td><td>25.0(77.0)</td><td>25.2(77.4)</td><td>25.8(78.4)</td><td>25.8(78.4)</td><td>25.5(77.9)</td><td>25.2(77.4)</td><td>25.1(77.2)</td><td>24.9(76.8)</td><td>24.6(76.3)</td><td>24.6(76.3)</td><td>24.6(76.3)</td><td>25.1(77.2)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Record low °C (°F)</th><td>19.1(66.4)</td><td>19.3(66.7)</td><td>19.7(67.5)</td><td>21.1(70.0)</td><td>22.1(71.8)</td><td>21.1(70.0)</td><td>21.1(70.0)</td><td>21.9(71.4)</td><td>21.4(70.5)</td><td>21.1(70.0)</td><td>19.9(67.8)</td><td>20.5(68.9)</td><td>19.1(66.4)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average <a href="/facts/Precipitation/uq3nGQc8">precipitation</a> mm (inches)</th><td>127.2(5.01)</td><td>54.9(2.16)</td><td>71.3(2.81)</td><td>85.8(3.38)</td><td>114.8(4.52)</td><td>102.7(4.04)</td><td>95.1(3.74)</td><td>137.8(5.43)</td><td>123.3(4.85)</td><td>279.8(11.02)</td><td>587.9(23.15)</td><td>468.3(18.44)</td><td>2,248.9(88.54)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)</th><td>7.5</td><td>4.5</td><td>5.3</td><td>6.3</td><td>9.8</td><td>8.9</td><td>9.2</td><td>10.5</td><td>11.4</td><td>16.2</td><td>20.3</td><td>17.7</td><td>127.6</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Average <a href="/facts/Relative_humidity/Nwb28VlT">relative humidity</a> (%)</th><td>77.4</td><td>76.2</td><td>77.3</td><td>77.1</td><td>77.0</td><td>76.3</td><td>75.8</td><td>75.7</td><td>77.7</td><td>81.4</td><td>84.3</td><td>81.9</td><td>78.2</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean monthly <a href="/facts/Sunshine_duration/wVBusklh">sunshine hours</a></th><td>179.8</td><td>183.6</td><td>204.6</td><td>201.0</td><td>151.9</td><td>150.0</td><td>151.9</td><td>151.9</td><td>144.0</td><td>111.6</td><td>105.0</td><td>142.6</td><td>1,877.9</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">Mean daily <a href="/facts/Sunshine_duration/wVBusklh">sunshine hours</a></th><td>5.8</td><td>6.5</td><td>6.6</td><td>6.7</td><td>4.9</td><td>5.0</td><td>4.9</td><td>4.9</td><td>4.8</td><td>3.6</td><td>3.5</td><td>4.6</td><td>5.2</td></tr><tr><td colspan="14">Source 1: <a href="/facts/World_Meteorological_Organization/NWrDcKbl">World Meteorological Organization</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td colspan="14">Source 2: Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department (sun 1981–2010)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>(extremes)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="population">Population</h2> <p>The majority of the population is <a href="/facts/Buddhist/G0wsjrSl">Buddhist</a> with a large proportion of Muslims, especially in the rural areas near the <a href="/facts/Malaysia/8zbUMzCP">Malaysian</a> border. These Muslims speak the <a href="/facts/Yawi_language/UexRpy2c">Yawi language</a>, a language closely related to <a href="/facts/Malay_language/2T6pPtgv">Malay</a>, which has some Thai influence, especially in <a href="/facts/Loan_word/PWGYczgY">loan words</a> borrowed from the <a href="/facts/Thai_language/PnaLdG77">Thai language</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>Songkhla city takes up the entire Bo Yang sub-district. As of 2020 Songkhla city had a population of 61,758.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="gallery">Gallery</h2> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Sultanate_of_Singgora/ASyeagaV">Sultanate of Singgora</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Mahavajiravudh_Songkhla_School/BRvDTIsC">Mahavajiravudh Songkhla School</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li> Songkhla travel guide from Wikivoyage</li></ul> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Songkhla. <ul><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20070126152347/http://www.songkhlamun.org:80/">Official website</a> (in Thai)</li></ul> <p><a href="https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Songkhla¶ms=7_12_22_N_100_35_48_E_type:city(75000)_region:TH">7°12′22″N 100°35′48″E / 7.20611°N 100.59667°E / 7.20611; 100.59667</a> </p> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Thailand: Major Cities, Towns & Communes - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". <a href="https://www.citypopulation.de/en/thailand/cities/" target="_blank">https://www.citypopulation.de/en/thailand/cities/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>Stargardt, Janice (2001). "Behind the Shadows: Archaeological Data on Two-Way Sea Trade Between Quanzhou and Satingpra, South Thailand, 10th-14th century". In Schottenhammer, Angela (ed.). The Emporium of the World: Maritime Quanzhou, 1000-1400. Volume 49 of Sinica Leidensia. Brill. pp. 309–393. ISBN 90-04-11773-3. <a href="90-04-11773-3" target="_blank">90-04-11773-3</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Michel Jacq-Hergoualc'h (2002). BRILL (ed.). The Malay Peninsula: Crossroads of the Maritime Silk-Road (100 Bc-1300 Ad). Translated by Victoria Hobson. pp. 411–416. ISBN 90-04-11973-6. <a href="90-04-11973-6" target="_blank">90-04-11973-6</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Parfitt, Allen. "Bicycle Blitzkreig [sic] The Japanese Conquest of Malaya and Singapore 1941-1942". MilitaryHistoryOnline.com. Retrieved 9 Aug 2011. <a href="http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/singapore.aspx" target="_blank">http://www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/singapore.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Morch, Maximillian (2018-02-06). "The Slow Burning Insurgency in Thailand's Deep South". The Diplomat. Retrieved 3 July 2018. <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/the-slow-burning-insurgency-in-thailands-deep-south/" target="_blank">https://thediplomat.com/2018/02/the-slow-burning-insurgency-in-thailands-deep-south/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"'Hitman' sought in Peera murder". Bangkok Post. 2012-11-13. Retrieved 2013-02-20. <a href="http://bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/321052/more-hitman-suspect-sought-in-peera-case" target="_blank">http://bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/321052/more-hitman-suspect-sought-in-peera-case</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 12 October 2023. <a href="https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Thailand/CSV/Songkhla_48568.csv" target="_blank">https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Thailand/CSV/Songkhla_48568.csv</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"ปริมาณการใช้น้ำของพืชอ้างอิงโดยวิธีของ Penman Monteith (Reference Crop Evapotranspiration by Penman Monteith)" (PDF) (in Thai). Office of Water Management and Hydrology, Royal Irrigation Department. p. 121. Retrieved 8 August 2016. <a href="http://water.rid.go.th/hwm/cropwater/CWRdata/ETo/ETo_PenMon_2554.pdf" target="_blank">http://water.rid.go.th/hwm/cropwater/CWRdata/ETo/ETo_PenMon_2554.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Climatological Data for the Period 1981–2010". Thai Meteorological Department. Retrieved 4 August 2016. <a href="http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75" target="_blank">http://climate.tmd.go.th/content/file/75</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Yegar, Moshe (2002). Between Integration and Secession; The Muslim Communities of the Southern Philippines, Southern Thailand, and Western Burma/Myanmar (eBook). Lexington Books. ISBN 9780739103562. Retrieved 2013-02-20. <a href="9780739103562" target="_blank">9780739103562</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Thailand: Major Cities, Towns & Communes - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". <a href="https://www.citypopulation.de/en/thailand/cities/" target="_blank">https://www.citypopulation.de/en/thailand/cities/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>