Surat
Thani is southern Thailand's largest province, covers some 12,800 square kilometres,
and has an extensive coastline lapped by Thai Gulf waters. The provincial capital
is 685 kilometres south of Bangkok. Surat
Thani boasts some of Thailand's loveliest islands namely the Penang-sized Ko Samui,
Thailand's third largest island, palm-fringed jewel of a sparkling archipelago
that includes the stunning 250-square-kilometre Ang Thong Marine National Park. Surat
Thani once formed part, and may have been the centre, of the Mahayana Buddhist
Srivijaya Empire which steeped in legend and mystery, dominated the Malay peninsula
and much of Java some 1,500 years ago. Srivijaya was best described by the itinerant
Chinese monk I Ching after a pilgrimage he made to India during the late 600s.
Archaeological discoveries at Chaiya district indicate the former empire's splendour.
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