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 Introduction |
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"A beautiful border town,
southernmost in Siam" is the slogan of Yala province. The word "Yala"
comes from a folk word "yalor", meaning "fishing net" because at the
original site of the town, Yalor, there was a mountain shaped like a
fishing net.
It was a low land and people earned their living by using fishing nets
to catch fish. Eventually, many new towns were set up one after another
until finally it moved to Nibong, which is its present location. (Nibong
means a kind of tree called "laocha-on").
Yala is the southern most province of Thailand with and area of 4,521
square kilometers. It is 1,055 kms. from Bangkok by rail and 1,440 kms.
by road. It is the only one of the 14 southern provinces that is not
next to the sea. Yala is mostly mountains and covered with forests but
has very little flat land.
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From Yala city of nearby
Provinces (kms.) |
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| -
Narathiwat |
128 |
| - Pattani |
35 |
| - Songkhla |
128 |
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From Yala city to its
districts (kms.) |
| - Amphoe
Bannang Sata |
40 |
| - Amphoe Betong |
140 |
| - Amphoe Kabang Subdistrict |
45 |
| - Amphoe Krongpinang Subdistrict |
56 |
| - Amphoe
Raman |
35 |
| - Amphoe Yaha |
50 |
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History |
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Yala used to
be a part of Pattani, which was a colony of the Thai Kingdom during the
Sukhothai Regime. In the year 1757, after Ayutthaya had lost to
Burma, all its colonies in this area declared themselves independent. It
was not until the reign of King Rama I that Krom Phra Rajwang Baworn
reclaim Pattani into 7 towns.
They were Pattani , Saiburi, Nongjik, Yaring, Ra-ngae, Raman and Yala.
As for Yala, Tuan Yalor became Phraya Lor, its governor. There had been
many governors in succession before Yala became a province of Thailand
and that was before the announcement of the cancellation of the division
into regions according to the order of the Kingdom of Siam in 1993. |
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How to get there |
 By Bus
Air-conditioned bus services are run daily between Bangkok and Yala from
the Southern Bus Terminal.
For further information please call the Southern Bus Terminal at tel: 0
2435 1119-200 or visit
www.transport.co.th.
Thai Doen Rot Co.,Ltd (tel: 0 2435 7424) operates a daily bus service
from Bangkok to Betong. The bus leaves the Southern Bus Terminal at 4
p.m.
By Car
Yala is 1,084 kilometres south of Bangkok by road. One can take Highway
4 (Thanon Phetkasem) from Bangkok to Prachuap Khiri Khan, and Chumphon,
then onto Highway 41 through Thung Song, Phatthalung, Hat Yai, Pattani,
and Yala.
By Train
Yala is 1,055 kilometres from Bangkok by rail. The State Railway
Authority of Thailand operates daily rapid and express train services
from Bangkok to Yala. Trains leaves the Bangkok Railway Station at 0.25
p.m., 2.45 p.m. and 3.50 p.m. For more information please call
Travelling Service Unit, Bangkok Railway Station at tel: 1690, 0 2223
7010 and 0 2223 7020 or visit
www.railway.co.th.
By Air
There is no direct flight to Yala but Thai Airways International offers
flights from Bangkok to Hat Yai. From Hat Yai one can either take the
train, bus, taxi, or air-conditioned van to Yala. Please call Thai
Airways at 1566, 0 2280 0060, 0 2628 2000 for more information. |
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Festivals & Events |
The Landmark Pole Celebration
 is held yearly between May 25 and June 4. There are processions Yala
town. There are exhibitions, shop selling local products of the south
and also southern Thai traditional entertainment such as shadow puppets,
Monarch and a liege Hulu.
Yala Cultural Fair
contest and sale Shogun orange, longkong and durian fruits of Muang Yala.
Kluayhin banana eating contest. Tour week of "Lake on mountain trip"
week. The period of festival is about the first weekend of August every
year.
The ASEAN Dove Competition
 is held on the last weekend of March every year. There are processions
in the opening ceremony. Dove raising clubs from Malaysia, Singapore and
every province in Thailand join the competition. On the days, there are
exhibition and goods for sale, including those involving dove raising. |
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Provided by
Tourism Authority of
Thailand
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