Surat Thani, Southern Thailand

After more than a week without a continuation updates of my recent trip to Thailand, where it stopped at Ko Samui, I have time in between works and pleasure to write it down here. I start with Surat Thani province before move on to our second POI, Bangkok.

What do I see during my short transit in Surat Thani to it's famous district, Ko Samui on 25th and 27th June 2013? The province, seem to me just like any other town in my home town, Kelantan.  

Surat Thani is a province located in southern Thailand which has a population of about 130 thousand people. It's capital and city was also named as the province seated near the mouth of the Tapi river on the Gulf of Thailand. The city has no major tourist attractions except as a transfer to the nearby popular district, it's famous Ko Samui island. It seaport dealing in the main products of the province, rubber and coconuts.

The city received its name, which means "City of Good People", by King Rama VI in 1915. The name was given to the city due to the intense devotion of the locals to Buddhism. It was previously known as Bandon @ "Village on higher ground". The name of the city is taken from the Indian city, Surat, situated in Gujarat, India. King Rama VI gave this name to his city as he was impressed with the Indian city of Surat.

Anne's reflection on a hot and humid tuk tuk ride to Railway station

On 21st December 1930, Surat Thani became a sanitary district which was upgraded to a town on 7th December 7 1935, with a municipal area of 2.67 km² and on December 22, 1994 it was further enlarged to 68.97 km² entitled the town to city status on 4th May 4 2007.

Surat Thani is connected with Bangkok by the Southern Line of the State Railway of Thailand. Surat Thani Railway Station is the main station of the province, located in Phunpin, about 15 kilometres from the actual city itself. Few ferries to Ko Samui are provided in the downtown with the main ferry pier located at Don Sak, about 40 kilometres by road. The airport is about 30 kilometres from the city by road.

The Railway Station at early morning

Last, but not least, my photo with 2 lovely school teenage girls of Surat Thani that I found hanging around with their friends (after school) at the Surat Thani Railway station.