Pattani

Pattani province covers a relatively flat, low-lying terrain interspersed by two major rivers — the Pattani and Sai Buri — that flow north into the Gulf of Thailand, with the Sankalakhiri mountain range forming a southern boundary shared with Yala and Narathiwat. The province has approximately 88 percent Muslim population, the majority of Malay ethnicity speaking Pattani Malay (Yawi) as their first language, reflecting centuries of history as the capital of the Patani Sultanate before its incorporation into Siam following conquest in 1786. The Krue Se Mosque, partially ruined and dating to the early 17th century, is among the oldest mosques in Thailand and an important historical landmark. Pattani Central Mosque, completed in 1963 with its distinctive turquoise dome and twin minarets reflected in a courtyard pool, is the largest mosque in Thailand and a landmark of the province. The province is divided into 12 districts and the economy is anchored in fishing, shrimp farming, rubber and fruit cultivation.