Surat Thani

Surat Thani is the capital of Surat Thani Province in southern Thailand, often called the City of Good People. It sits beside the Tapi River near the Gulf of Thailand coast and is best known as the main gateway to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao and Khao Sok National Park, while remaining a relaxed riverside city with its own working character.

The city was formerly known as Ban Don and was renamed Surat Thani by King Vajiravudh in 1915. The wider region carries deep Srivijaya-era heritage, most visible at Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya north of the city, whose chedi is among the most revered monuments in southern Thailand.

Along the Tapi River, the old-town district of Ban Don offers evening markets, cafés and the Surat Thani City Pillar Shrine, while the small river island of Ko Lamphu serves as a shaded public park. The nightly food market and nearby CentralPlaza draw both residents and visitors to the centre.

Surat Thani is also a major commercial and transport hub for the southern Gulf. The province is famous for coconut farming, oyster beds and seafood, and its tables feature southern Thai specialities such as khanom jeen with fish curry and fresh Ban Don oysters, alongside lively night markets.

For travellers, Surat Thani combines practical onward connections with a genuine stopover culture. Leisure visitors use it as a base for island ferries and Khao Sok trips, while business travellers value its rail, road, air and ferry links across southern Thailand.