Pattani, Thailand


Pattani is a town in the far south of Thailand, near the border with Malaysia. It is the capital of Pattani Province. The city has a population of 44,353. It covers the whole tambon Sabarang, Anoru and Chabang Tiko of Mueang Pattani district.
Some say the word Pattani is derived from "Petani" in Malay which means "farmer". Alternatively the name Pattani is the Thai adaptation of the Malay name Patani, which can mean "this beach" in Patani Malay language. Another suggestion is that it derives from a Sanskrit word pathini, meaning "virgin nymph"; Pathini was the name of a daughter of Merong Mahawangsa, founder of the preceding Langkasuka Empire.
The local dialect of Malay is called Patani Malay or Yawi in Thai.
Pattani lies 1,056 km south of Bangkok.

Climate

Pattani has a tropical monsoon climate according to the Köppen climate classification, with a lengthy wet season and a brief dry season. The temperatures and humidity are high year round, with slightly higher temperatures in April, just as the monsoon arrives. The wet season is long, lasting April-December, and the dry season short, covering only January-March. The months of October, November, and December are particularly wet.