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Songkhla ((タイ語:สงขลา), ; (マレー語:Singgora)) is one of the southern provinces (''changwat'') of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Satun, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani, and Yala. To the south it borders Kedah and Perlis of Malaysia. In contrast to most other provinces, the capital Songkhla is not the largest city in the province. The much newer city of Hat Yai, with a population of 359,813, is considerably larger, with twice the population of Songkhla (163,072). This often leads to the misconception that Hat Yai is the provincial capital. ==Geography== The province is on the Malay Peninsula, on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. The highest elevation is Khao Mai Kaeo at 821 meters. In the north of the province is Songkhla Lake, the largest natural lake in Thailand. This shallow lake covers an area of 1,040 km², and has a south-north extent of 78 kilometers. At its mouth on the Gulf of Thailand, near the city of Songkhla, the water becomes brackish.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Sights-and-Attractions-Detail/Songkhla-Lake--1171 )〕 A small population of Irrawaddy Dolphins live in the lake, but are in danger of extinction due to accidental capture by the nets of the local fishing industry. Songkhla Province hosts two national parks. San Kala Khiri covers 214 km² of mountain highlands on the Thai-Malay border.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style1/default.asp?npid=124&lg=2 )〕 Khao Nam Khang, is also in the boundary mountains.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/asp/style1/default.asp?npid=207&lg=2 )〕 Chinese Communist guerrillas inhabited this region until the 1980s. Within the boundaries of the city of Songkhla is Cape Samila Beach, the most popular beach in the province. The famous mermaid statue can be found here. The two islands Ko Nu and Ko Maew (Mouse and Cat Islands), not far from the beach, are also popular landmarks, and a preferred fishing ground. According a local folk tale, a cat, mouse and dog were traveling on a Chinese ship, when they attempted to steal a crystal from a merchant. While trying to swimming ashore, both the cat and the mouse drowned and became the two islands; the dog reached the beach, then died and become the hill ''Khao Tang Kuan''. The crystal turned into the white sandy beach.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=http://www.tourismthailand.org/See-and-Do/Sights-and-Attractions-Detail/Laem-Samila--1168 )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Songkhla Province」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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