Pak Tai

region, Thailand

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Last updated

July 1, 2026

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Pak Tai refers to the upper part of Thailand's southern peninsula region. This area has a distinct identity, historically linked to towns like Nakhon Si Thammarat. Due to its historical connections with Siamese kingdoms, the language and customs in Pak Tai are similar to those in central Thailand. The lower part of the southern region is inhabited by Malay-speaking Muslims. The region has also attracted many Chinese migrants, particularly for the tin industry. The largest city in the south, Hat Yai, serves as a trade center with Malaysia and is primarily populated by Sino-Thai people.1

The Tai languages, including Standard Thai, are a significant language family in Thailand. Standard Thai, based on the central Thai dialect, is spoken and understood by nearly everyone in the country. Other distinct Tai languages are also spoken, with Pak Tai (Southern Thai) accounting for about one-sixth of the population.2

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Thailand
Southern peninsula
…the southern-peninsula region, also called Pak Tai, has a distinctive identity linked to the historical role of towns such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, once known as Ligor. Because of the region’s historical ties to the later Siamese kingdoms, the language and customs of the southern Thai are similar to those…
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…the southern-peninsula region, also called Pak Tai, has a distinctive identity linked to the historical role of towns such as Nakhon Si Thammarat, once known as Ligor. Because of the region’s historical ties to the later Siamese kingdoms, the language and customs of the southern Thai are similar to those…
Read More