“Pure budu, abundance of beautiful beaches, waterfalls, and doves, delicious ‘Luk Yee’ and fresh cockles”
If it weren’t for the four young locals whom we spoke to, we wouldn’t have any idea what Pattani’s motto used to be before it got replaced with “A harmony of 3 cultures, fantastic halal food hub, faith-led citizens, and natural beauty co-existing in the peaceful south.”
But apart from the (almost) haiku-like motto, what’s it really like to live 1,056 kilometers from Bangkok? Let’s see what these Pattanians have to say.
Meet Fai, a student currently undertaking a master’s degree and helping out her family’s bookkeeping. Her family may be from Chumphon, but she was born and raised in Pattani.
“I’m actually a Thai buddhist. Living here, everyday is pretty much an eye-opening experience. We’ve got a big melting pot of different cultures – Chinese, Malay, and Thai. Life is so much fun here although things were quite rough when I was young with all the unrest that was happening. I had to make sure that I get home by 5pm. I was shocked when I moved to Bangkok to study and saw how people would just stay out to enjoy a proper nightlife.”
“I skipped school a lot when I was in high school. There wasn’t any fence so I would just waltz right out. But since there wasn’t much of a nightlife to be had especially during a period of unrest, us teenagers in the 3 southern provinces didn’t have any choice but to spend most of our time during the day. It’s still a happy life for me because I really enjoy Pattani’s multicultural uniqueness.”
A Pattani native, Zeen is a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University.
“If I have free time after school, I usually go check out the sunset at Samilae Beach behind Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park. When I go, I have to hurry home because the town gets very quiet from about 6am to 6.30pm during the prayer time.”
Da, a fresher in the International Programs, Faculty of Law, Thammasat University, adds that:
“The situation was rather calm when I lived here. It wasn’t until I moved abroad that it got serious. I like to go to cafes, tea shops, Green Market or
Ta Chee cape to catch the sunset.”
Sira, a writer at Way Magazine, tells us that her lifestyle is a little different because she doesn’t live in the city center.
“My commute takes about half an hour so most of my time is spent at school. If I have a free period, I normall go hang out near the university.”
What ‘mood’ do you think Pattani represent?
Fai: Colorful. People here like to get dressed up. They’re not afraid to wear stripe on stripe. The way they talk is also loud and colorful.
Zeen: Easygoing.
Da: Chill and laidback.
Sira: Stillness among loudness.
Photo credit: muslimthaipost
When out-of-town friends come to visit, where do you usually take them out to eat?
Da: For breakfast, it’d be Bang Nood restaurant and Roti Cha Chak Pattani.
Zeen: For lunch, I’d recommend Namrod ratna. I would also take them to pay respect to the goddess at Lim Ko Niao Shrine, visit Central Mosque and Chang Hai Temple.
Sira: That neighborhood has a lot of Sino-Portuguese architecture like what you see in Old Town, Phuket.
Photo credit: mgronline
Fai: The neighborhood near the goddess shrine is very multicultural. You can find Buddhist temples, Chinese shrines, and mosques. It’s very popular with visitors.
Photo credit: Line Today, Thailand tourism directory
Zeen: You can go have lunch at the streetside Chinese tavern. They serve yummy tea and Chinese food.
Fai: Try dim sum, Yala thick noodles, khao yum at the nightmarket, and coconut noodles.
Sira: We have a lot of tea parlors here and you can get a free refill.
Photo credit: paaktai
What do you love the most about Pattani?
Fai: I love the style and uniqueness of the people here. We might be different, but it still feels like we’re the same family.
Ta Chee Cape
“For example, we all recognize students from Prince of Songkla University Demonstration School wherever we see them. If they need help, we’re more than willing to help them out with anything. Our culture has shaped us into who we are today.”
Zeen: Pattani is in its own league. I’ve lived here for almost 20 years and it’s my safe zone. I love the unique vibe here.
Da: Pattani is also my safe zone. I grew up in a good family surrounded by good people. Everyone is super nice here and I hope people get to experience that.
Sira: Pattani is neither smaller nor bigger than other provinces, but I feel like people here are all interacting with each other like everyone knows each other. It’s like we’re one big community. There might be periods where we have to stay vigilant, but I love the peace and quiet that Pattani gives me. I don’t want to romanticize things, but I don’t know how I would have turned out had I lived somewhere busy and hectic.”
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