Nakhon Si Thammarat was a fortified city surrounded by city walls. The first city wall was built during the reign of Phra Chao Sithamma Sokarat when the city was founded on Had Saai Kaew. He had the city wall surrounded by a moat. It is believed that the wall and many parts of the city were renovated several times, most recently in the 17th century. However, the original line of the city wall is well preserved. During the reign of King Narai Maharat, French engineers and architects traveled to Thailand, which explains the castle-like appearance of the ruins today. Later, during the reign of King Rama II, the wall was renovated again under the leadership of Phraya Nakhon Si Thammarat (Pat), the city's regent. He had the dilapidated wall demolished and used its bricks to build roads along the city wall. The Thai Ministry of Arts has restored sections of the northern wall. I will give you the GPS coordinates of the location of the most prominent old city wall with its arch. It is marked on maps as "Old City Wall."

On one side of Ratchadamnoen Street is the long city wall with its arch; on the other side is a more recent section of the wall and the memorial park with a statue of the city's founder. While not strictly a must-see, a little further on is the Sanctuary of the City Column.

The old city wall is easily accessible from Wat Phra Mahathat Worama Wihan. It is located on the same road, Ratchadamnoen Road. The blue shared taxis of bus route 5 will take you there in 7–8 minutes (price: 10 THB).

How to get there

How do I get to the old city wall? The old city wall is easily accessible from Wat Phra Mahathat Worama Wihan. It is located on the same road, Ratchadamnoen Road. The blue shared taxis of bus route 5 will take you there in 7–8 minutes (price: 10 THB).