Narathiwat is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are (from west clockwise) Yala and Pattani. To the south it borders the Malaysian state of Kelantan.
The province is located on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand on the Malay Peninsula. The main river of the province is the Bang Nara River, which opens into the Gulf at the town Narathiwat. Nearby the river estuary is the Narathat beach, the most popular beach within the province.
The original name of Narathiwat was Menara means 'tower' in Malay. In Thai this was changed to Bang Nara. It was renamed to Narathiwat by the Thai government in 1915. The name Narathiwat, originating from Sanskrit (Nara + adhivâsa), means The residence of wise people.
Budo - Su-ngai Padi National Park is located within the Sankalakhiri mountain range. The main attraction within the park is the Pacho Waterfall. The park was established in 1974 and covers a total area of 294 km², including parts of neighboring Yala and Pattani province.
