1.4.3 Socio-Economic Characteristics
1.4.3.1 Historical Background
Surat Thani is an old city and may have been the centre of the Mahayana Buddhist, Srivijaya Empire, which steeped in legend and mystery, dominated the Malay Peninsula
8
and much of Java some 1,500 years ago. Some areas were actually already populated at prehistoric time by tribes. Its original people included the Semang and the Malay. Their homes before the Indians migrated into the area were in the Luang basin and around the Bandon bay. The lands along the river banks consisted of rich soil where people could settle themselves and do farming along with trading. The river was then considered as one of the most important resources of the country. The social structure is one big family where most people are 97.5 % Buddhist, 2.0 % Muslim and 0.5 % Christian.