town, southern Thailand, on the eastern side of the Malay Peninsula. The walled town of Nakhon Si Thammarat, one of Thailand's oldest cities, lies near the coast of the Gulf of Thailand. Founded more than 1,000 years ago, it was the capital of a powerful state that controlled the middle portion of the peninsula; it was often called Ligor until the early 20th century. The city is the area's commercial centre and is the site of Nakhon Si Thammarat Agricultural College and the Wat Mahathudu temple complex. The manufacture of Thai nielloware (a type of metalwork) began in the area. The city's outport is the town of Pak Phanang.

The town lies in a rich agricultural region that produces rice, fruit, coconuts, and rubber. Substantial deposits of phosphate, iron ore, lead, tin, and tungsten are mined in the area. Pop. (1992 est.) 79,447.