Betong,Thailand

Betong is a district of Yala Province, situated in the southernmost province of Thailand in Sankalakhiri mountain range. With an are of 1,328 sq. km, it borders the Malaysian states of Kedah and Perak. Its terrain is mostly mountainous and hilly with forested plateaus. About 1,900 feet above sea level, it is 140km from Yala and 1,224km from the capital city of Bangkok.Located 10 min drive from Pengkalan Hulu, the northern town of Perak at the Malaysia side. Betong, meaning bamboo, is named in the Malay language. It is administratively divided into 4 tambons, i.e. Yarom, Aiyerweng, Tanah Merah, Tan Namtip, and one municipality - the Tambon Betong Municipality.
With a population of around 48,487 which can be classified into two major groups Muslims and Chinese, the majority of its people are agriculturists.



































The World's largest Mailbox
The world's largest mailbox is located at the Clock Tower Intersection in the town center. It was built in 1924 by Mr. Sa-Nguan Jirajinda, the former head of Betong Post and Telegraph Office and the Lord Mayor of Betong. The purpose of this mail-box is to distribute news and to give services in posting and distributing mails for the people of Betong. It is made of reinforced concrete, with a cylindrical shape divided into 2 parts - the base and the box. The circumference of the base is 265cm and that of the box is 240cm. At a total height of 320cm, it is at present used as an ordinary mailbox.



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Phra Mahathat Chedi Phra Phutthathammaprakat is located on a hilltop in Betong city centre, on the ground of Wat Phuttathiwat, on Ratanakit Road. This chedi was built in the modern Sivijaya style and covered in the color of gold. Measuring 39.9 metres high, it was built to commemorate the 69th birthday anniversary of Her Majesty the Queen. From the chedi, one can see all of the temple ground and part of Betong city centre .