The name “Surat Thani” literally means "City of Good People", a title bestowed by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1915, recognizing the piousness of its residents. But its roots dig even deeper, this area was once part of the mighty Srivijaya Empire, a Buddhist thalassocratic (sea-based) kingdom that thrived from the 7th to the 13th century. You can still sense its grandeur in ruins like the Wiang Sa and Chaiya districts, which hold relics of that once-glorious empire.