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City Municipality in Thailand
Photo: NASA, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Yala (ยะลา) is a town in Deep Southern Thailand.
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ศาลหลักเมือง
This shrine houses the City Pillar made of Chaiyapruk wood. It is 50 centimetres tall, bottom circumference is 43 inches, top circumference is 36 inches with the four-faced Brahma and a flame on top. The City Pillar Ceremony (งานสมโภชเจ้าพ่อหลักเมืองยะลา) ceremony is held annually in May on the grounds of the Yala Municipal Office, in which the model City Pillar is paraded. The ceremony features stalls displaying goods for sale and exhibition, as well as government products, and folk entertainment, such as Manora Dance, Nung Talung, and Hulu Li Ke.
This place is one of the tallest buildings in Yala. It's 15 stories with the top two floors in ruins occupied only by bats. Chang Lee Hotel is not for the faint of heart or squeamish. It's been many years since its glory days. Rooms have air-con and a TV with only Thai channels.
This place is bustling compared to My House or Chang Lee. The rooms are simple but tidier than the Chang Lee, although with a very loud air conditioning. You must pay a 205 baht deposit for the minibar when you check in; however, you receive all of it back when you check out if you've not used the minibar. Wi-Fi can be had in the lobby for free. They have a cafe and restaurant as well as a discotheque in the area.
This place looks worlds better than Chang Lee and it's cheaper. You can choose a karaoke girl off of the wall when you come in for 200 baht, but that's standard around these parts. If you don't want one no problem. There's a 2 hour Thai massage across the street for 240 baht and several discotheques and karaoke bars. All seem to be thinly veiled fronts for prostitution.
Very centrally located, appears to be the most reputable hotel in town according to locals.
By plane
5 hours by road from Yala town. As of October 2022, only Nok Air uses the airport, providing twice-weekly service to Bangkok's Don Mueang airport. The journey takes 2 hours and costs THB 4500 and up.
By train
Yala is 1,055 km from Bangkok by rail. The State Railway Authority of Thailand operates daily rapid and express train services from Bangkok to Yala.
By bus
To/from Bangkok: Air-con buses by The Transport Co.), bor-kor-sor) run between Bangkok southern bus terminal (สายใต้, sai-tai) and Yala bus terminal daily.
By boat
The city is somewhat walkable, depending on how far you're going (from the train station to the city pillar shrine is a bit long, but doable).
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