Surin is world-famous
for the Elephant Roundup and for its many
Khmer sanctuaries, wide variety of handicrafts,
its silk, its rich cultures and its first
ruler, Phraya Surin Phakdi Si Narong Wang,
from whom the town got its name. Phra
Surin, a member of the Suay tribe, became
leader in 1760 when he was instrumental
in recapturing an escaped royal white
elephant, as legend goes.
The province is separated from neighboring
Cambodia by the Banthat Mountains. During
the 1970s, the period of Khmer Rouge terrorization,
thousands of Cambodian refugees crossed
into Surin and took up residence alongside
already established Laotian refugees,
Thais, and Suay tribespeople. Though many
refugees have been repatriated, some opted
to remain.
Surin is 457 kilometres from Bangkok
and has an area of 8,124 square kilometres.
It is divided into the following districts:
Muang, Chumphon Buri, Tha Tum, Chom Phra, Prasat,
Kap Choeng, Rattanaburi, Sanom, Si Khoraphum,
Sangkha, Samrong Thap, Buachet, Lamduan, Si
Narong, Phanom Dong Rak, Khwao Sinarin and Non
Narai.
