General Prem Park

General Prem Park is a memorial and public park on the edge of Songkhla Lake, built to honour General Prem Tinsulanonda — Thailand’s Prime Minister from 1980 to 1988 and, for decades afterward, President of the Privy Council. Born in Songkhla, he remains one of the province’s best-known figures, and the park splits roughly into two halves: a Statesman’s Hall covering his life and career, and a public park built around Songkhla Lake’s mangrove wetlands.

The Statesman’s Hall is the historical core — a multi-purpose building tracing General Prem’s biography and political career, backed by four smaller exhibition pavilions that go into more specific detail on his work and on the wider region. From there, an 800-metre boardwalk leads out through mangrove swamp, built as an ecotourism trail explaining the plant life and ecology of Songkhla Lake’s shoreline rather than just providing a scenic stroll. The rest of the grounds hold a botanical garden, palm groves, open grass fields used for casual picnics and games, and outdoor sculpture pieces scattered through the landscaping.

Because the site sits directly on Songkhla Lake, it doubles as a spot for boating and lakeside activities alongside the historical content — there’s an aqua-tourism centre and pier building with shops near the water, and the open lawns get genuine local use for picnics and casual sport rather than functioning purely as a monument. Families from central Songkhla treat it as a normal weekend park as much as a memorial.

Insider Tip: If you only have time for one part, prioritise the mangrove boardwalk over the Statesman’s Hall unless you specifically want the political history — it’s the more distinctive feature and works even outside the Hall’s shorter opening hours.

Watch out: the Statesman’s Hall keeps separate, shorter hours than the park itself and is closed Mondays and Tuesdays — check before planning a visit around it specifically, since the surrounding park stays open daily.

The park is open daily from 5 AM to 8 PM; the Statesman’s Hall and pavilions run Wednesday to Sunday, 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM, with entry at 40 THB for adults and 20 THB for children (the outdoor park itself is free). It’s reached easily by local transport or car from central Songkhla, with parking on site. Bring water and sun protection for the boardwalk section, since shade there is limited compared to the palm groves.