The Institute for Southern Thai Studies

The Institute for Southern Thai Studies on Ko Yo island, Songkhla, is a folklore museum, not a botanical garden — despite what its landscaped grounds might suggest. Run by Thaksin University, it’s open daily 08:30-17:00, with entry of 50 THB for Thai adults and 100 THB for foreign visitors.

Exhibits are spread across several Southern Thai-style pavilion buildings on the hillside. Inside, you’ll find shadow puppets (nang thalung) used in the region’s traditional theatre, Buddhist statuary from the Srivijaya period, centuries-old ceramics, and displays of beadwork, silk, and cotton textiles. Everyday objects get equal billing with the fine art — carved wooden “rabbits” once used for grating coconut meat, buffalo-head kites, and traditional musical instruments all sit alongside the artefacts, tracing how people in the south actually lived rather than presenting a purely decorative collection. A viewing tower on the grounds looks out over the Tinsulanond Bridge, the causeway connecting Ko Yo to Songkhla town across the lake.

Insider Tip: Don’t come expecting gardens — the institute’s name and setting on a green hillside lead some visitors to expect a botanical attraction. It’s a heritage and folklore collection; treat it as a half-museum, half-viewpoint stop instead.

Songkhla Lake (Thale Sap Songkhla), the lagoon Ko Yo sits in, connects to the Gulf of Thailand, not the Andaman Sea — this is Gulf-coast Songkhla, well over 400km from Satun and the Andaman side of the peninsula, and directions here don’t cross over to that coast.

Watch out: Fee figures for this museum vary between sources — some quote roughly double the rates listed here. Confirm the current price at the ticket window rather than relying on any single listing, this one included.

It’s an easy stop from Songkhla town proper, worth combining with a walk or drive around Koh Yo itself, which is better known for its stilt-house fishing communities and hand-woven cotton than for the museum alone. Comfortable shoes and sun protection are enough — most of the visit is under cover.