Old Town History
Ko Lanta ‘Old Town.’ Guide map
History:
The east coast, particularly ‘Old Town’, has a long and interesting history which started 500 years ago when the first dwellers turned up. These were Chao Lay (sea people) fishermen from the Urak Lawoi clan who probably originated in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. There are 3 clans of Chao Lay, the Urak Lawoi, Moken, and Moklen, all of whom have roamed the waterways of Southeast Asia for centuries, living a nomadic life in search of good fishing grounds. These days they are no longer nomadic and have settled in many parts of the region. So far, the Chao Lay have managed to preserve much of their heritage, although this is increasingly under pressure from tourism, declining fishing grounds and mass media.
We still see a twice yearly festival here though, (usually in April and October)Â Loy Rua, which allows them to appease the spirits of the sea, and to send away any bad spirits. A very intricate boat is built and carried around the villages with much merriment and the other kind of spirits! Eventually the boat is launched into the sea, hopefully never to be seen again!
Around 300 years ago saw the arrival of Muslim communities from the south, Malaysia, Indonesia, and from across the Malay peninsular in Nakhon Si Thammarat province. Most of these people were initially involved in fishing before moving into other trades and business as the island developed. The Island’s population is now thought to be about 80% muslim.
The next arrivals were the Chinese, about 200 years ago. Merchants, Tin workers and fishermen came to seek new opportunities and quickly developed a thriving trading post with their relatives in other Asian ports. This trade was centred in Old Town (formerly Sri Raya) and the goods were traded via large Junks in the calm waters off the east coast. Goods traded included Tin, Charcoal and dried fish and later expanded to include western goods from the British colonies. To this day, Old Town is predominantly occupied by Thai Chinese families who have descended from those original settlers and Old Town plays host to the only Chinese temple on the Island.
Around 150 years ago the village was registered as a Thai town and was the thriving center for business and government for the island. After more than a hundred ‘golden’ years Sri Raya became the Old Town of Lanta due to the arrival of automobiles and roads linking the island (via ferries) to the mainland. The ‘new’ town was Ban Saladan at the North of the island and it is here that you now find the greatest concentration of business’ and shops, banks and markets. The Northern beaches, being close to Saladan, also play host to the most popular resorts on the Island.
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