http://www.pataniriver.blogspot.com

There are 3 important rivers in Patani Kingdom(Patani Kingdom was completely annexed by Siam(Thailand ) in 1909 after the Aglo-Siamese treaty and reduced to a small provinces ) namely, Tiba(Thepha) river to the west(now in Songkhla province), Saiburi river to the east (now in Patani+Narathiwat province)and Patani river in the middle between them. Each river has her own delta but both are flown from south to north. Patani river was mentioned in the chronicle of Wu-pei-chih, a Chiness traveller and admiral (AD 1628)who firmlly given the location of the lost Kingdom of Langkasuka and the Arab had identified Patani river in the record book name Kitab-al-minhaj al-fakhir Fi-illmi-albhar alzakir in 1511 AD.

Thousand of Fishing Boats at present day Patani River Mouth

In 1584 AD Raja Hijau(Ijau) ascended to the throne, the queenly rule over the Patani kingdom had begun(Raja Hijau,Raja Biru, Raja Ungu and Raja Kuning respectively) . Under the queenly century long (AD 1584 to late1680s) rule, Patani become glorious, prosperous and wealthy Kingdom in the region. English, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Chinese, Arab, Indian, Persian, Indonesian and Malaysian traders were coming to trade with Patani. Raja Hijau (AD 1584-1616) had developed the irrigation system of the kingdom by digging the new irrigation canal from Kruese to the South, reached Patani river at Kuala Temangan(Now-Perigi village), some 30 kilometers from the present day city of Patani to the north. People at the time called “Sungai Temangan”(Temangan canal), following the name of place where both were met.

Patani River

By irrigated the water from Patani river passed a large area of Paddy field and fruit garden-food and fruit were abandon during her reign, in fact; Patani river had again, made a great contribution to her kingdom, people, culture and civilization. Raja Hijau died in AD 1616 and people honored her with the title of “Al-Marhum Temangan”, after the great irrigation project that her dedication with..Raja Kuning(AD 1635-1680s), the last queen of Patani in line has initiated the project of widening the Mouth of Patani river, upon receiving report about the shallow and narrow of Patani river mouth, Raja Kuning had ordered the digging and widening the Patani river mouth which took several years in her reign, in order to face the fast growing international trade in the kingdom.

Present day Temangan Canal after re-digging
Note from JAMES McCARTHY on Patani river

JAMES McCARTHY, F.E.G.S., DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE SIAMESE GOVERNMENT SURVEYS DEPARTMENT (BRITISH MAN) , IN HIS BOOK : SURVEYING AND EXPLORING IN SIAM(THAILAND). SAID THAT :-

“For a period of twelve years (1881-93) I was engaged in collecting material for the compilation of a map of Siam(Thailand)”. In 1881 after came back from Metun Valley in northern Siam, in June 18, He and his man anchoring a long distance from the shore of Patani, and proceeded in shallow canoes up the Patani river to the Chinese town, consists of a number of houses packed within high brick walls, enclosing an area of about 600 feet long and 200 feet broad. The rajah's house was about a mile and a half further up the Patani river. The rajah, a youth of about twenty years of age, was in Kelantan for his marriage to the daughter of the Rajah of that state .He and his companion took a small boat, and went upstream to the south against the swift current of the Patani river aiming at Siam and British-Malaya border. They reached Ta-Sap, the revenue collecting-station for the Raja of Yala. There some excellent houses had been built, he and his companion took up
in quarters in one of them. On July 4 they moved over to Kotabaru, a four hours' walk, to the residence of the Rajah of Raman, who had the reputation of being a good sportsman. James Maccarthy book tell us something about the events and condition in Patani in the late 19th century where Patani river had played a great important roll as a rout of transportation and communication in this Kingdom.

Thanks : http://books/.google. com/