Nakhon Si Thammarat - is the second city of the south, after Hat Yai, and it's strung out in a long thin ribbon along the banks of the Na Wang river.  It's not on the standard traveller trail, so it offers you a chance to see some more of modern Thailand without international hotel chains and package tourists.  Having said that, there's not an awful lot to detain you once you arrive.  

How to get there - You can fly from Bangkok in less than an hour, or make the 780km trip on a VIP bus or by train on an overnight trip.  There are plenty of more local connections with Hat Yai, Phattalung, Phuket, Trang and Surat Thani.

Where to stay -  I stayed cheaply at the Thai Lee Hotel on the main drag in about 1994, but vowed to find somewhere further from the traffic noise the next time I go.  The Thai Hotel and Thai Fa Hotel look more promising, but I can't say for sure.

What to do in the day - There's a good temple at Wat Mahathat to the south past the clocktower, set in a peaceful compound with Buddha relics in the buildings and a large family of gold Buddhas around the walls.  Some kiddies will try to sell you some gold leaf to rub onto the statues for a few Baht.  There's also the shadow puppet workshop of Suchart Subsin, 10 minutes' walk east of the temple.  Jeff and I turned up there one day and watched the master, Suchart himself, at work with leather puppets which form the centrepiece of the southern Nang Thalung puppet theatre.  He's very much the man to see, and he'll tell you about how he performed for the King on several occasions.  If you buy some stuff in his workshop, the odds are that you'll get a free show.  It's not quite as obscure or old fashioned as you might think - the show we saw included lots of bawdy behaviour and a Jumbo Jet.  Lastly, there's a decent museum, also at the south end of town, past Wat Mahathat.  Song-taos run up and down the main road all day long for just 5 or 10B.  

What to do at night - There were a couple of small bars where we made welcome up the northern end of the main road, Rajadamnern Road, and we also found a few nearer to the train station towards the Montien Hotel, one of which was called the Indie Pub, populated with a few well-behaved Thai punks.  You can also try out the Bovorn Bazar, almost opposite the Thai Hotel, and of course, there's good food at the night market round the back of the Thai Hotel.