Folklore Museum

The Folklore Museum, operated by the Institute for Southern Thai Studies at Thaksin University, is located on Ko Yo Island in Songkhla Lake, Mueang Songkhla District. Established to preserve southern Thai heritage, it houses extensive collections of folk art, handicrafts, fishing gear, textiles, ceramics, and reconstructed traditional houses. Set on a hilltop with panoramic lake views, it is notable for its comprehensive representation of southern Thai lifestyle, culture and local wisdom.

Visitors can expect a hilltop museum complex on Ko Yo Island overlooking Songkhla Lake, comprising several pavilions and exhibition buildings connected by walkways and gardens. Inside are extensive displays of southern Thai artifacts including fishing tools, agricultural implements, textiles, ceramics, shadow puppets, and household items, plus reconstructed traditional southern Thai houses. The site offers lake views, landscaped grounds, and quiet exhibition halls for self-guided exploration and learning about local folk culture.

Established in 1982 by the Institute for Southern Thai Studies at Srinakharinwirot University (now Thaksin University) to collect, preserve, research and exhibit folklore and cultural heritage of southern Thailand. The museum was developed as a centre for the study of southern Thai local wisdom and has grown into one of the most comprehensive folklore museums in the region.

Presents the traditional way of life, beliefs, crafts and local wisdom of southern Thai communities, including fishing and farming cultures, textile weaving, ceramics, performing arts and vernacular architecture. It serves as an educational resource for understanding the cultural identity and heritage of the southern Thai peninsula.