Airborne LiDAR surveys over the dense mangrove forests of the Isthmus of Kra have revealed the sprawling urban grid of a lost Srivijayan port city. The 1,200-year-old site, which covers nearly 15 square kilometers, features an extensive network of artificial canals, raised stone foundations for palatial structures, and several large ritual platforms aligned with the sunrise during the equinox.
This discovery confirms that the Srivijaya Empire, which dominated maritime trade in the 8th and 9th centuries, maintained significant land-based administrative centers in Thailand to control the trans-isthmus trade routes. Ground surveys have already recovered high-fired ceramics from the Tang Dynasty and glass beads of Middle Eastern origin, highlighting the city's role as a major hub connecting the South China Sea with the Indian Ocean.