sites of the three southernmost provinces, no one would not know Lim Ko Niao Shrine and Krue Se Mosque that connect stories of lifestyles and religious differences together making each year people from all over the country and foreign tourists come to visit a large number.
Both Lim Ko Niao Shrine and Krue Se Mosque are located in the same area, separated by a fence along the Pattani-Narathiwat Road or National Highway No. 42 in the area of Ban Krue Se. It is about 7 kilometers from the city of Pattani. The construction style of this mosque is a circular column made of brick and cement in the style of Middle Eastern art. Nearby there is a mausoleum or the burial place of the goddess Lim Ko Niaw. This mosque is assumed to be built in the reign of King Naresuan the Great (between 1578 - 1593).
In front of the mosque there is a mausoleum or the burial mound of the goddess Lim Ko Niao that has been decorated with new soil. There are a lot of people to pay homage together with other buildings such as Chinese huts and red water jars. According to legend, Chinese woman Lim Toh Khiem married Phraya Tani’s daughter and converted to Islam. Later, Lim Toh Khiem’s younger sister, Lim Ko Niao, got on a junk to accompany her brother back to China but failed. Lim Toh Kieam built the Krue Se Mosque, but was cursed by Lim Toh Kieam, begging him not to complete the mosque and he hanged himself at the cashew tree. Lim Toh Kiem arranged to bury his younger sister in front of this mosque. The people of Pattani brought the tree that they hung around their necks to carve as an idol and built a shrine. Later, Chao Mae Lim Ko Niao was brought to be enshrined at a new shrine located at Ano Ru Road in Pattani Municipality, called Leng Ju Kiang Shrine (Lim Ko Niao Shrine). It is respected by the people of Pattani and nearby provinces. In the third month of every year (February-March), there will be a ceremony to pay homage and procession to the goddess. It was a very fun ceremony.
The Krue Se Mosque was cursed because it could not be completed. When going on to build, have the magic of lightning every time. Until now, no one dared to continue building the Krue Se Mosque. The remains remain as long as today. However, although the Krue Se Mosque looks abandoned, it is now used as a place of worship for Muslims in the area.
Source: Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)
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