text: [{"text_idx": "#000079", "text": "Pattaya to Hua Hin Ferry"}, {"text_idx": "#000090", "text": "Phitsanulok to BangkokPhitsanulok to Chiang Mai"}, {"text_idx": "#000116", "text": "Yala a land locked province located in the very southern most part of Thailand that borders Malaysia. Very few Western tourists visit Yala. Yala is one of three provinces in Thailand with an active independence movement. Yala was part of a independent Muslim state until the later part of the 18th Century, and a significant proportion of the local population view the area as historically and culturally separate to Thailand as a consequence. The various separatist movements active in Yala are engaged in a sporadic series of violent engagements with the Thai army, Thai government officials, and non-Muslim settlers in the province from other parts of Thailand. Western visitors aren\u2019t specifically targeted, nor are the many Malaysian visitors who come to Yala Province. Unless you are unlucky enough to get caught in the cross fire between separatists and police or army, for foreign visitors its no more dangerous to visit Yala than it is any other part of Thailand."}, {"text_idx": "#000118", "text": "Yala City is fairly large, with over 60,000 permanent residents, but it holds little of interest for tourists. For many visitors Yala is merely a transport hub, with a large bus station, and a railway station. Yala Province has a large mountain range and plenty of jungle, much of which has been designated a nation park land. Intrepid visitors will be richly rewarded for renting a vehicle and setting out to visit the more remote parts of the province. A more sedate option is to travel to the popular tourist town of Betong, which is 2 hours away from Yala by minivan. Betong is very popular with Malaysian visitors on short breaks, many of whom come to Betong to enjoy the town\u2019s \u2018adult\u2019 nightlife. Amongst the more wholesome activities for visitors to Betong is a visit to nearby Ai Yerweng to see the mist which collects in the valley early in the morning."}]