Pattani is a town (thesaban mueang) in the far south of Thailand, near the border with Malaysia.

It covers the whole tambon Sabarang, Anoru and Chabang Tiko of Mueang Pattani district.

A small port is known to have existed at the river mouth Kuala Bekah in the 16th century.

According to a legend, the founder of Pattani was a raja from Kota Malikha named Phaya Tunakpa.

Phaya Tunakpa went hunting one day and saw a beautiful albino mouse-deer the size of a goat, which then disappeared.

The old man said that he was sent by the raja's grandfather to build a new town further beyond but had fallen ill on the journey; as he could not go any further, he stayed at that place.

The town centre developed in the current location and the Sultan moved to Cabang Tiga at the southern side of present-day Pattani in the 19th century.