Ancient documents reveal various names for a significant historical city-state on the Malay Peninsula, including "Langkasuka" in Arabic, "Langyasu" in Chinese, and "Lankasoka" in Sanskrit, which historians believe refer to the same region, likely located in present-day Kedah, Malaysia, and Pattani, Thailand. Scholars suggest that Pattani served as a key maritime stopover for trade between Indian and Chinese merchants, facilitating exchanges with local indigenous groups on nearby islands and the mainland.

Archaeological evidence indicates that Pattani was once a prosperous kingdom. Excavations in Yarang District have uncovered remains of three overlapping ancient cities, numerous artifacts, and religious sites, highlighting the area's historical significance. Some artifacts bear Pallava script from South India, inscribed with Mahayana Buddhist verses, and include bronze Bodhisattva statues and pottery dating to the 6th–7th centuries AD, consistent with ancient Chinese records mentioning the area. This evidence suggests that Yarang was a thriving ancient settlement, and that geographic changes later prompted the relocation of Pattani’s trading port to a more suitable site in the area of present-day Ban Pruese.