The Songkhla National Museum building was originally built in 1878 and was the residence of the deputy governor of Songkhla, Phraya Suntharanuraksa. It was built in the Southern Thai-Chinese architectural style. The name Songkhla is actually the Thai corruption of Singgora; its original name means 'the city of lions' in Malay. This refers to a lion-shaped mountain near the city of Songkhla. Songkhla was the seat of an old Malay Kingdom with heavy Srivijayan influence. In ancient times (200 AD - 1400 AD), Songkhla formed the northern extremity of the Malay Kingdom of Langkasuka. The city-state then became a tributary of Nakhon Si Thammarat, suffering damage during several attempts to gain independence.