Neighboring districts are ( from the south clockwise ) Raman of Pattani Province , Yarang , Mayo , Sai Buri and Kapho of Yala Province .
Neighboring districts are ( from south clockwise ) Raman of the province of Pattani , Yarang , Mayo , Sai Buri and Capho of the province Yala .

Are these two sentences paraphrases of each other?
yes

In the United Kingdom , mescaline in purified powder form is a Class A drug . However , dried cactus can be bought and sold legally .
In the United Kingdom , meskaline is a class A drug in purified powder form , but dried cactus can be bought and sold legally .

Are these two sentences paraphrases of each other?
yes

From 1969 , the family lived in rented houses in California , close to Los Angeles recording studios .
From 1969 , the family lived in rented houses in Los Angeles , close to California recording studios .

Are these two sentences paraphrases of each other?
no

In October 2001 , he defended his PhD in Psychology at the Free University of Brussels on the subject of cognitive models of human hypertext navigation .
He defended his Ph.D. in Psychology from the Free University of Brussels in October 2001 on the subject of cognitive models of human hypertext navigation .

Are these two sentences paraphrases of each other?
yes