Tourism Indian Street Opens in Songkhla to Lure Tourists

[Georgealbert]

 

Picture courtesy of Kaoded.

 

Business owners in Dan Nok’s Soi 6 and Soi 8 in Sadao district, Songkhla,have joined forces to launch a new tourism initiative dubbed “Indian Street”, a proposed landmark aimed at reviving cross-border tourism by targeting Malaysian tourists of Indian descent.

 

The initiative, led by the Hatyai-Songkhla Hotel Association and local business operators, seeks to transform a section of the border town into a vibrant cultural hub celebrating Indian heritage through architecture, food, festivals and commerce.

 

Dr. Sitthipong Sitthipatprapa, President of the Hatyai Hotel Association and a key spokesperson for the group, said the symbolic “Indian Street” sign recently installed marks just the beginning of a larger transformation. “We plan to build a grand city gate to serve as a striking entry point and create an authentic Indian ambience in the area,” he said.

 

The vision for Indian Street includes hosting cultural festivals, enhancing the annual Deepavali (Diwali) celebration, now entering its fourth year and integrating Thai and Indian cultural elements to create a unique experience for visitors. Future plans also include new events and cross-cultural programmes to broaden its appeal.

 

Dr. Sitthipong noted that Indian-Malaysian tourists, who had begun arriving in greater numbers before the COVID-19 pandemic, have since returned in significant numbers, making them an increasingly important demographic for the local tourism industry.

 

“With tourist numbers on the rise again, we felt the need to create a landmark that makes Indian visitors feel at home, a place that resonates with their identity,” he explained. “Soi 6 and Soi 8 already have venues popular among Indian tourists, so we agreed to develop the area into Indian Street to cater more directly to their interests and cultural expectations.”

 

Local business owners believe that the creation of a themed cultural zone and events tailored to this target group will not only boost tourism but also revitalise the border economy, which has struggled in recent years.

 

The Indian Street project reflects a growing trend in tourism development, where cultural specificity and inclusive design are seen as key to drawing international visitors beyond traditional tourist centres.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Kaoded 2025-08-05