11 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

Decided to buy in housing project which he told didn't flood.

I'm sure the information was correct at the time. The 2025 flood is certainly bigger than any in living memory, and considered a once in 300 year event. There are many areas of the city that were considered outside the flood risk zone that have flooded.

7 hours ago, Stocky said:

I'm sure the information was correct at the time. The 2025 flood is certainly bigger than any in living memory, and considered a once in 300 year event. There are many areas of the city that were considered outside the flood risk zone that have flooded.

Seems as though some areas outside Hat Yai have been ignored  in the cleanup. Most focus looks to be on the CBD. 

At least there hasn't been any follow up heavy rain.

Did the bi-monthly shop today, lots of stuff to replace, weird what disappeared in the flood and what survived.

 

Big C Extra is now open, there's a few gaps on shelves but bought most of what was needed. TOPS Robinson is dead, as is the city centre in general, it really is depressing driving through the centre of town, the damage there is huge. We went to Hat Yai Village TOPS instead, the Wang Hong district seems to have escaped the flooding, nothing absent from the shelves, completed my shopping list. 

 

Most of the traffic lights are now working, all the main streets are clear, though some side streets are a bit of a slalom. In the centre of town they're busy cleaning, so some streets are closed off and traffic is bad. Once cleaned it will no doubt be the same as our street, it's been cleared three times now, but every time new mountains of sodden rubbish reappear. It will be many months before things start to look remotely normal.

 

Meanwhile my wife is fearful every time it rains, it wakes her in the night and I find her crying; I suspect there are many with some form of post trauma anxiety.

26 minutes ago, Stocky said:

Did the bi-monthly shop today, lots of stuff to replace, weird what disappeared in the flood and what survived.

 

Big C Extra is now open, there's a few gaps on shelves but bought most of what was needed. TOPS Robinson is dead, as is the city centre in general, it really is depressing driving through the centre of town, the damage there is huge. We went to Hat Yai Village TOPS instead, the Wang Hong district seems to have escaped the flooding, nothing absent from the shelves, completed my shopping list. 

 

Most of the traffic lights are now working, all the main streets are clear, though some side streets are a bit of a slalom. In the centre of town they're busy cleaning, so some streets are closed off and traffic is bad. Once cleaned it will no doubt be the same as our street, it's been cleared three times now, but every time new mountains of sodden rubbish reappear. It will be many months before things start to look remotely normal.

 

Meanwhile my wife is fearful every time it rains, it wakes her in the night and I find her crying; I suspect there are many with some form of post trauma anxiety.

 

It's very sad, GF's sister's place is still unliveable, it's going to be months before they can move back in, fortunately it's company provided accomodation so they have another place to stay but all their possessions are still there...   

 

 

How's the Hat Yai airport area?

 

We're flying in tomorrow and plan on getting a taxi from the airport straight to Satun.  Do you think this is doable? 

  

12 minutes ago, SamSpade said:

 

How's the Hat Yai airport area?

 

We're flying in tomorrow and plan on getting a taxi from the airport straight to Satun.  Do you think this is doable? 

  

Airport is fine, I had a business trip to KL last week and airport and airport taxis are working OK, the airport wasn't flooded.

Any news has disappeared from the media.

We were thinking of going to Hat Yai next week to help boost the economy because we were under the impression things there were ok.

Doesn't seem like a good idea now. 

 

The Tops at Robinsons would have flooded completely being in the basement. Be a massive task cleaning that.

 

What happened to the 14 day  cleanup deadline?

1 hour ago, my friend I said:

What happened to the 14 day  cleanup deadline?

Just a politician's sound bite.

 

Yes a lot has been done and is being done, main roads are open, electricity and running water restored, traffic lights working, but it's a herculean task, no chance it could be completed in two weeks. 

 

But come visit, people will be happy to see you, just be aware the city centre Robinson, Lee Garden, Kim Yong are a disaster zone, and the city to the west of the railway also took a pounding, so Hat Yai Nai, Khuan Lang, K-Pat, Bang Klam etc. Good news is the area to the east of Thanon Sam Sip Met is largely recovered, as is Thanon Kanchanaviti, so Central Festival is open, Hat Yai Village, Lotus's 1 and Big C Extra, plus restaurants, bars and nightlife in the east of the city. Thai Watsadu was unaffected as is SCG Home and the area south to the airport.

That area next to the railway station has been lacking in charm for a while now.

Maybe this is an opportunity to do something there. Not necessarily straight away.

For many tourists that is the first Thailand stop.

51 minutes ago, my friend I said:

That area next to the railway station has been lacking in charm for a while now.

Maybe this is an opportunity to do something there. Not necessarily straight away.

For many tourists that is the first Thailand stop.

I crossed my mind that Central Group might just tear Robinson's down and redevelop the whole block, including the car park area between Robinson's and the railway, the site is around 2 hectares.

 

I don't understand why our Malaysian visitors stay glued to the area around Lee Gardens, the evening food stalls at Lee Garden are a total rip off, as are most of the shops and restaurants around there. Hat Yai is so much more than Lee Gardens and Niphatuthit Sois 1, 2 & 3.

Travelled around much of Hat Yai the last few days, the situation is much improved.

• The area to the east of Sam Sip Met is now working  fairly normally, shops, restaurants and nightlife have reopened. We had dinner at the Hashi Japanese on Saturday. First time we've been out in the evening since the floods, wife said it made her feel like we were getting back to normal.
• The city centre is much improved, roads are clear, Kimyong area has been cleared and it looks like the market may reopen in the not too distant future, likewise the Plaza Clock Tower area. But cleaning up and refurbishing is still in progress and shops, restaurants and nightlife remain largely closed.
• The Khlong Hae area is also recovering, Big C has now reopened, we were looking at the furniture shops in that area, all of which seem to be doing brisk trade. All the garages and car workshops are busy along Ramesuan Road with many cars parked up awaiting resurrection.

All the dry sunny weather has helped, the mood in the city is more positive, there's a sense the worst is over, wet season and floods are behind us, for another year. 

The TMD report predicts more rain coming soon: 

 

 Announcement Date 24 December 2025: In addition, during 25–28 December 2025, For the South, the northeast monsoon prevailing over the Gulf and the South will strengthen with more rains and isolated heavy to very heavy rain in the lower South. People in the lower South should beware of heavy rain and its accumulations. The another high-pressure system will extend to the upper Thailand with a decrease in temperature and strong wind.

 

However, the TMD makes forecasts like this throughout the monsoon season and they are very hit and miss, in my opinion.

I find Meteoblue is generally more accurate than the TMD, their 7 day meteogram indicates rain on Boxing Day but otherwise mainly dry.

 

My friends got some pumps to get rid of some stinking black water that a group of homes in Phattalung province were sitting in for a month. The warmer weather had not evaporated any of it.

I decided it was an excellent time to go to Marks and Spencers to get a xmas cake instead.

Went through Hat Yai on train. North of the city is trash of all kinds everywhere and homes surrounded by stinking blackwater.  No sign of anyone cleaning up.  South of the railway station fairly clean.

Padang Besar operating as normal. Hotels full. No sign of flooding anywhere.

Lots of ongoing earthworks on train line between Hat Yai and Padang Besar. Train ran to scheduled time.

 

Padang Besar to Butterworth instead of two hour trip was three hours. Stop and go or slow roll along.