Security High As Tourists Flock To Hat Yai

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NEW YEAR COUNTDOWN

Security high as tourists flock to Hat Yai

The Nation

The atmosphere in Thailand's southern metropolis of Hat Yai is lively as 2011 draws to a close, with Thai, Malaysian and Singaporean travellers joining up for the "Night Paradise Hat Yai" countdown event, while moe than Bt100 million is expected to circulate during the festive period.

Starting on Friday at the town centre, the event is sponsored by Hat Yai Municipality together with the public and private sectors. Booths offering food and drink as well as staged entertainment will be a nightly feature this weekend.

Over 12,000 rooms in the commercial district of Songkhla province were fully booked prior to the holiday. Police, related sectors and a civil network are overseeing the city to prevent disturbances.

Although the strong winds in the Gulf of Thailand have weakened, municipality authorities are on duty around the clock to monitor the situation. Sandbags have been put along the coastline due to high waves during the monsoon season in the south.

The Songkhla weather bureau warned of more rainfall in the south from December 30 to January 1 from Nakhon Si Thammarat province southwards due to the effect of a low pressure ridge covering the lower South China Sea and moving west.

-- The Nation 2011-12-30