My wife and I are looking at taking the Stamford College course in Hat Yai. I wanted some honest appraisals of the situation in the south from people who actually live there. Is it currently safe to be in Hat Yai area for about a month or 2?

Hat Yai town is, I believe, largely Chinese. Things have been pretty quiet in that area lately, any Hat Yai residents out there with any info?

What course is this you are planning on taking, out of curiousities sake?

Tesol course I know I know doing the English Teaching bit but a man has to pay his way somehow. Was actually also going to see if they had a welding vo-tech in the area if I found it safe enough. Not to actually do in Thailand as a profession just wanted to brush up on my skills.

I don't live in Thailand, but my in-laws live about an hour drive away from Hat Yai. Last year when we visited I went to Hat Yai several times. At that time they had removed the street trash cans for fear of someone placing a bomb in one of them. Personally, I didn't feel afraid at all and think that the chances of there being any problems are about the same as they are for Bangkok and Koh Samui. In fact, last year on Samui they had guards check our car's trunk for bombs when we went to shop at Tesco Lotus.

Although there are a lot of ethnic Chinese running businesses, Hat Yai does have a large Muslim population. Where my sister-in-law used to live, you could hear the call to prayers on loadspeakers every morning.

Don

Thanks for the info

We might just have to check it out ourselves usually things end up fine and dandy airplane tickets are cheap enough.

If you act proper, dress conservatively, act respectfully, and don't advertise you nationality and stay out of harm's way.. Then you'll be fine.

However, if you act and behave like a..... then you'll have a thrill..

No mowhawks here yet atleast lol

Always tried to keep to the old adage treat people with respect and atleast you know you did the right thing at the end of the day.

Actually I have been heading out there for movies and western food. Not bad, certainly a alternative from Phuket and Bangkok.

Go for it.

Hi,

I am a regular visitor to Hatyai from Malaysia. It takes me about a five hours

drive from my home to Hatyai. The three Southern Thai muslim majority States are

very near to the city of Hatyai. The three muslim majority States are Pattani, Narathiwat

and Yala. From Hatyai to Yala town is about a two and half hours drive.

You have to be very cautious and alert when you move around. Sometime about two years ago,

three bombs exploded in the Province of Songkhla causing some casualties.

One exploded at Hatyai International Airport, one at Carrefour, and one at the hotel entrance

in Songkhla. For quite somtime now it has been very quiet and peaceful.

You will never know when the next attack may come. I stlll go there very often and I am very

cautious and alert when I move around. If you ask me whether I am afraid when I am there.

The answer is ' yes ' ..... I am a bit nervous and I have to be more careful. As the saying

goes, life is always uncertain. Only a few days ago, a bomb expolded in the market in

Pattani causing two fatal casualties and some other minor casualties.

Last year a few Malaysian visitors suffered fatal injuries when a bomb exploded in the

bar at Sungai Golok, a town south of the border, just next to Malaysia.

That is the risk you have to take when you are there. Be careful and have a pleasant trip.

Fox,

You forget to mention that Hat Yai railway station has been bombed twice already.

In my opinion Hat Yai is safe to go around in and it always pays off to be carefull, wherever you are.

I was down in Hat Yai at the end of last month ... had a GREAT time ... felt safe ... wandered everywhere.

For more information about Hatyai, you may visit:

http://www.geocities.com/diyexplorer.hatyai

Cheers

Diyexplorer

For more information about Hatyai, you may visit:

http://www.geocities.com/diyexplorer.hatyai

Cheers

Diyexplorer

This is a brief to explain about this website.

This website serves to enable travelers who wish to explore the Thailand's southern city of Hatyai on their own, by providing as much information as possible for them to do so. These information are collated from various forums and websites, which has proven to be highly informative and useful to all, including first-timers to Hatyai. We strive to provide travelers to Hatyai with reliable, comprehensive, updated and independent information, based on the experiences being shared in internet forums. Therefore, we do not accept kickbacks, payment or favours in return for information or positive reviews provided. Furthermore, you need not have to register as a member in order to access the database provided.

Please feel free to explore this site, and hope that you find the information useful to your expedition.

Cheers

Diyexplorer

Edited June 15, 200620 yr by diyexplorer

I live in Songkhla 30km from Had Yai. You are more likely to get in trouble at Disneyland. They would love you if you had a mohawk!! The only danger is the traffic!! They had a couple bombs there a while ago but its all gone quiet there. The Muslems don't target westerners, there beef is with the Thai government, besides all the trouble is a few hundred miles to the south. Come on down and enjoy yourself.

diyexplorer

your site is dead.

diyexplorer

your site is dead.

It's still dead . . .

diyexplorer

your site is dead.

It's still dead . . .

Sorie, you may go to my blog for the website url to both Hatyai and Danok:

http://diyexplorerhatyai.blogspot.com

Edited September 9, 200619 yr by diyexplore

diyexplorer

your site is dead.

It's still dead . . .

so is diyexplore

He's a spammer

Hi,

I was told that some Hatyai hotels are haunted, particularly after the big flood.

Has anyone experience it over there or is this story true.

More info is needed.

Thank you.

Bomb blasts in Hatyai. Four killed including one farang English teacher.

8 Malaysian visitors injured.

And now the Coup D'etat.

What will become of Hatyai?

The answer:

Hatyai will be a ghost town.

No more tourists from Malaysia and Singapore for a long long time.

Hatyai would loose millions and millions of Bahts in terms of tourism.

The tourism industries, hotels, shop keepers, hawkers, restaurants,

and the sex related business would all be badly effected.

Bomb blasts in Hatyai. Four killed including one farang English teacher.

8 Malaysian visitors injured.

And now the Coup D'etat.

What will become of Hatyai?

The answer:

Hatyai will be a ghost town.

No more tourists from Malaysia and Singapore for a long long time.

Hatyai would loose millions and millions of Bahts in terms of tourism.

The tourism industries, hotels, shop keepers, hawkers, restaurants,

and the sex related business would all be badly effected.

A similar fate that befell Bali....... The economy ruined.

The latest bomb blasts and the coup d'etat has a very very devastating effect on

the economy of Hatyai. The people who would suffer most are the tourism trade,

shopkeepers, road side hawkers, restaurants, hotels, food vendors, tuk-tuk drivers,

night clubs, bars, entertainment industry, and the sex related industry.

Under normal circumstances, no fewer than five thousand visitors from Malaysia

(mostly 90% Malaysian Chinese) and Singaporeans go in daily, by car, van, bus,

tour bus, taxi, motor-cycle, train, and some just walk in. During week-ends and

public holidays, all hotels would be fully booked.

Today Hatyai, Thailand's third city, is a ghost town.

During the 50's (1950), Hatyai was a small village town and unknown to the world.

It was the night life and the sex related industry that attracted the attention of the

Malaysians (particularly the Malaysian Chinese) and the Singaporeans to visit this

exciting and lively village town. And because of all these, this unknown village town

has become Thailand's third city.

It would take a very very long time to get the visitors back, and if the situation do

not improve, then Hatyai and its economy will go to the dogs, so to speak.

Latest Update on Hatyai.

This info was reported in the Malaysian press some time ago.

" If you cannot come to Hatyai..... Hatyai will come to you ".

It was reported that the Thai sex related industry has come over

to the border towns in Malaysia. The pretty young thing has come

over to ply their trade in undisclosed locations. Interested and

bona fide clients would be taken to those secret locations.

The Malaysian authorities are tracking them down. The pretty

young thing came in with a tourist visa. Working without a work

permit is a serious offence. Being a Muslim nation, the authorities

are taking a very serious stand against the sex related industry.

Some have gone down to Penang, Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highland

and beyond. They are playing hide and seek with the Immigration and

other law enforcement agencies. If caught working illegally..... convicted,

sent to jail, and after that, deported.

I was planning to go to LOS and Hatyai in mid-November. Still am. I haven't heard of any terrorist activity since the bombings in mid-September and the coup, which seems to have quieted things. Is this correct?

Thank you

KB.

Inspite of the peace talks between the Thai authorities and the separatists in Langkawi about three months

ago, the above bomb blasts just happened last month.

As far as Malaysian and Singaporean visitors are concerned, Hatyai is now a very dangerous place to go.

The Malaysian authorities have gave warning to its citizens not to go in unless they have very good reasons to do so.

The situation there is highly volatile. As the saying goes, ' Enter at your own risk. '

I was planning to go to LOS and Hatyai in mid-November. Still am. I haven't heard of any terrorist activity since the bombings in mid-September and the coup, which seems to have quieted things. Is this correct?

Thank you

KB.

Why do you want to go to a dangerous area in Thailand?

I lived in Hat Yai for 2 months earlier this year and loved the place.

Does anyone know how the trouble in the south has been effected since the coup?

I am aware the military leader said he is willing to talk to the people behind the violence in the south, IF he can find who they are. What has happened since then? I may be back in Hat Yai for a day or two next month as well...

Inspite of the peace talks between the Thai authorities and the separatists in Langkawi about three months

ago, the above bomb blasts just happened last month.

As far as Malaysian and Singaporean visitors are concerned, Hatyai is now a very dangerous place to go.

The Malaysian authorities have gave warning to its citizens not to go in unless they have very good reasons to do so.

The situation there is highly volatile. As the saying goes, ' Enter at your own risk. '

I've been to Hat Yai already and its a poor substitute for Phuket or Chang Mai etc. Its geared up for the Malays/Singaporeans, think of it as a smaller version of Bangers but slightly more unfriendly.

I got the same impression, but it was back a few years, no hurry to visit again.