View Full Version : HatYaiCity:Unrest&Economy
A look at those aquifers that most of your bottled water comes from. Doubtless, Bangkok is the same:-
http://www.unep.org/vitalwater/23-urban-groundwater.htm
Hat-Yai today hosted some sort of street carnival designed to boost its tourist trade and flagging morale after the recent bombings. If I had half of Ron's motivation to get out and take snaps, I would have been there to bring it to you, wouldn't I? Unfortunately, business often calls at the wrong times. Let's hope either Dr John and/or Dr Has will deliver some pictures of this event!
Teen Culture in the 'Yai'
http://www.2bangkok.com/06/gasoline.jpg
Just some comment on this Ron picture of 'after hours roadside gas sales in Hat-Yai'. These vendors mostly cater for the 'Ssing Crowd' -teenage motorcycle street racers on overpowered 'noddy' bikes. Not to mention those richer dudes with skinny-tired coupes. Doubtless its the same in Bangkok and most Thai cities. There are also a lot of roadside teastalls that sell (reportedly amphetamine-laced) tea. Punters sit/lie on large carpets laid along the sidewalk, with low-slung tables. They watch videos on TVs with large-screen TVs with humungous noise-polluting boom box sound systems. The notorious 'Khet Bpairt' (District 8) used to have many such nuiscences to keep the locals awake most of the night. It's all supposed to have a slightly romantic ambience.:D
Malaysians & Singaporeans sometimes need precious little encouragement to return to Hat-Yai. There have, of course, been many other bomb and flood scares in the past. By some accounts, last weekend's Vegetarian Festival pulled in a sizeable number of people from down south. Hotels had decent occupancy levels and stallholders were pleased with the business. This is quite surprising so soon after last month's bombs and coup. There have frequent rumors of bomb threats during Ramadan, and the police even distributed leaflets to houses - a few days back - telling people to remain alert. Unfortunately, I didn't get one of these. The recipient did as was suggested, and passed the leaflet on to other locals.
On the other hand, perhaps the audience for this sort of festival aren't too squeamish about the sight of blood anyway. Here are two sides of a publicity leaflet for the festival, in Thai & Chinese: -
http://i14.tinypic.com/2zf63c4.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/4df1ooy.jpg
Slideshow presentation of a similar 'meat obsessed' vegetarian festival: -
Added September 07, 2006
From photorikki
This is a slide show that was shot during the 9 day Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, Thailand.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRREkNpSvMA
Piercing with a satellite dish - The Nation, October 27, 2006
Photo from The Nation: A man has pierced his jaw :eek: with a metal bar as part of a parade to celebrate the Vegetarian Festival in Songkhla province on Friday.http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/10/27/p1news/images/30017327-01.jpg
Well, I suspect they mean cheek.
More evidence that the festival contines to suck in Malaysians and Singaporeans in significant numbers: -
Vegetarian celebrants converge on Hat Yai
SONGKHLA, Oct 26 (TNA) - Thousands of tourists from neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore have flocked to Hat Yai, South Thailand's most popular commercial district and shopping paradise which celebrates annually with a vegetarian food festival.
Visitors converging from points south of the border are giving a boost to the region's slumping tourism after recent insurgent bombings.
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) southern bureau director Suthep Kuesang expects the nine-day-festival to attract 50,000-60,000 foreign tourists from Malaysia and Singapore to Songkhla.
Mr. Suthep estimated that some Bt 300 million baht would be generated during the vegetarian food festival which is part of a series of events intended to restore confidence among foreign tourists who were reluctant to visit after a series of bombings in October left six persons dead and injured scores of others.
Thailand has fought continuing violence in southern border provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat since early 2004.
Even though Songkhla is not in the main targeted areas, the militants have conducted attacks in the province from time to time, aiming to hurt the local economy which relies heavily on tourism.
Earlier, the province successfully hosted its 'Colourful Hat Yai Fair' and a Buddhist merit making ceremony without any incidents.
Mr. Suthep said the events which are linked to Buddhist religious beliefs and dietary practices have attracted foreign tourists who are mostly pilgrims.
''The Vegetarian Food Festival has created a good atmosphere for our slumping tourism. It will help in generating some Bt300 million,'' he said.
As the town is preparing for annual Loi Krathong Festival in November, Mr. Suthep warned local tour operators and hoteliers against raising room rates and overcharging visitors.
Malaysian and Singaporean tourists have reportedly packed shrines in Hat Yai district to pay homage to a Chinese goddess during the festival. (TNA)-E110
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=25634
The "colorful Hat Yai Fair" mentioned above may have been a security success, but it wasn't well attended.
Heavy Hat Yai hotel bookings for Loy Krathong festival
SONGKHLA, Oct 14 (TNA) – Hotel bookings in Hat Yai district here have picked up for next month's Loy Krathong festival which falls on November 5 as numbers of Malaysian tourists plan to visit the district, Somchart Pimtanapoonpol, president of Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotels Association said on Saturday.
Tourism in Hat Yai declined significantly after six bombs exploded at entertainment venues on September 16, killing five persons, including a Canadian school teacher, and wounding about 70 others.
But the tourism business in Hat Yai, known as a paradise for both shopping and night-oriented entertainment for tourists, has begun to improve with hotel bookings, mainly by Malaysian tourists who plan to attend the festival, which is held annually, Mr. Somchart said.
On Loy Krathong night, people traditionally float their krathongs, or 'floating prayers'-- offerings of flowers, candles and incense, on streams and rivers to show gratitude to the Goddess of Water and ask her for forgiveness for improper use of the river and water resources during the preceding year.
Meanwhile, Anant Prueksanusak, deputy mayor of Sadao district, said his district bordering Malaysia would celebrate Loy Krathong on November 4 and 5.
Several events including a beauty contest, student exhibitions and movies will be held during the celebrations, he said. (TNA)-E111
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=25399
rodfaithai
08-11-06, 05:19 PM
It's seem Thai people afraid of Hatyai more than Malaysian or Singaporian.
This year we made an artificial canal on Sanaehanusorn Road and turn Nipat-U-Thit-3 road and part of Thammanoonvitee road to be a pedestrian streets.
It's OK, full of people on the roads
We gonna install hundred of CCTV camera very soon. (within 90 days)
PRINCE OF SONGKLA VARSITY
Students protest against fee hike
Hunger strike threatened over 'unreasonable' rise
Prince of Songkla University students have vowed to go on hunger strike against tuition fee hikes of up to 250 per cent that will come into effect next semester.
The university recently announced the new tuition fee rates for all faculties in its five campuses - Hat Yai, Pattani, Trang, Surat Thani and Phuket.
The hikes range between 20 and 252 per cent. The top 13 increases are in the field of social science.
The fee for a bachelor degree in communication arts topped the increases at 252 per cent - up from Bt31,750 to Bt112,000.
A group of student activists at the university's Pattani Campus launched the protest campaign with banners against the "unreasonable" fee hike.
Tadapong Sampaosri, a Faculty of Humanities student who leads the protest, said the university's executives had failed to explain the reasons behind the hike.
"We want to know why they want to aggravate the plight of southern people like us with this hike," he said. "Incomes of locals are now every low due to the unsolved problems of the unrest. How can parents find money to pay such high fees for their children?"
Tadapong said he did not oppose the idea of a fee hike, but it should be reasonable and in accordance with inflation.
"It's such a cruel hike," he said.
The group has gathered over 1,000 signatures of students so far who oppose the fee rise.
Tadapong plans to travel to Bangkok to petition to the education minister. "If necessary, we might go on hunger strike like Bangkok students who are striking against the plan to make universities autonomous."
Wutthipong Chansrinuan, a leading student activist at the university's Hat Yai Campus, said students learned about the increase just two weeks ago.
"They were so wise to announce the hike during the semester's final examination … we couldn't hold a protest during this period," he said, adding protesting would start as soon as the exam period had finished.
The tuition fee for his Faculty of Management Sciences course will be increased from about Bt32,000 per course to Bt104,000.
The stable rate of tuition fees for about the last seven to eight years was one of the main reasons given by university executives for the sudden hike. "We have more and more students each year, but the budget received from the state has increased only slightly. It's not enough to preserve educational standards of the university," said Sompong Thongpong, vice president of the Pattani campus.
Sompong said the university also had plans to promote information technology, so more money was needed for IT equipment.
Chatrarat Kaewmorakot
The Nation
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/02/26/national/national_30027884.php
The biggest increases
The 10 programmes at Prince of Songkla University which have the highest tuition fee increases. The new rates will take affect in the next semester.
Programme/ Old rate (per course)/ New rate/ Percent of hike
1. Arts Programme in Communication Arts/ Bt31,750/ Bt112,000/ 252%
2. Public Administration Programme in Financial Management/ Bt31,750/ Bt104,000/ 227%
3. Public Administration Programme in Public policy/ Bt32,050/ Bt104,000/ 224%
4. Public Administration Programme in Personnel Management/ Bt32,400/ Bt104,000/ 220%
5. Business Administration Programme in Human Resource Management/ Bt32,725/ Bt104,000/217%
6. Business Administration Programme in Finance/ Bt32,875/ Bt104,000/ 216%
7. Business Administration Programme in Accountancy/ Bt32,925/ Bt104,000/ 215%
8. Business Administration Programme in Marketing/ Bt33,925/ Bt104,000/ 206%
9. Business Computer Programme/ Bt37,025/ Bt104,000/ 180%
10. Agricultural Development Programme/ Bt42,840/ Bt120,000/ 180%
Source: Prince of Songkla University student activist group
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/02/26/national/national_30027887.php
''Malaysian tourists are bored with Hat Yai. It has been the same over the last 30-40 years.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/11Mar2007_news00.php
The above comment - at the end of the article below - suggests that the tourist associations in the province have partly brought this crisis on themselves by over-reliance on the same old worn-out nightlife and shopping formula. I also have a feeling that the hoteliers are not giving us the full picture here. There is a lot more competition from cheap & cheerful small hotels of late, for instance. I'd also like to see some statistics to back up these claims. And are they inventing the idea that unrest further 'south' is having an impact on the industrial development of the province? One also wonders why such hoteliers believe that they are entitled to a share in a government investment scheme that is clearly intended to assist economic 'basketcase' provinces:
Hat Yai tourism in peril
Hotel occupancy plummets to 20-30%
By Wichayant Boonchote
Six Hat Yai tourism associations are pinning their hopes on the government to help turn around the tourism industry, now going through its worst slump in three years since the flare-up of the violent insurgency in the southern region. They met last week to map out a 10-point list of demands they hoped would help rejuvenate the ailing sector.
The demands included a 50% cut in local taxes, suspension of the FT charge on electricity bills, scrapping underground water fees, making low-interest loans available, intensive tourism promotion campaigns, better security measures, and state contribution to the Social Security Fund on behalf of employers.
The six bodies were Songkhla's Tourism Business Association, Hat Yai-Songkhla Hoteliers Association, Songkhla Tour Guides Association, Songkhla Chamber of Commerce, Songkhla Tourism Business Federation, Songkhla Entertainment Business Association, and the Songkhla Tourism Bureau.
Chit Banluesilp, president of the Songkhla Chamber of Commerce, said the group resolved to push for government assistance as it was now beyond their means to help ailing businesses from going under.
The government seemed to concentrate its efforts more on the three border provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, while leaving Hat Yai out in the cold.
He said the plight of business operators and the proposed measures were made known to the Hai Yai governor and the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre director Pranai Suwanrath.
Hotelier Sawai na Phatthalung, the group's coordinator, said the entrepreneurs were now at the end of their wits and would find it hard to keep their businesses afloat without government assistance.
''If our demands are not met, we'll stage a demonstration. The situation is the worst in 30 years,'' he said.
Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, chairman of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hoteliers Association, said hotel bookings averaged 20-30%, a far cry from the 50% occupancy rate needed to sustain the business.
He said his association and the provincial chamber of commerce had pushed for low-interest loans to help hotel operators, but to no avail.
Somboon Ponglertnapakorn, another hotelier, warned that the tourism business in Hat Yai would be as good as finished if the government fails to curb the violence by the middle of the year.
Mr Somboon believes massive layoffs and business closures will soon follow if the state takes no remedial steps.
He said the image of Hat Yai as an economic and tourism hub for the southern region was now a thing of the past.
''After facing so many bombings and arson attacks, Hat Yai is no longer the place it used to be,'' he said.
Songchai Mungprasitthichai, of the Songkhla Tour Guides Association, said the insurgency has accelerated the doom of Hat Yai's tourism industry.
He said the town needed new attractions to lure back Malaysian tourists.
''Malaysian tourists are bored with Hat Yai. It has been the same over the last 30-40 years.
''Within five years, Hat Yai will be overlooked if new tourism sites are introduced,'' he said.
Nimit Chaijirathikul, chairman of Songkhla Tourism Business Federation, said the operators would be more than happy if the government could implement just three or four of the demands.
He was banking on low-interest loans and tourism promotion campaigns to spur his flagging business. ''This should not be too hard to do. The private sector is now in a real crisis,'' he said.
TOURISM / SOUTHERN VIOLENCE
Hat Yai outlook goes from bad to worse
CHATRUDEE THEPARAT
Hat Yai - Tourism conditions in Hat Yai are going from bad to worse, with some hotel operators leaving the area altogether, according to Nimitr Chaichiratikul, the president of the Tourist Business Federation of Songkhla.
The violence that re-emerged in the three southernmost provinces in 2004 has had an increasing effect on nearby Songkhla, where Hat Yai is the main commercial centre.
Bombings that took place in Hat Yai last year worsened the tourism outlook, and recent violence has made businesses even more pessimistic, Mr Nimitr told a meeting held yesterday by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani chaired the meeting, at which businesses as well as officials were invited to voice their concerns.
Mr Nimitr estimated that Songkhla had lost about 15 billion baht since 2004. Foreign tourist arrivals are estimated at 600,000 to 700,000 this year, substantially down from one million a year before 2004, he said. Revenue is likely to be worth only 10 billion baht this year.
Foreign tourist arrivals declined to 720,826 in 2005, partially because of flooding, compared with 852,234 in 2004 and 1,044,900 in 2003. The number increased marginally last year to 720,860.
Tourism earned the province about 12 billion baht last year, a rise from 11.7 billion baht a year earlier but down from 14 billion baht in 2004. Foreign tourists, many of them Malaysians, contributed nearly half of Songkhla's tourism revenue.
Sawai Na Pathalung, executive chairman of Pink Hotel & Complex and adviser to the Thai Hotel Association of Hat Yai, said about seven three-star hotels were recently taken over by Singaporean investors.
The owners of more than 10 hotels are likely to be forced to sell this year because they could not afford to pay debt given the sharp drop in occupancy.
Normally, the occupancy rate of hotels in Hat Yai averages about 65%. The rate fell to only 20% after the latest bombings in September last year.
Hotel operations are generally able to survive only when their occupancy rate stays above 50%, Mr Sawai said.
''We desperately call on the government to help address the problems as soon as possible to restore the confidence of tourists about safety in order to boost the industry and consumption in the province,'' he said.
''Installing CCTV (closed-circuit TV) in public areas is also necessary.''
The government is also being urged to support soft loans with interest rates of 1.5% to 2% to hotel entrepreneurs in order to maintain their businesses.
According to the Songkhla TAT Office, the province has 167 hotels with a total of 11,777 rooms, 137 tour operators, 630 tour guides, and 370 restaurants.
Link likely to expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/23Mar2007_biz35.php
Given that bomb blasts have got quite close to royal and government motorcades in recent months, this Malaysian minister is actually taking some risk. He will, of course, have a significant escort. Pointless exercise really! Many people travel into Thailand in similar minibuses to the one in which 9 people were killed last week:
23 March 2007 Malaysian Tourism Ministry meets with Songkhla Governor
Malaysian Tourism Ministry Hon Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor visited with Thailand’s Songkhla (สงขลา) Governor, in a meeting aimed at boosting tourist confidence in the region.
The Southern Unrest has greatly affected tourism in the southern provinces. In an attempt to boost tourist confidence in traveling to Thailand’s south provinces and to Malaysia, the Malaysian Tourism Minister and entourage met with Songkhla Governor Sonthi Techanan (สนธิ เตชานันท์) at Songkhla City Hall. The meeting will find ways to boost the tourism of both countries.
The Malaysian Tourism Minister will travel back to Malaysia by car through Thailand’s three southernmost provinces, in a public display meant to guarantee that Thailand is safe for tourists to visit.
The Songkhla Governor said that the meeting will also strengthens bilateral relationships between Thailand and Malaysia and seek new ways to regain tourists’ confidence.
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255003230032&news_headline=Malaysian
Given that bomb blasts have got quite close to royal and government motorcades in recent months, this Malaysian minister is actually taking some risk. He will, of course, have a significant escort. Pointless exercise really! Many people travel into Thailand in similar minibuses to the one in which 9 people were killed last week:
http://thainews.prd.go.th/newsenglish/previewnews.php?news_id=255003230032&news_headline=Malaysian
Tengku Adnan: Southern Thailand still safe to visit
By CHRISTINA CHIN
MALAYSIANS have nothing to fear when visiting southern Thailand
Reports of bombings and political instability have been blown out of proportion by the foreign media, said Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor after a meeting with Songkhla governor Dr Sondhi Tejanant.
“The bombings were isolated incidences. Southern Thailand remains a safe tourist destination.
“I insisted on driving around during my visit and even went out walking in Haadyai at night just to see the situation for myself and I can assure you that there is nothing to fear,” he said, adding that negative press on Thailand would also affect tourist arrivals to Malaysia.
“When foreign tourists hear about political instability in Thailand, it affects their perception of Asia as a whole. That is why it is important for us to help promote the truth about our neighbour,” he said after the meeting in Songkhla on Friday.
The minister was on a three-day visit to Phuket, Haadyai and Songkhla to foster closer relations and cooperation between the two countries.
He told journalists that his ministry was committed to promoting the “One Destination-Three Countries” concept where tourists are encouraged to visit Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as part of a package.
“We hope to implement a system where tourists from Europe are allowed to visit all the countries in the Asian region with just one visa,” he said, adding that the government was also in talks with several Asian countries to promote free movement among neighbouring countries.
“This will allow travellers to visit nearby countries without a passport,” he said, adding that Malaysia was keen on learning how Thailand marketed herself successfully as a destination for long haul tourists.
He said his ministry was also in talks with Thai tourism authorities to promote Malaysia's homestay programmes among young Thai travellers.
Link may expire:
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/3/25/north/17250527&sec=North
Link likely to expire:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/23Mar2007_biz35.php
Malaysia's Independence Day continues to be a good reason to get away from it for a few days:;)
Flood of Malaysian tourists expected to celebrate Independence Day in Hat Yai
SONGKHLA, Aug 25 (TNA) - Over 50 per cent of hotel rooms in Hat Yai district of this southern province have already been booked, and it is expected that room occupancy rates will be quite high late next week when a flood of Malaysian tourists is expected to travel here to celebrate Malaysian Independence Day, a senior tourist trade official said Saturday.
Somchart Pimtanapoonporn, president of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotels Association, said he believed hotel rooms in Hat Yai, a shopping paradise for tourists, will be almost fully booked next week and that some Bt100 million is expected to change hands when the influx of Malaysian tourists entering the district will peak.
Malaysia will celebrate its 50th Independence Day on August 31.
Tourism in the South should improve after that due to several tourism campaigns being organised, said Mr. Somchart.
The overall situation in the three restive southern provinces -- Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat -- has picked up as locals and tourists gain more confidence in relation to safety, despite the region's ongoing insurgency, he said. (TNA)-E111
Last Update : 2007-08-25 / 16:27:16 (GMT+7:00)
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31268
Malaysia's Independence Day continues to be a good reason to get away from it for a few days:;)
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31268
Yes! There are a lot of Malaysians in town today. And there have been since last weekend.
Hat Yai tourism resumes normally for Malaysian holidays
SONGKHLA, Aug 31 (TNA) - The tourism business in Hat Yai district, Thailand's southern business and tourism hub in Songkhla province, is expected to be back to business as usual for this year's celebration of Malaysia's independence, with more south of the border tourists anticipated to come back, according to a local hotelier.
Somchart Pimtanapoonporn, president of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotels Association, said a flood of Malaysian tourists were travelling to Hat Yai to celebrate the 50th Malaysian Independence Day Friday.
He said 80 per cent of over 9,000 hotel rooms in Hat Yai, a shopping paradise for tourists, were booked for the August 30-September 1 holiday period, with some Bt100 million expected to change hands.
Mr. Somchart said the atmosphere on Friday morning was quite lively as many Malaysians enjoy shopping and eating in the district.
The tourism business was expected to pick up as locals and tourists gain more confidence in relation to safety, despite the region's ongoing insurgency, he said.
However, the hotelier admitted that tourism campaigns are still needed to build the atmosphere for tourism, and that good security measures needed to be in place to secure confidence among tourists.
.......... Betong Report = http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?p=16806&posted=1#post16806
..........
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31381
Songkhla tourism begins to recover, revitalise
HAT YAI, June 9 (TNA) – Tourism in Thailand's southern railways junction province of Songkhla has begun to pick up and become revitalised again, due to increasing numbers of Malaysian tourists travelling in tour groups and by their personal vehicles.
A large number of Malaysian tourists in particular had come to Songkhla now because there were school holidays in Malaysia starting from late May to June 8.
The semester break allowed numbers of younger tourists and families to make more time intensive road journeys.
In particular, an additional number Malaysian tourists had travelled to Thailand's southern crossroads business district in the largest numbers during the past three days since June 7, because that Saturday was declared a national holiday marking the birthday of the Malaysian sultan.
Somchai Pimthanapunporn, president of Haad Yai-Songkhla Hotels Association, said that tourism in Songkla in the past several weeks must be considered as the most active in the past four years because of the numbers of Malaysian and Singaporean tourists which had arrived in the province.
It showed that foreign tourists began to have more confidence in the safety of their travel here. It is estimated more than Bt200 million had been spent in that period, he said. (TNA)-E005
http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=4668
See also today's previous post
Samila Beach thread:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3353
Hat-Yai Karaoke Massacre:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3298
Southern fisherfolk:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3305
Songkhla Lake:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3304
Southern haze from Indo:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3308
Songkhla Province cross-border issues:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3309
Songkhla Province floods:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3321
Hat-Yai flood alleviation:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3295
Hat-Yai politics:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3297
Hat-Yai Airport:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2887
Hat-Yai transport:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3302
Hat-Yai hi-rises:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3296
Tinsulanonda Bridges:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3303
Southern Seaboard Projects:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3306
Chana Power Station:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3337
Hat-Yai Unwired Project:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3278
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2365
Controversial Pipeline:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3160
Hat-Yai to Songkhla Old Road Widening:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3301
Thai-Malaysia Wall:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3322
Thai-Malaysia HVDC Interconnection:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3313
Hat-Yai History:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=901
Songkhla history:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1078
World War 2:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=869
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1052
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1518
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=1114
Railway history & events:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=247
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2461
New floating market?:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=2760
Songkhla Province Security/Insurgency:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3307
rodfaithai
16-06-08, 11:38 AM
Last weekend I saw many Malaysian tourist in Hatyai and many Malaysian Bus.
But European, Japanese, US especially Thai tourist still hard to find.
thai2thai
16-06-08, 11:28 PM
While Northern and North-Eastern politicians and their power brokers went on to successfully promote air links to their respective regions, their Songkhla counterparts did very little in this area.
Hatyai is a dying city in urgent need of resuscitation. It has an international airport with NO international flight. Flights from Medan, Sumatra, in Indonesia did not survive the experimental phase. Flights from Penang disappeared soon after the super highway in Northern Malaysia was built and it was followed by flights from Kuala Lumpur. Last year, flights from Singapore joined the disappearing act. Adding insult to its image, even Phuket cuts the air link to Hatyai recently.
Yes, they can still fly in - but to Alor Star in Kedah, Malaysia and take local transport to Hatyai 90 kilometers away.
The bright side is rubber price hovers around 100 bahts per kilo. A single rubber tapper makes more than 13,000 bahts a month (average) - which means a couple can make 26,000 bahts on average. Comparatively, most recent college graduate in Hatyai make between 7,000 to 8,000 bahts.
The local Tesco/Lotus or Carrfour or Big C are still full of shoppers because there are so many more rubber tappers than there are college graduates.
rodfaithai
17-06-08, 11:00 AM
Hatyai is a dying city in urgent need of resuscitation.
I agree.
Many shop have closed day by day. (Terminate their operation).
Sunthorn
17-06-08, 01:42 PM
That's the downside of parochial politics and the Chao Muang system. I wave no flag for the Democrats, but I do note this. The country has been run by Chiangmai politics for most of the last eight years, apart from a 16 month hiatus of military politics. Thaksin made it quite clear that he was not interested in helping people who did not vote for him. And the military always looks after its own anyway. Of course, this is not the whole story. But it is a very important component of it. Chao Muangism is very much alive and debilitating for those who don't buy into it eagerly enough.
This was also being advertised by the loudspeaker trucks this morning:
Thursday July 3, 2008
Superbikers out to promote regional peace
By SIRA HABIBU
:confused:
SOME 5,000 superbikers from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand will ride in a convoy through Songkhla Province to promote regional peace in Southern Thailand.
The two-day ‘Hadyai Bike Week’, which will kick off tomorrow, is aimed at showing the world how Muslims and Buddhists work and live in harmony amid the Southern Thailand conflict.
Themed ‘Southern Cultures’, the event is being jointly organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Royal Thai Consulate in Langkawi.
Honorary Consul of Thailand in Langkawi Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, who is the event’s organising committee co-chairman, said in line with the theme, only halal food would be served and sold during the event, which would be centred at Hadyai Municipal Park.
“We are also promoting goods produced under the ‘One Kampung [Tambon ;-)], One Product’ programme,” he said.
Shazryl said the consulate would assist bikers to cross over the Malaysia-Thailand border in Bukit Kayu Hitam without much hassle.
“Our consulate personnel will be at the border this Friday and Saturday to assist the participants,” he said.
Among the attractions at the Bike Week would be an exhibition of vintage and hand-made motorcycles and sale of leather goods, hand-made products and accessories.
Shazryl said a similar event would be held in Malaysia to further promote bilateral ties.
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/7/3/north/21721088&sec=North
See also previous post
This was also being advertised by the loudspeaker trucks this morning:
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/7/3/north/21721088&sec=North
This seems to be partially connected to Hat-Yai Bike week. certainly, there will be a lot of Harley-Davidsons in town from Malaysia and Singapore this weekend. I also saw some 'local' Harleys & Honda Gold-Wings this morning:
Friday, July 4, 2008
HOGs go the extra miles
http://www.phuketgazette.net/newsimages/bull742008-6613-1.jpg
[Photo: Phuket Gazette - A biker waves as he leads the pack of ‘hogs’ on their way to helping set a record number of miles traveled on Harley-Davidson motorcycles on the same day.]
PHUKET: It’s official: the 52 Harley-Davidsons and their 74 riders that collectively notched up 21,000 kilometers by riding from Phuket to Krabi and back on Monday have been added to the global tally to set a record for the most miles on that one day by ‘hog’ riders.
Bikers from Phuket, Haad Yai, Krabi, Trang and Pattalung set off from the West Coast Ride Thailand big bike shop on the bypass road at 9 am and returned late afternoon as part of "Million Mile Monday", organized by HOG, the international club of Harley-Davidson owners.
The worldwide target of one million miles ridden on Harley-Davidson motorcycles on the same day was hailed a huge success, with the virtual odometer going way past the million-mile mark to clock 3,000,960 miles in total - equivalent to 120 trips around the equator, said the organizers.
Phuket, Thailand
19:56 local time (GMT +7)
http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?id=6613
See also this thread on bombings last weekend:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=3536
Bombings pose limited impact on local economy
By The Nation
The South's economy remains resilient to the renewed violence, said Bank of Thailand Southern Branch, but the government must act fast in restoring peace.
Nirut Raksaseri, senior director of Bank of Thailand, Southern Branch, said that the seven bombings in Songkhla on Sunday night could rattle civilians and tourists' confidence in safety but would not cast a long-term impact. He noted that Hat Yai and Songkhla suffered from several bombings but the economy could be revived with the number of tourists returning to the province.
Yet, he noted that the authorities must find out the real cause of the bombings and prevent the reoccurences.
"We need stricter security measures, particularly through the introduction of new equipment and new technology. After each bombing, we always talked about defense measures including the installation of hundreds of closed-circuit TV. Yet, finally, the number of CCTV is not sufficient. While the Municipality provides 1,000 units, the government which promised another 900 units has not yet provided any. The government must come up with a clear measure," Nirut said.
He noted that the bombings last night were less severe than those in the past, and as such its impact to the local economy is less. However, there is a psychological impact, particularly on those operators of hotels and tourism business.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/08/04/business/business_30079695.php
Songkhla bombings will have little impact on local economy
SONGKHLA, Aug 4 (TNA) – Economic and trade activities in this southern province should not be adversely affected by the seven coordinated bombings in this southern province on Saturday night, according to Surachai Chitpakdeebodin, chairman of the provincial chamber of commerce.
He said the incident, which caused only two injuries, would have a limited impact on the local economy and trade only in the short run.
The repercussions should not persist because the explosions occurred in outer areas of the province and were not as severe as previous bombings, which took place in strategic points in the provincial s and markets.
Accordingly, Mr. Surachai advised local residents to not panic in response to the incident.
Mr. Surachai said he had monitored reactions by the local business community to the incident and found that they remained confident of the overall picture of economic and trade activities in the province.
He said the chamber would still continue to plan and sponsor varied activities to stimulate the local economy and boost investor confidence. (TNA)
General News : Last Update : 15:33:56 4 August 2008 (GMT+7:00)
http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=5577
I have noted quite a few construction start-ups in recent months. Ill-timed perhaps!?
It isn't all gloom & doom by any means. The city just got an new international exhibition & convention center:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=528
There is also the possibility of the Dubai World Landbridge Project, although it could be sited further north:
http://www.angkor.com/2bangkok/2bangkok/forum/showthread.php?t=3306
Some interesting views of the city here from Bentown on the Skyscraper City forum:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3122/2598543542_8295db8a3c_b.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3024/2702628890_bfed634bc1_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3125/2686424557_f42c4686eb_o.jpg
vBulletin® v3.7.1, Copyright ©2000-2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.