SONGKHLA (Bernama): Nearly 300,000 Malaysian tourists flocked to southern Thailand for the duration of the Eid al-Adha (Haro Raya Haji) festive break and school holidays from May 27 to June 4, generating more than one billion baht (RM123.2 million) for the country’s tourism sector.
Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotel Association President, Sittipong Sitthiphataraprabah, said Malaysian tourists entered Thailand through nine land crossings in Narathiwat, Yala, Songkhla, and Satun.
He said Songkhla, Satun, Phatthalung, Trang, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani, Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat are some of the favourites of Malaysian tourists.
"More than 30,000 hotel rooms recorded full for that duration, generating more than one billion baht in tourism revenue," he told Bernama.
He said the busiest land crossings are Bukit Kayu Hitam-Sadao, Padang Besar, Sungai Golok, and Betong.
However, Sittipong expressed unhappiness that many Malaysian tourists had to wait between three to four hours to get through the immigration, in particular at the Sadao Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex.
"Some tourists were stranded on their way back to Malaysia, to the point where they had to spend the night in their vehicles or by the roadside due to the unusual congestion," he said.
He said he had conveyed the matter to the relevant agencies and hoped remedial actions can be taken soon to ensure southern Thailand continues to be the destination of choice for Malaysian tourists.
Meanwhile, Faizul Nasruddin, 40, from Banting, Selangor, said he and his wife found it worth their while to ride their motorbike for more than eight hours to get to their holiday in Hat Yai due to its variety of delicious and reasonably priced food.
"Even when faced with the congestion at the land crossing, I would still come because there is no other place quite like Hat Yai," he said.
Another tourist, 42-year-old Hasbul Hisyam Yusuf from Terengganu, said he took advantage of the school holiday to bring his family on a holiday in Hat Yai, before the schools reopen this Monday.
"The food is delicious and cheap. I choose to come to Hat Yai every holiday season. We have been to most destinations in Malaysia, so Hat Yai becomes our family’s choice," he said. -- BERNAMA
