PETALING JAYA: Stranded Malaysian families in southern Thailand are pleading for help as relentless floods have trapped them in hotels and roads have been cut off.
Among those affected is journalist and radio announcer Wan Nur Asyikin W A’zemim, 33, who is stuck in Hat Yai with her husband, their nine-month-old son, five-year-old daughter and four colleagues.
What was meant to be a short trip has turned into an anxious ordeal.
“We arrived at around 1.30pm on Friday after travelling from Langkawi to Padang Besar and then to Hat Yai by public transport. It was raining heavily all afternoon but we didn’t expect it to get this bad.
“At 3am, I looked outside our hotel and was shocked at how fast the water had risen,” she told Bernama.
Her main concern is dwindling supplies for her children.
“My baby is almost out of milk and diapers. My five-year-old daughter has very little food left. The children are hungry.
“We didn’t bring extra because we were supposed to go home tomorrow,” she said, adding that the hotel has lost power while the phone and Internet connection are unstable.
Hat Yai is a popular holiday destination among Malaysians.
Wan Nur Asyikin had contacted the Malaysian Consulate General in Songkhla and had been assured that help was on the way.
Lily Suraini, another Malaysian stranded in Hat Yai, echoed the distress, posting on Facebook that her family of four was running low on essentials at the Siam Oriental Hotel.
“We cannot reply to all messages as our phone battery is only at 10%. We need milk for a two-year-old and a four-year-old, as well as diapers, food and mineral water for survival.
“Many others here with babies also need help.
“Electricity has been cut off and the lifts are no longer working. We had to use the stairs from the 15th floor. If we go quiet, it means the battery has died,” she added.
Other Malaysians, including parents with young children, have shared similar experiences on social media, with many stranded in vehicles or unable to reach their hotel due to the floods.
“Can anyone please help us? SOS. We tried to call the rescue team here but to no avail. We even called towing, but they can’t enter the emergency area. They only speak Thai.
“I have a six-month-old baby and a seven-year-old child in our car. We have been stranded and sleeping in our vehicle for one night. All of the hotels are not accessible,” said Iffah on social media.
Another social media user, Azmah Che Abdullah, said she was one of the victims stuck in Hat Yai.
“I came with my family, just the four of us. We are here for a family vacation. We only got to enjoy one night before it rained heavily,” she said.
In response to the worsening situation, the Malaysian Consulate General in Songkhla has urged Malaysians planning to travel to southern Thailand to defer their trips.
“As of this afternoon, approximately 4,000 Malaysians in Hat Yai and nearby areas are affected by the floods. All are reported to be safe, as most are staying in multi-storey hotels.
“However, some Malaysians are experiencing temporary electricity outages and reduced access to food due to localised disruptions,” the consulate general said in a statement.
“The Thai Tourist Police and local authorities have been fully mobilised and are actively managing the situation.”
The Consulate General said it has activated its operations team to assist Malaysians who may be stranded or in need of support, adding that it remains in close communication with local authorities, hotels and Malaysian groups in the affected areas.
“Malaysians in Hat Yai and surrounding districts are advised to remain indoors where possible, follow the instructions of local authorities and exercise caution around flood-affected areas.
“Malaysians who have not yet registered with the Consulate General in Songkhla or the Embassy in Bangkok are strongly urged to do so,” it said.
Malaysians requiring urgent consular assistance may contact the duty officer at +66 81-990 1930 or e-mail mwsongkhla@kln.gov.my.
