Hat Yai

[bace]

I was in Hat Yai in 2004 and it seemed fine to me then. However I keep hearing warnings about the area now. Has it gotten worse for white westerners? In 2004 my biggest problem was finding condoms that fit as it seems the shops and girls were mostly geared up for all the Malasian punters. Still safe - or have things changed in the past 10 years?

[filibuster]

I live here, but I wouldn't recommend Hat Yai as a tourist destination - it's a commercial city.  OK if you're passing through en-route elsewhere.

 

The good news is most pharmacies and 7-11s sell 56mm condoms.  

 

If you're a Brit, the most important thing is that your travel insurance will likely be invalid.  There's plenty of info on the web about the security situation.  Not all government travel advisories are the same.  As for the girls, most were shunted out to Danok (about 50 km south) many years ago.  

 

A Canadian teacher was killed in 2006, however, the bombs that occasionally do go off, are pretty indiscriminate in regards skin colour.  

[bace]

Yes, last time I was just passing through. I never thought about the travel insurance angle - I need to check up on that one.

 

Thanks

[The Sperminator]

They place bombs mainly where security forces hang around,eat their breakfast lunch etc.

Early morning is normally the favoured time for attacks to take place,school runs or where police or the army have breakfast.

I speak from experience my mother in law lives in Mae Lan and a motorbike bomb went off next door at the local shop/cafe where the police and army get food  cigarettes and M150.Luckily the school run had not started the school bus picks up the kids from outside.

Only one policeman slightly hurt,i think the bomb failed to denonate properly.

Having said that we spend plenty of time in Pattani,Mae Lan,Yala,Yaha and Hat Yai i ride around on a motorike and have never had any trouble in 15 years.

Apart from that one incident.

[filibuster]

They place bombs mainly where security forces hang around,eat their breakfast lunch etc.

Early morning is normally the favoured time for attacks to take place,school runs or where police or the army have breakfast.

Hat Yai bombs in the last 10 years ...

 

2014 ... police car park, in front of 7-11 and between Robinsons department store and the railway station (Tue afternoon)

 

2012 ... Lee Gardens hotel and shopping mall (Sat afternoon)

 

2006 ... Pub, car park, shopping mall, department store (Sat evening)

 

2005 ... Shopping Mall and airport (Sun evening)

 

None took place in the early morning, nor did any target school runs or policemen having breakfast.

 

I speak from experience my mother in law lives in Mae Lan ...

 

You do realise that Mae Lan is in Pattani and Hat Yai is in Songkhla?

[The Sperminator]

Hat Yai bombs in the last 10 years ...

 

2014 ... police car park, in front of 7-11 and between Robinsons department store and the railway station (Tue afternoon)

 

2012 ... Lee Gardens Hotel and shopping mall (Sat afternoon)

 

2006 ... Pub, car park, shopping mall, department store (Sat evening)

 

2005 ... Shopping Mall and airport (Sun evening)

 

None took place in the early morning, nor did any target school runs or policemen having breakfast.

 

 

You do realise that Mae Lan is in Pattani and Hat Yai is in Songkhla?

Yes,looks like Hat Yai is fairly safe.

I just know a lot of ambushes take place early morning in Pattani,if i need a geography lesson i will ask for one.

May be the op wants to travel to other areas near to Hat Yai i will keep my advice town,city or district specific in future.  

[filibuster]

Yes,looks like Hat Yai is fairly safe.

I just know a lot of ambushes take place early morning in Pattani,if i need a geography lesson i will ask for one.

May be the op wants to travel to other areas near to Hat Yai i will keep my advice town,city or district specific in future.  

 

You didn't indicate that you weren't talking about Hat Yai, but rather somewhere else that the OP didn't mention.

[The Sperminator]

Not much in Hat Yai but if you travel a bit further some nice clean unspoiled beaches as well as some nice Jungle areas to explore.

My wife and son  flew out of Hat Yai airport the night before it was bombed still think about that now.

But can't let misguided people put you of traveling and exploring Southern Thailand.

[filibuster]

Not much in Hat Yai ... 

 

Compared to where?  Bangkok?    

[The Sperminator]

Compared to where?  Bangkok?    

Compared to the nice beaches on the coastline near Hat Yai and the Jungle near Yaha.

If you are having difficulty understanding English i suggest you read the post TWICE.

Anyway got better things to do than waste my life squabbling with you get out of your hotel room and take a walk around.

Sorry OP for the slight diversion from your topic.

[filibuster]

Sorry OP for the slight diversion from your topic.

 

I should think so!  Yaha?  LOL!     

[bace]

Yeah - same old same old. Despite the few random bombs, I'm still wayyyy more likely to be injured or killed in Traffic. That just doesn't make for as exciting news. Thanks for the update.

[xtremedude]

I live here, but I wouldn't recommend Hat Yai as a tourist destination - it's a commercial city.  OK if you're passing through en-route elsewhere.

 

The good news is most pharmacies and 7-11s sell 56mm condoms.  

 

If you're a Brit, the most important thing is that your travel insurance will likely be invalid.  There's plenty of info on the web about the security situation.  Not all government travel advisories are the same.  As for the girls, most were shunted out to Danok (about 50 km south) many years ago.  

 

A Canadian teacher was killed in 2006, however, the bombs that occasionally do go off, are pretty indiscriminate in regards skin colour.  

 

I will be traveling from KL to Bangkok by train.  I am thinking of doing a stop over for few days in Hat Yai to check things out.  What's the current situation regarding P4P venues in Hat Yai?  If the highlighted comment is true, I might skip it and just head straight to Bangkok.

[xtremedude]

Any update on Hat Yai?