Hat Yai

Hat Yai (also spelt Haad Yai) is one of the most active and diverse destinations of the Thai-Malay peninsular region. With more than 150,000 residents living in its central municipality and a greater urban reach rapidly approaching 800,000, it's hard to believe that Hat Yai didn't even exist over a century ago. Originally named Khok Sa-Met Choon, Hat Yai was a small village until the southern railway was built there.

Initially established as a small junction on the Thai-Malay rail route, Hat Yai lies 50 kilometers north of the Thai-Malaysian border and 26 kilometers southwest of Songkhla City, the provincial capital. People often mistake Hat Yai as Songkhla's capital; Unlike the norm elsewhere in Thailand, where the provincial capital is the largest city of the province (Hat Yai and Pattaya being the only exceptions to this norm), more than 60 percent of Songkhla province's population is concentrated around Hat Yai.

As the largest metropolitan area of southern Thailand, Hat Yai serves as a significant commercial and business center, drawing travelers and tourists in pursuit of leisure and business on a year-round basis.

A majority of Hat Yai's inhabitants are of ethnic Chinese or Islamic background, with most of the city's million visitors per year venturing from neighboring Malaysia and Singapore. While 'hat yai' sounds and is spelt like the Thai words 'big beach', there is no beach or seafront in Hat Yai as it is located 30 kilometers inland. The name is actually derived from a large tropical 'ma haad' tree (Artocarpus Lakoocha).

As a shopping and entertainment haven, Hat Yai offers a long list of things to see and do, whether for the solo traveler or the entire family, boredom is hard to come by in this cosmopolitan city.

Accommodation

Whether on a shoestring budget or looking for more luxurious lodging, Hat Yai has an abundant selection of hotels and guesthouses. Most accommodations are situated around Hat Yai's bustling downtown, with easy access to the cities select dining and shopping venues.

For mid to upper range options, pre-booking, either online or with a local travel agent, will certainly get you better deals than dealing direct with hotels. During the week, you should be able to find the room you want but keep in mind that on weekends and Singaporean and Malaysian holidays, vacancy in downtown is no guarantee.

Activities

Hat Yai offers fun for everyone. With two 9-hole courses (Hat Yai Country club and Koh Hong Golf Club), an 18-hole golf course (Hat Yai Resort & Golf Club), shooting ranges, paintball parks, a 15 meter water slide (Bhasawang Big Splash), Thai Boxing stadium, and local bull fights organized on a weekend basis, it might prove a task deciding what to do.

Introduction Part 3

SONGKHLA

The bustling town of Hat Yai is the province's main shopping, commercial and entertainment centre, and a magnet for visiting Malaysian and Singaporean tourists.

But it is the seaside town of Songkhla, southern Thailand's oldest beach resort, that gives the province its laid-back character. Samila Beach is the main leisure area with 8 kms of golden sand dotted with seafood restaurants and hotels, and guarded by a brass mermaid, the symbol of Songkhla.

Southern history can be traced at Songkhla National Museum, located in one of the Sino-Portuguese mansions so famous in this resort, and housing an outstanding collection of Thai and Chinese art treasures gathered from the southern provinces.

Songkhla Lake is Thailand's largest inland body of water, where fishing predominates. Yo island is famous for its fabrics, the Institute of Southern Studies and its collection of folk arts, and Wat Pha Kho, a temple where legend says a holy man prevented a pirate invasion by turning salt water into fresh water with his feet. At the northern end of the lake is Khu Khut Waterfowl Park, renowned for its wide variety of birdlife.

Cheap labour

Thailand is one country where there is cheap labour and I really mean "cheap" labour and you pay only peanuts :) and they work more then any labourer in the farm. - Monkeys

Monkeys are trained to pluck coconuts in the coconut plantations. All the owner has to do is yell and point up a coconut tree and they know exactly what to do and mind you, they know which one is ripe to pluck.. well not pluck actually twist the coconuts until the stem breaks and drop down from the trees and they can even carry them to the truck.

Monkey at work, selecting and plucking coconuts and they are really good at it.


Now try to steal the coconuts from the trucks if you dare..

"One monkey can pick about 300 coconuts a day. Well, lucky for the owner it doesn't know how to count or else hahaha they will demand higher pay..The monkey works 10 times quicker than a man," said Somboon Cheumuang, the monkeys' owner. About 1,200 trained monkey are working as coconut pickers in the country's southern coastal provinces.

OKay... let's call it a day... time to go home now.. :)

Welcome to Thailand !!

What a lovely and profitable pet to have.. :)
mmm.. a pet or a slave?

Introduction - Part 2

The Mermaid with Cat and Rat islands in the distance are long-time symbols of the province of Songkhla.

Late afternoon at Songkhla Lake with its trawlers and fishing cradles makes for one of the most picturesque sites in the province.

The province of Songkhla is one of the oldest settlements in the South, as is evidenced by these typical old Chinese-style houses lining Nakorn Nai Street in downtown Songkhla town.

A neat row of fishing trawlers waiting for the tide to turn before setting out to sea.

Thaksin University offers both undergraduate and graduate programmes in education, sciences, arts, economics and business. Post Publishing's seminar in Songkhla on June 20-21, 1997 was organised by the Humanities Faculty of this prestigious school.

Songhkla - Introduction

Songkhla is a border province in Southern Thailand, adjoining the state of Kedah in Malaysia. It has been known as a principal sea port and coastal trading post from time immemorial. As a historic town, Songkhla has inherited ancient ruins, arts, and places of cultural importance in addition to its unique tradition, dialect, and folk entertainment, a reflection of its rich cultural heritage for later generations to appreciate.

Songkhla has fine beaches, enchanting waterfalls, and a tranquil lake - a manifestation of its abundant natural resources. While Songkhla is noted for its fishery industry, Hat Yai, the major district of the province, serves as a transportation and communications hub of the South, with this bustling town linking with various destinations in the neighboring provinces and in Malaysia. Only 30 kilometers apart and with contrastive characteristics, Hat Yai and Songkhla can be ideal places for the tourist to visit: Hat Yai, a fast booming city in trade and business, while Songkhla remains a sleepy town still able to maintain its unique identity of ancient and historical flavors.

Songkhla covers an area of 7,393.9 square kilometers (approximately 1,848,472 acres). It is divided into 16 administrative Amphoe (districts), i.e. Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Hat Yai, Amphoe Chana, Amphoe Ranode, Amphoe Bangklam, Amphoe Namom, Amphoe Khlong Hoykhong, Amphoe Nathawee, Amphoe Thepha, Amphoe Sabayoi, Amphoe Sadao, Amphoe Rattaphoom, Amphoe Singha Nakhon, Amphoe Khuanniang, Amphoe Rattaphum, and Amphoe Krasaesin. The population of the province is 1,159,672.

Welcome to iii Songkhla, Thailand

Welcome to iii Songkhla, Thailand.
Standing with me is the iii Resident Ambassador to iiiThailand and acting iiigovernor of Songkhla, Thailand. A Malaysian who has been in Thailand for many many years and I am sure he has so much to share with the world, what is it like to be in Songkhla and he will be hunting for a local iiigovernor and very soon we will have one.

iiiworld is a unique business where you earn and learn at the same time.. and the sky is the limit.