HAT YAI, THAILAND – More than 400 tourists were rescued from flooded hotels in the southern city of Hat Yai as severe floods swept across Songkhla province and other parts of Thailand’s deep south.
Tourists pulled from flooded hotels
In the usually lively tourist hub of Hat Yai, over 400 tourists were evacuated from 17 inundated hotels over the weekend as torrents of water surged through the streets and cars floated away.
“We had to act immediately,”
said Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Tourism Minister. Authorities, embassies and hotels worked together to locate visitors and move them to safety.
Emergency transport and makeshift shelters
Large trucks from the Royal Irrigation Department were used as emergency buses, carrying Thai and foreign travelers through waist-high water to temporary shelters. The facilities provided basic necessities such as water, food and dry clothing. Some Malaysian visitors were escorted directly to the border in an effort to get them home quickly.
SEA Games venues under water
While southern Thailand struggled with the flooding, concern grew over the upcoming SEA Games, scheduled to begin on 9 December, with Songkhla among the host locations. Water levels were currently highest in Songkhla, and a planned Muay Thai stadium there was reported to be completely submerged.
“We have prepared alternative venues,”
assured Sudawan, though it remained unclear whether competitions could proceed smoothly, with several sports dependent on receding water levels.
One of the worst floods in years
Southern Thailand experienced one of its heaviest flooding events in years, with the entire province of Songkhla under water since 19 November, affecting 16 districts, 821 villages and more than 635,000 people. At least one person died and over 1,200 residents were forced to flee their homes. According to weather expert Asst. Prof. Dr. Somporn Chuayaree, an unusually intense rain band stalled over Hat Yai, and heavy rainfall on Khao Kho Hong mountain sent water straight into the city instead of towards the lake.
“The water rushed unchecked down the steep slopes,”
said Chuayaree.
Government orders evacuations
On Sunday, the government issued a strict evacuation order for the Hat Yai area, warning that low-lying neighborhoods could be more than three meters under water. Three major emergency shelters were set up at Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla Rajabhat University and the Second Naval Area Command. More than 80 high-water vehicles, 44 flat-bottom boats and 21 inflatable boats operated around the clock, while mobile kitchens supplied food and volunteers rescued pets and residents from trapped homes.
Flood crisis spreads across southern provinces
The crisis extended beyond Songkhla to Narathiwat, Satun, Pattani and Yala, where severe flooding damaged roads, cut off villages and triggered landslides. A rockslide in Yi-ngo buried a main road under debris, isolating several communities. The Southern Meteorological Center warned that rain was expected to continue until at least 25 November, and even if the monsoon weakened, further landslides remained a risk due to the prolonged saturation of the ground.