MALAYSIANS ADVISED TO PREPARE WELL BEFORE MAKING HAT YAI TRIP DURING CNY

KRABI, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysians planning to travel to Hat Yai during the Chinese New Year holidays next month are advised to make thorough preparations, particularly by ensuring they have appropriate health and vehicle insurance coverage before embarking on their journey to southern Thailand.

Malaysia’s Consul-General in Songkhla Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi said travellers should ensure that their motor insurance policies include flood coverage as an early precaution, taking lessons from the flooding that hit Hat Yai in late November last year.

“The situation in Hat Yai is now safe and the roads have been cleared,” he told reporters at the Ziarah Mahabbah to the Andaman Region 2026 programme organised by the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs), which took place here from Jan 23 until yesterday.

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According to him, about 60 per cent of hotels and around 50 per cent of eateries in Hat Yai have resumed operations following the floods.

“I was informed that with the Chinese New Year holidays coming up, they (hotel operators) are making efforts to reopen up to 80 per cent of the hotels that were previously closed due to the floods,” he said, adding that most major tourist attractions have also reopened to the public, like the Lee Garden Night Market and Kim Yong Market.

Ahmad Fahmi said the Thai government has estimated total losses in Hat Yai and surrounding areas due to the floods at RM1.3 billion, involving damages to properties and premises as well as the loss of economic activities.

Meanwhile, the Ziarah Mahabbah programme which entered its 11th edition was led by the Raja Muda of Perlis, who is also the President of MAIPs, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail while also in attendance was the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil.

MAIPs chief executive officer Mohd Nazim Mohd Noor, as well as the Board of Directors of the MAIPs Asnaf Transformation Academy (ATAM) also took part in the programme.

Among the programme’s highlights include the annual audience ceremony on the Raja Muda of Perlis by the heads or representatives of the Islamic Religious Councils (MAI) of the six Andaman provinces, namely Krabi, Ranong, Phuket, Phang Nga, Trang dan Satun.

Tuanku Syed Faizuddin and Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen also graced the promotion of Perlis’ signature dish, Kurma Daging and the Visit Perlis Year 2024–2026 as part of the programme.

-- BERNAMA