Hatyai Calm Again After The Bombing Incident (souces: Bernama)
HATYAI, Sept 17 (Bernama) -- Public order was restored and life returned to normalcy in Hatyai several hours after this south Thailand border township was rocked by six explosions that killed four people and injured dozens of others last night.
However, most foreign tourists fled from the town considered as a "shopping and entertainment haven" after six explosions went off almost simultaneously at about 9pm (10pm Malaysian time) and ripped through key tourist spots last night.
Four people, including a Canadian national, were killed and 70 others, including five or more Malaysians, were injured.
The incident was expected to hurt tourism in southern Thailand, said Songkhla Hotel Association president Somchart Pimtanapoonporn who predicted that Hatyai would lose millions of baht in tourism revenue this year.
"Hatyai will suffer following the bloody incident, the worst ever in Hatyai. Tourism will definitely take a severe blow. We can expect to lose millions of baht because of this incident," he said.
Last April, Hatyai was rocked by a bomb explosion at its international airport. A bomb also exploded at the Hatyai railway station three years ago.
A female masseur identified as Nui, 25, is worried that business will take a tumble in the next few months. "The survival of my business depends on the tourists. No tourist, no business," she said.
A tut-tut (motorised three-wheel cart) driver, who requested anonymity, said the "tut-tut" business would be hard hit by the incident.
"So many tourists fled from Hatyai and there is no guarantee that they will return. We depend on them to sustain our business. Thousands more will cancel their holiday bookings to Hatyai and Songkhla," he said.
Meanwhile, a check conducted by Bernama at the border area showed that thousands of Malaysians were stranded at the border post near Bukit Kayu Hitam as they tried to rush home for safety.
They fled from Hatyai in buses and private cars.
Malaysian police at the border area was put on high alert to control a stampede at the immigration check-points.
Soleh Mansor, 52, said many Malaysians were shocked by the incident. Those who worked as shop assistants in Hatyai were taking leave until the situation returned to normal, he said.
-- BERNAMA
Two week while in Danok(I post here) I had this kind of fear, wherever I go the terrorists attack comes to my mind, I was quite relief when cross back to Malaysian border.
Be frank Hadyai is not meanly for calling Chicken’s, I had seems number of ladies blogger blog about their shopping sphere, eat like no tomorrow and a good family outing.
It’s gonna be a big big problem to the Southern Thai people in term of their live hood
Hope in near future Southern Tourist spot will win back the confidence of the tourists exp Malaysian & Singaporean.
Fuck the Terrorists
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