THAILAND > TAK BAI, SONGKHLA & HATYAI

Hj Zulheimy Maamor : 10 March 2024

Thailand also known historically as Siam (the official name until 1939) is a country in Southeast Asia. Thailand is bordered to the northwest by Myanmar, to the northeast by Laos, to the Southeast by Cambodia, to the south by Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia. 

While working with The Institution of Engineers, Malaysia, I visited Thailand several times in 2000, 2002, 2006, and 2007. The areas I visited in Thailand include Bangkok, Pattaya, Haatyai, Songkhla, and ChiengMai. I am familiar with Thailand because I often visited Thailand when I was in the navy.

1987 - TAK BAI

My experience with Thailand started in 1987 when I first went to Tak Bai, which borders Pengkalan Kubur in Kelantan. I served with the Royal Malaysian Navy Patrol Craft, KD Panah, which often conducted patrol duty in the Exclusive Economic Zone area in the South China Sea. We would stop for a while, and frequently visit Tak Bai in Thailand for rest and recreation after days of patrolling at sea.

Tak Bai is a capital of Tak Bai District, Narathiwat Province, Thailand. Situated on the western bank of the Golok River estuary, which is natural international boundary between Thailand and Malaysia. Visitors from Malaysia can enter Tak Bai via Pengkalan Kubor at Kelantan with a ferry or boat service. 

25 October 2005 - Tak Bai Incident

2002 - SONGKHLA DAN HATYAI

IEM staff visited to Hatyai and Songkhla in October 2002. We left our office in Petaling Jaya by bus and departed at 10.00pm. We stopped for a break in Changloon, Kedah. 

The travel distance from Petaling Jaya to Bukit Hitam is 481 km (6 hr 20 min drives)

To enter Hatyai, we had to go through immigration for documentation at Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration Complex at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah, the border town between Malaysia and Thailand, and it is also the end of the North-South Highway. Across from the immigration complex is the town of Ban Dan Nok, which is located in the Sadao district of Songkhla Province in Southern Thailand.

When all the immigration documentation is done, we continue our journey to Songkhla and stop at Samila Beach, Songkhla for a rest before continuing to Hatyai. 

The travel distance from Bukit Kayu Hitam Immigration Complex to Samila Beach in Songkhla, Thailand, is 101 km (1 hour, 53 minutes). 

SAMILA BEACH, SONGKHLA

Samila Beach is located on the northern part of Songkhla next to Laem Son On along the Samila Peninsula, Songkhla, Southern Thailand. On the white sandy beach, there is also a prominent bronze mermaid statue sitting on a rock calle "Ngueak Thong", which is the symbol of this beach. 

Samila Beach, Songkhla

The Songkhla Central Mosque, also known as the Masjid Melayu (Malay Mosque), is located in Songkhla, Thailand and is one of the largest mosque in Southern Thailand. It was built in 2001 and dubbed the Taj Mahal of Thailand. 

HATYAI, THAILAND

From Samila Beach we continue our journey to Hatyai which is located 34 km from Songkhla. 

We stayed at The Regency Hotel located at Prachathipat Road at Hatyai District, strategic location near to the night market and easy to find halal food nearby. This casual hotel is 6 km from the Hatyai Floating Market and 4 km from the Prince Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Natural History Museum. Haytai Station is an minute walk away. 

KHLONG HAE FLOATING MARKET

The famous floating market for tourists coming from Malaysian, Singapore and Indonesia in Hatyai. 

Places that must be visited if visiting Hatyai. Ample and spacious parking areas. The attraction is the floating market itself. A variety of food options are sold. But it's quite crowded every weekend. Always filled with tourists from Malaysia for sure. The prices of food and goods are reasonable. Clean and tidy place. Just need to add more places to eat.

It's definitely worth exploring for a few days or long weekend with so many things to do in Hatyai and Songkhla. Hatyai and Songkhla often mistaken for being the provincial capital. In fact, Songkhla is the capital and the center of administration and culture while Hatyai is the business center. 

Hj Zulheimy Maamor 

Lembah Keramat, KL

10 March 2024 > 29 Syaaban 1445H: 11.22 pm