PUBLISHED : 23 Nov 2025 at 15:41
SONGKHLA: More than 1,000 tourists were stranded at Hat Yai airport and hotels in Hat Yai district on Sunday, with the government providing assistance and deploying large trucks to help with transport.
Tourism and Sports Minister Atthakorn Sirilatthayakorn, who inspected Hat Yai airport late Saturday night, said around 1,000 travellers were unable to leave the airport due to severe flooding that made travel to the city centre difficult.
Airport management has been providing stranded travellers with food, drinking water, toothpaste, toothbrushes, first-aid supplies and other necessities, he said.
Large trucks from the military and the Royal Irrigation Department were sent to transport people between the airport, hotels and temporary shelters. Mr Atthakorn said conditions could improve within a few days if the heavy rain eased.
Hat Yai airport remained open on Sunday.
Natthriya Thaweevong, permanent secretary for tourism and sports, said many tourists were stuck at hotels, the airport and other flooded areas because numerous roads were impassable. Officials were delivering food, drinking water and essential supplies to affected hotels.
She said staff at about 30 hotels had requested more than 3,700 food boxes on Sunday.
Songkhla governor Rathasat Cherdchu said the local Red Cross was preparing 20,000 food boxes a day for residents in all affected districts.
Floods have severely affected 637 villages in 10 districts, with about 465,000 people impacted. Hat Yai district accounts for roughly 243,000 of them. Other badly flooded districts include Na Mom and Rattaphum.