SONGKHLA, April 8 – Thailand’s southern province of Songkhla tightens its security to the highest level in the business centre in Hat Yai district as Malaysian and Singaporean tourists started coming to celebrate Songkran water splashing or Thai New Year festival.
Nakhon Hat Yai Mayor Prai Patthano said that although the situation in the district is peaceful, security personnel have stepped up security to the highest level as insurgent attacks continue the southern border provinces.
Deployment and reinforcement of security personnel will help boost the confidence of locals and tourists as the long holiday festival is set to start later this week.
Hat Yai municipality arranged 20 security volunteers to work with a more than 20,000 person network to keep an eye on any irregularities and to let the authorities know when there is something likely to happen.
Meanwhile, Malaysian and Singaporean tourists gradually arrived in Hat Yai while water-play equipment for splashing during the festival such as water guns attracts tourists.
Surapol Khamplanonwat, chairman of the Songkha Tourism Federation, expected at least 50,000 arrivals and returns of about Bt300 million this year.
