More than 4,000 Malaysian tourists, who had been trapped by the severe flooding in Thailand’s Hat Yai since Sunday, have safely returned to Malaysia, with the help of officials and volunteers from both countries.
According to information from ‘Hatyai SOS’, 2,960 Malaysian tourists were evacuated yesterday, once the floodwater receded, leaving several previously flooded roads passable again.
Altogether, 4,016 Malaysians, who were scattered across about 200 locations in Hat Yai, have been safely evacuated, leaving 382 remaining in 50 locations, according to ‘Hatyai SOS’.
A Malaysian evacuation coordinator, Tuwae Daniya Muree-ing, told Thai PBS reporters that Malaysia had sent nine rescue teams, including medical personnel, to help in the evacuation effort. He said he is concerned about those who are yet to be located, because they did not visit Hat Yai in tour groups.
He disclosed that stranded Malaysian tourists had mixed feelings about the authorities’ handling of the flooding in Hat Yai, adding that this event should prompt both Thailand and Malaysia to come up with a more efficient contingency plan to cope with flooding of this magnitude.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, in his Facebook post, thanked Thai government and the numerous volunteer organisations for the assistance provided to stranded Malaysian tourists and their cooperation with the Malaysian rescue teams in their safe return to Malaysia.
In a Facebook post, the foreign minister of Singapore also expressed appreciation for the Thai government’s assistance provided to stranded Singaporean tourists and the cooperation with Singapore officials in locating and helping in the evacuation of tourists.
