Hat Yai (also Haad Yai) (Thai หาดใหญ่) is a city in southern Thailand near the boundary to Malaysia. Geographical location 7°1′N 100°28′E. With a population of 160,000 (2005 census) in the core city and about 600,000 in the Greater Hat Yai, Hat Yai is the biggest city of the Songkhla Province, and is thus often mistaken as being the capital of the province. However Songkhla is the capital, unlike the other provinces where the capital is the biggest city of the province. The town covers area from the Hat Yai district and the Mueang Songkhla district. Songkhla (Thai สงขลา) is the one of the southern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Songkhla is both a city and a province in Thailand. ...

The name "Hat Yai" is a short version of "Ma Hat Yai", meaning giant Ma Hat tree.

Hat Yai is a popular tourist destination for Muslims from Malaysia and elsewhere who want to "escape the pressures of Islamic society".

The Prince of Songkla University has its biggest campus in Hat Yai. Prince of Songkla University (also spelled Songkhla) was the first university of Southern Thailand. ...

Transportation

The city is served by the Hat Yai International Airport. Hat Yai International Airport is an airport in Hat Yai, Thailand. ...

Hat Yai Railway Station, the largest station is an international railway station in Southern Thailand. It handle 28 passenger trains per day (26 trains served by State Railway of Thailand and 2 trains (Ekspres Langawi) were served by KTMB of Malaysia. Also it is the hub of local train in Southern Thailand. The State Railway of Thailand (การรถไฟแห่งประเทศไทย) is the state-owned rail operator of Thailand. ... A train stopping at a KTMB railway station in Kuala Lipis, Pahang Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) or the Malayan Railway is the main railway system in Peninsular Malaysia. ...

Also parallel to the railway is the Asian highway 2. The Asian Highway (AH) project is a cooperative project among countries in Asia and the United Nations ESCAP to improve the highway systems in Asia. ...

Demographics

Demographically, Hat Yai is notable for a higher proportion of Islamic and ethnic Chinese citizens than other cities of comparable size in the northern regions of Thailand.

History

Originally named Khok Sa-Met Choon, Hat Yai was a small village until the southern railway was built there. The junction which connected the town of Songkhla with the main route was originally located in the Utapao area, but was moved to Khok Su-Met Choon in 1922 when the Utapao area turned out to be flood prone. Khok Su-Met Choon had only four residences at that time, but due to the investments of Khun Niphatchinnkhon (謝枢泗, Jia Gi Si, 1886-1972, Hakkian Chinese), the railway contractor for the railway connection from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Pattani, it quickly grew into a small town. 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Hakka (Traditional Chinese: 客家; Simplified Chinese: 客家; Pinyin: kèjiā, lit. ... Nakhon Si Thammarat (Thai นครศรีธรรมราช) is a town in southern Thailand, capital of the Nakhon Si Thammarat province. ... Pattani (or Patani in Malay spelling) may refer to the town Pattani in southern Thailand the Pattani Province the region Pattani, which includes the above province. ...

In 1928 Hat Yai was made a Chumchon, which was upgraded to a sanitary district (sukhaphiban) on December 11 1935. It covered an area of 4.4 km², and was administrated by the first mayor Udom Bunlong. 1938 the municipal administration building was completed. On March 16 1949 it was granted town status (Thesaban Mueang); on May 10 1961 the area covered by the municipality was increased to 8 km². Due to the continuing growth, on August 13 1968 a new larger municipal administration building was opened, on April 24 1977 the area of the municipality was enlarged a second time to 21 km². Finally in 1995 it was upgraded to city status (Thesaban Nakhon).

On April 3, 2005, two bomb attacks on a Carrefour department store and Hat Yai International Airport were done by Pattani separatistic terrorists. The attacks killed two people and injured dozens. April 3 is the 93rd day of the year (94th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 272 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The 2005 Songkhla bombings in Songkhla Province on April 3, 2005 were a series of three bombings that took place in Hat Yai and Songkhla, and are believed to be part of the on-going South Thailand insurgency. ... The Carrefour supermarket at Faaa, Tahiti, French Polynesia Carrefour SA (Euronext: CA) is an international supermarket group, headquartered in France, with a global network of supermarkets. ... Hat Yai International Airport is an airport in Hat Yai, Thailand. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into South Thailand insurgency. ...

External links

• hatyaicity.go.th
• Hat Yai travel guide from Wikitravel