Hat Yai
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hat Yai หาดใหญ่ |
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  Hat Yai
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| Coordinates: 7°1′N 100°28′E / 7.017°N 100.467°E | |||
| Country |  Thailand |
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| Province | Songkhla | ||
| District | Hat Yai | ||
| Government | |||
| - Type | City Municipality | ||
| - Mayor | Prai Pattano | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 21.00 km2 (8.20 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 20.50 km2 (8.00 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 0.50 km2 (0.20 sq mi) 2.38% | ||
| Population (2008) | |||
| - Total | 157,359 | ||
| - Density | 7,676.05/km2 (18,297.55/sq mi) | ||
| Registered residents only | |||
| Time zone | Thailand (UTC+7) | ||
| Website | http://www.hatyaicity.go.th/ | ||
Hat Yai (Thai: หาดใหญ่; also Haad Yai / Had Yai) is a city in southern Thailand near the boundary to Malaysia. Geographical location 7°1′N 100°28′E / 7.017°N 100.467°E. With a population of 157,359 (2008) in the core city and about 800,000 in the Greater Hat Yai. Hat Yai is the biggest city of Songkhla Province and the largest metropolitan area in Southern Thailand, and is thus often mistaken as being the capital of the province. However Songkhla is the capital and the center of administration and culture while Hat Yai is the business center. The two cities are considered as twin cities due to the close connection, accordingly, Hat Yai and Songkhla form the Greater Hatyai-Songkhla Metropolitan Area.
The name "Hat Yai" is a short version of "Ma Hat Yai", meaning big Ma Hat (Thai: มะหาด) tree, a relative of jackfruits in genus Artocarpus.
[edit] 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, Hakka Chinese), the railway contractor for the railway connection from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Pattani, it quickly grew into a small town.
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. In 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).
[edit] Southern Violence
Being a economic center of the lower Southern Thailand, Hat Yai became a target of terrorism in a separatist campaign, running by Pattani United Liberation Organization. Several bombings were launched in Hat Yai and nearby area.
On April 3, 2005, two bomb attacks at a Carrefour department store and Hat Yai International Airport were made by separatists. The attacks killed two people and injured dozens.
On September 16, 2006 a series of bomb attacks killed four people and injured over 70. Although no-one claimed responsibility for the attacks, local separatists are suspected.[1]
[edit] Climate
Hat Yai has a tropical climate, which is hot and humid, like other parts of Thailand. Hat Yai has only two seasons; wet and dry. The wet season, which is influenced by monsoon and rain storms, is from May to December, while the dry season is only from January to April. Additionally, There have been occasionally flood in Hat Yai due to the heavy rain; it can rain for twenty-two days in November with more than 500 mm of precipitation.
| Weather data for Songkhla and Hat Yai | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29.6 (85) |
30.4 (87) |
31.4 (89) |
32.4 (90) |
33.0 (91) |
32.8 (91) |
32.7 (91) |
32.7 (91) |
32.1 (90) |
31.1 (88) |
29.5 (85) |
29.0 (84) |
31.4 (89) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 24.3 (76) |
24.4 (76) |
24.6 (76) |
25.0 (77) |
25.1 (77) |
24.8 (77) |
24.4 (76) |
24.4 (76) |
24.2 (76) |
24.1 (75) |
24.1 (75) |
24.2 (76) |
24.5 (76) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 59.9 (2.36) |
35.3 (1.39) |
47.2 (1.86) |
79.6 (3.13) |
119.5 (4.7) |
93.0 (3.66) |
91.5 (3.6) |
109.0 (4.29) |
130.5 (5.14) |
247.7 (9.75) |
553.8 (21.8) |
418.1 (16.46) |
1,985.2 (78.16) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 9.0 | 3.7 | 5.7 | 7.8 | 12.7 | 12.4 | 12.5 | 13.3 | 14.3 | 20.3 | 22.5 | 19.7 | 154.0 |
| Source: World Weather Information Service[2] Nov 2007 | |||||||||||||
[edit] Transportation
Hat Yai became transportation hub of Southern Thailand since the the railway was built. Being a largest station in the south of the country, Hat Yai Railway Station is an international railway station. It handles 28 passenger trains per day, including 26 trains served by State Railway of Thailand and 2 trains served by KTMB of Malaysia. Hat Yai is also the hub of local trains in Southern Thailand.
Also parallel to the railway is the Asian highway 2. Asian highway 18 begins in Hat Yai and runs south along the eastern coast of the Malay peninsula.
Hat Yai International Airport is 9 km from the downtown. There were international airlines serving to Hat Yai but these have been discontinued due to the economic and security problems.
[edit] 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. The population of Hat Yai is 157,359 as 2008, ranked 4th in the country behind Bangkok, Nonthaburi and Pak Kret.
[edit] Education
Prince of Songkla University is the oldest and the biggest university in Southern Thailand, having the main campus near Hat Yai downtown (the exact location of the university is in Kho Hong town, a part of Greater Hat Yai. This public university is always ranked in top ten of Thai university. Furthermore, the first and the only private university in Southern Thailand - Hatyai University - is also located in the urban area of Hat Yai. In addition, the Ramkhamhaeng University's new campus is in process of building and going to open soon. This open university is located near the international airport.
Hat Yai also home several famous high schools, including the country's top ten, Hatyaiwittayalai School (public).[3] Another well-known public school is Hatyaiwittayalaisomboonkulkanya School. There are several popular private schools in Greater Hat Yai, including the country's top three PSU Wittayanusorn School[4][5], Saengthong Vitthaya School and Thidanukhro School.
[edit] Local products market place
Kim Yong market
Located at Supasarn Rungsan road. This is the most attractive & famous place for shopping. There are plenty of food, home electric appliances, chocolate, beauty tools, watches, CD games etc.
Suntisook Market.
Located at Nipat U-tid 1, 2 & 3. This is another famous place of Hatyai which sells the same products as Kim Yong market.
[edit] Image gallery
 A veggie seller in Hat Yai wet market |
 Thai Curry Paste in Hat Yai Wet Market |
 Tuk-tuks in Hat Yai |
 Hat Yai Rail Station |
 Reclining Buddha in Wat Hat Yai Nai |
 Statue of laughing Buddha in Hat Yai Municipal Park |
 Statue of Buddhas at the hilltop of Hat Yai Municipal Park |
[edit] External links
- Official Hat Yai City website
- Hat Yai travel guide from Wikitravel
- Map of Hat Yai focused on the center of the city
- Detailed map of Hat Yai
[edit] References
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5353648.stm
- ^ "World Weather Information Service Songkhla". Thai Meteorological Department. http://www.worldweather.org/089/c00578.htm.
- ^ http://www.zheza.com/index.php?a=webboard&b=view&id=572371 |title = Top 100 High Schools in Thailand (in Thai)
- ^ http://webboard.campus.sanook.com/forum/?topic=2618322 |title = Top 50 High Schools in Thailand (2008) (in Thai)
- ^ http://www.dek-d.com/board/view.php?id=1397004 |title = Top 10 High Schools in Thailand (2009) (in Thai)
