Train services from Padang Besar to Hat Yai have been temporarily suspended since last Friday following floods in southern Thailand.
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) Padang Besar Operations Executive Mohamad Faris Che Lah said the route was closed after water levels near Khlong Ngae Station in Sadao, Songkhla Province began rising, affecting operational safety.
“The Padang Besar–Hat Yai route remains closed in response to the flood situation in Thailand. It was shut down on 21 November after floodwaters began rising in the Sadao area near Khlong Ngae Station,” he told BERNAMA.
Mohamad Faris said the train service will only resume once flood conditions have fully improved and authorities confirm it is safe.
Few visitors entering or leaving due to heavy rain
Meanwhile, a BERNAMA check at KTMB Station and the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Padang Besar today found the area relatively quiet, with few visitors entering or leaving due to heavy rain and flooding in Hat Yai.
Local eatery operator Mohd Nasser Mohd Talib, 56, said the drop in visitors has significantly impacted his business, which usually sees high customer traffic on weekends.
“Train services to Hat Yai have been closed for two days. Normally, many people stop to eat before entering Thailand, but this week business has dropped sharply. I’d say only about 10% of customers remain, 90% less compared to last week,” he said.
Mohd Nasser added that the railway station area looks deserted compared to usual.
Yesterday, BERNAMA reported that about 4,000 Malaysians in Hat Yai and nearby areas have been affected by the floods, though all are reported safe according to Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry.
The Malaysian Consulate General in Songkhla has advised Malaysians to postpone travel to southern Thailand due to the ongoing floods.
Consul General Ahmad Fahmi Ahmad Sarkawi said in a statement yesterday that most southern provinces are experiencing flooding following continuous heavy rain.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Also read: “We’re checked in until tomorrow” – Flood Victims in Hatyai Are Reportedly Refusing Rescue Efforts
